If you had to list everything Billie Jean King has done for tennis, you’d be stuck deciding what tops the chart. She helped create the Women’s Tennis Association, pushed for equal prize money at Grand Slams, and made sure Title IX stopped educational institutions from discriminating based on gender. Then there was the Battle of the Sexes, where she took down the loudmouthed Bobby Riggs in 1973. And now, at 81, she’s celebrating another major step for women in tennis.

The WTA has just launched a groundbreaking maternity program. This initiative offers 12 months of paid maternity leave for eligible pregnant players and two months of leave for those becoming parents through surrogacy, partner pregnancy, or adoption. It also includes grants for fertility treatments like egg freezing and IVF. The program is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, making it the first of its kind in professional tennis. More than 320 players qualify for up to a year of paid leave. The exact amount remains undisclosed, but every player, regardless of ranking, will receive the same payout. If they decide not to return to the sport, they won’t have to pay the money back.

Billie Jean King was quick to celebrate this milestone on her Instagram Story. She wrote, “Thrilled to see eligible WTA players will now have the financial support and resources to start or expand their families while pursuing their professional careers.”

Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic recently returned to the tour after maternity leave. Victoria Azarenka, a former world No. 1 who gave birth in 2016, told the BBC last year that maternity pay would be a “huge win for women in general.” Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and mother, also called it “life-changing.”

King, who is still at 81, is an advocate for women’s sport. But let’s rewind to one of the moments that cemented her as a true icon—her legendary Battle of the Sexes.

A walk down memory lane: Billie Jean King’s The Battle of the Sexes

It was September 20, 1973. As night fell in Houston, promoter Jerry Perenchio knocked on Billie Jean King’s dressing room door. “Are you ready?” he asked. King grinned. “Jerry, I was born ready.”

The 29-year-old King faced off against Bobby Riggs, a six-time Grand Slam champion who was 26 years older. Riggs had been running his mouth, making one sexist remark after another. “These women say they want to earn the same as us, and that’s ridiculous,” he scoffed. King let her racket do the talking, taking him down 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The match had a winner-takes-all prize of $100,000, but it was about way more than money.

Riggs had spent months hyping the match, calling himself a “male chauvinist pig” and declaring that women’s tennis was inferior. He had already beaten Margaret Court earlier that year in what became known as the “Mother’s Day Massacre.” But King wasn’t about to let him have the last word. Dressed in a blue-and-green sequined outfit, she walked onto the court with confidence. The crowd of over 30,000 in the Houston Astrodome and millions watching on television knew they were witnessing something historic.On the match’s 50th anniversary in 2023, King reflected on its significance in a post on X. “More than a tennis match, it was a catalyst for social change & one of the most important days of my life. We have come a long way since 1973, but we are not done yet. Let’s keep going for it.”

Half a century later, Billie Jean King is still pushing boundaries. Her influence on tennis and women’s rights continues to shape the sport today. The fight for equality is ongoing, but thanks to pioneers like her, progress keeps moving forward.