\u201cIt is never, ever, too late to finish what you have started,\u201d Billie Jean posted on X.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For King, whose life and career reshaped women\u2019s sports and LGBTQ+ rights in the United States, this moment was filled with significance. During her final semester, the tennis legend studied and wrote about movements she had personally helped lead, including Title IX and LGBTQ+ equality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
King originally enrolled at what was then called Los Angeles State College in 1961. She stepped away in 1964 to focus entirely on tennis. By that time, she had already begun making her mark on the sport by winning her first Wimbledon doubles title while still a student.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
What followed was one of the most influential careers in sports history. King won 39 Grand Slam titles, including 12 singles crowns, 16 women\u2019s doubles titles, and 11 mixed doubles championships. She also co-founded the Women\u2019s Tennis Association and fought for equal opportunities and pay for women in sports.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Her activism and influence earned her some of the highest honors in the United States. These include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
What followed was one of the most influential careers in sports history. King won 39 Grand Slam titles, including 12 singles crowns, 16 women\u2019s doubles titles, and 11 mixed doubles championships. She also co-founded the Women\u2019s Tennis Association and fought for equal opportunities and pay for women in sports.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On graduation day in Los Angeles, King wore a gold stole that read \u201cstudent athlete\u201d and \u201cG.O.A.T.\u201d She celebrated the occasion by hitting tennis balls from the stage to fellow graduates after receiving her diploma from university president Berenecea Johnson Eanes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n