Billie Jean King Named One of America’s Greatest Living Innovators by Forbes
Tennis legend honored for “catalyzing women’s professional sports” with the WTA ahead of US 250th anniversary
By TENNIS.com
Published: February 12, 2026 | 2 min read
NEW YORK — Billie Jean King has added another honor to her storied legacy: the 82-year-old tennis icon has been named one of America’s greatest living innovators by Forbes magazine.
King ranks No. 208 on the publication’s Innovator 250 List—a celebration of “business leaders, founders and entrepreneurs who aren’t just inventors, but have transformed entire industries and created new ones.” The list is part of Forbes‘ year-long campaign commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
“Few stand as tall in the world of women’s sports as Billie Jean King,” Forbes wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
King was recognized specifically for having “catalyzed women’s professional sports with the Women’s Tennis Association” —the organisation she and a handful of peers founded in 1973.
That achievement built directly on the work of King and the Original 9, who in 1970 signed symbolic $1 contracts to launch the Virginia Slims Circuit, the precursor to the modern WTA Tour. Their gamble laid the foundation for women’s tennis to become a global force for equality and opportunity.
| Honor | Year |
|---|---|
| Forbes 50 Over 50 | 2022 |
| Glenn Burke Award (upcoming) | 2026 |
| Forbes Innovator 250 | 2026 |
King will receive the Glenn Burke Award later this year, which “honors individuals whose courage and authenticity have shifted sports culture.”
From those early battles for equal prize money to today’s WTA, where players compete for millions, King’s fingerprints are everywhere. The Forbes honor places her among the visionaries who didn’t just play the game—they changed it forever.