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Bobby Riggs. Robert Larimore Riggs (February 25, 1918 – October 25, 1995) [4] was an American tennis champion who was the world No. 1 amateur in 1939 and world No. 1 professional in 1946 and 1947. [3] He played his first professional tennis match on December 26, 1941.
The term is most famously used for an internationally televised match in 1973 held at the Houston Astrodome between 55-year-old Bobby Riggs and 29-year-old Billie Jean King, which King won in three sets. The match was viewed by an estimated fifty million people in the United States and ninety million worldwide.
Aug 25, 2023 · The tennis legend remembers the humbling words Riggs had for her after she beat him in 1973, a match that advanced women's rights and sports. She also shares how the match influenced President Obama and other generations of athletes.
- Drew Weisholtz
- 6 min
Jan 8, 2024 · Learn about the historic tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, which symbolized the fight for gender equality in sports. Find out how King defeated Riggs and why it mattered for women's tennis and beyond.
- Mike Floorwalker
May 9, 2024 · Bobby Riggs, American tennis player best known for the 1973 Battle of the Sexes match, which he lost to Billie Jean King.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Sep 20, 2013 · Bobby Riggs, a former tennis champion, challenged women players to prove his male superiority in a series of matches. He was defeated by Billie Jean King in the "Battle of the Sexes" at the Houston Astrodome, which boosted her fame and status as a feminist icon.
Apr 2, 2014 · Bobby Riggs became the world's No. 1 amateur tennis player after winning the singles, doubles and mixed-doubles titles at Wimbledon in 1939, and he later claimed three U.S. Pro...
