Top 10 greatest sportswomen of all time
The topic of ‘Women in Sports’ is always an interesting one.A number of great female athletes have had the endurance and will to not only achieve the unthinkable in their respective Sport but have also surpassed their male counterparts. While the internet is littered with a number of fantastic write ups about the greatest sportswomen of all time, the criteria against which each of them is judged is always a moot point.While the number of titles and Olympic records is a good yardstick to gauge greatness of sportswomen, it could be limiting. In this article other factors like versatility, longevity and contribution to sports have also been considered.
#10 Billie Jean King
She may be short for a tennis player but she stood tall otherwise.
The legendary Billie Jean King, during a career spanning two decades, won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles that included 12 Singles, 16 Doubles and 11 Mixed Doubles. Apart from a stellar career in tennis, King is also an advocate for sexual equality. At the age of 29, King won the Battle of the Sexes match against the 55-year-old Bobby Riggs.
King’s contribution to women’s tennis has been immense. She founded the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association), World Team Tennis (along with her former husband Larry King) and the Women’s Sports Foundation.
King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 and has been the recipient of various awards like the Fed Cup Award of Excellence, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and Presidential Medal of Freedom.