07 June 2021

1973 (Age 29-30)


Billie Jean King won her fifth Wimbledon singles title in the last 8 years, defeating Chris Evert easily in the final. Margaret Smith Court, however, had the better year. She won 3 of the 4 Grand Slam singles titles, with her only loss being to Evert in the Wimbledon semifinals. King did not play the Australian Open or defend her 1972 French Open singles title. Smith Court won 3 of her 4 singles matches with King, although none of those matches was at a Grand Slam tournament. The Australian's only loss was in the semifinals of the Virginia Slims of Indianapolis in February. Before then, Smith Court had won 59 consecutive singles matches and 12 consecutive singles tournaments.

In September at the Houston Astrodome, King easily defeated Bobby Riggs in the so-called Battle of the Sexes. Smith Court had lost badly to him on Mother's Day. 

King was the overwhelming winner of The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, gaining 486 votes to second place Olga Korbut's 146. King said, "Thanks but Margaret Court had a better year than me. I should have won it in 1971 [instead of Evonne Goolagong Cawley]. I'm afraid it is too much of a popularity vote."

Listed below are 21 singles tournaments (8 of which she won), with a win-loss record of 60–11, 84.51% (
20–4 indoors, 16–2 on hard courts, 12–1 on grass, 9–4 on clay, and 3–0 on an unknown surface). This record does not include walkovers, the match with Bobby Riggs, or third place matches. She also won 10 women's doubles titles, including Wimbledon.

Her head-to-head record in singles was as follows.

SINGLES HEAD TO HEAD

4-0  Betty Stove
4-0  Françoise Durr
4-0  Marcie Louie

3-0  Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska
3-0  Valerie Ziegenfuss

3-1  Karen Krantzcke
3-1  Kerry Melville Reid
2-0  Kerry Harris
2-0  Lesley Hunt
2-0  Margaret "Peggy" Michel
2-0  Nancy Richey

2-1  Julie Heldman
1-0  Betty Ann Grubb Hansen Stuart Dent Grout
1-0  Cecilia Martinez
1-0  Corinne Molesworth

1-0  Cynthia Doerner
1-0  Evonne Goolagong Cawley (career 5-1)
1-0  Farel Footman
1-0  Helen Gourlay Cawley
1-0  Joy Schwikert
1-0  Kathy Kuykendall
1-0  Lany Kaligis
1-0  Laura DuPont

1-0  Laura Rossouw
1-0  Lucia Bassi
1-0  Mary Christenson
1-0  Pam Teeguarden
1-0  Pat Bostrom
1-0  Robin Tenney
1-0  Tam O'Shaughnessy
1-0  Tory Fretz
1-0  Virginia Wade (career 22-4)

3-3  Rosemary Casals
1-1  Chris Evert
1-1  Wendy Overton

1-3  Margaret Smith Court

Week of January 15, 1973
British Motor Cars Invitational
Virginia Slims Tour
Civic Auditorium
San Francisco, California, U. S.
Indoors (Sportface)

King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  King defaulted because of a wrist injury. Marcie Louie advanced by walkover.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  d. Barbara Downs / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-3, 7-6(5-4)
SF  King / Casals defaulted because of King's wrist injury. Wendy Overton / Valerie Ziegenfuss advanced by walkover.

Week of February 5, 1973
Barnett Bank Classic
Virginia Slims Tour
Jockey Club
Miami, Florida, U. S.
Clay

King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  d. Betty Ann Grubb Hansen Stuart Dent Grout 6-4, 7-6
2R  lost to Karen Krantzcke 6-7(2-5), 6-3, 7-5

Singles Note:
     While serving at 5-3 in the third set, King had four match points to win her second round contest with Karen Krantzcke. But the Australian saved each, won that game, and then swept the last three games of the match.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  d. Pam Teeguarden / Mona Schallau 6-4, 7-5
SF  d. Kerry Melville Reid / Kerry Harris 6-3, 6-2
FN  lost to Françoise Durr / Betty Stove 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Week of February 19, 1973
Virginia Slims of Indianapolis
Indiana Convention-Exposition Center
Indianapolis, Indiana, U. S.
Indoor carpet

King in singles, 
[4] seed:

1R  d. Marcie Louie 6-2, 7-5
QF  d. Corinne Molesworth 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
SF  d. [1]  Margaret Smith Court 6-7(0-5), 7-6(5-2), 6-3
FN  d. [3]  Rosemary Casals 5-7, 6-2, 6-4

Singles Notes:
     (1)  Rosemary Casals led King 2-0 in the third set of the final before King rallied. Casals saved two match points while serving at 4-5 in that set. On the third match point, her attempted drop shot did not clear the net. King earned US$6,000 for winning the tournament. To this point in her career, she had never lost a singles match in Indianapolis. She won the 1971 U. S. National Clay Court Championships and the 1972 Virginia Slims tournament.
     (2) In the semifinals, King snapped Margaret Smith Court's 59-match and 12-tournament winning streaks. Smith Court led 5-2 in the first set when King hit a hard smash that caused Smith Court to lose her balance and fall down. King then won 3 consecutive games to tie the set at 5-5. With the score 6-6, a tiebreaker was played to decide the first set. Smith Court shut out King (5-0). King saved 3 match points with Smith Court serving at 6-5 (40-0) in the second set. King won that game to force another tiebreaker. King double faulted on the first point before playing a "fantastic net game" thereafter to win the tiebreaker (5-2) and the second set. King jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 5-1 in the third set, having broken Smith Court's serve 3 times (in the second, fourth, and sixth games) and being broken only once (in the fifth game). Smith Court's return of serve had become less effective while King's improved return created many break chances. King served for the match at 5-1, but lost her serve. Smith Court then held serve, but King still had one more opportunity to serve for the match at 5-3. The Australian saved one match point, but on the second match point, her return of serve was ruled out.
     (3)  In the quarterfinals, King trailed Corinne Molesworth 3-1 in the third set before King swept the last 5 games of the match.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [2] seed:

1R  d. Karen Krantzcke / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-3, 6-2
SF  d. Kerry Melville Reid / Kerry Harris 6-1, 6-0
FN  d. Margaret Smith Court / Lesley Hunt 7-6, 6-4

Week of February 26, 1973
Virginia Slims of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan, U. S.
Indoors

King in singles, [4] seed:

1R  d. Pam Teeguarden 6-2, 6-3
QF  d. Laura DuPont 6-1, 7-6(5-4)
SF  lost to [2]  Kerry Melville Reid 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Third place match: King won over Rosemary Casals 8-4.

Singles Note:
     King double faulted three times in the third set of her semifinal with Kerry Melville Reid. Two of those doubles were at break point.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  d. Julie Heldman / Cecilia Martinez 6-2, 6-3
SF  d. Kerry Melville Reid / Kerry Harris 6-2, 7-6
FN  d. Betty Stöve / Karen Krantzcke 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

Week of March 5, 1973
Virginia Slims of Chicago
Lakeshort Racquet Club
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Indoor carpet

General Note:

King said that she had resumed using wood racquets because she loses touch with steel. Her shots, especially her backhand, tended to die or sail with steel.

King in singles,
[1] seed:

1R  d. Karen Krantzcke 6-2, 6-1
QF  d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-2, 6-2
SF  d. Kerry Melville Reid 6-1, 6-2
FN  lo
st to [2]  Margaret Smith Court 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Singles Notes:
     (1) Before a capacity crowd of 3,500, Margaret Smith Court won the first set of the final 6-2 by breaking King's service three times and using her strong serves and volleys to keep King running. At 3-3 in the second set, King held her own serve at love to pull ahead 4-3 and then broke Smith Court's serve for a 5-3 lead with a backhand service return that clipped the line. Smith Court, however, broke back immediately, putting the set back on serve at 4-5. King again broke serve and won the set 6-4 with another backhand service return that clipped the line. The players exchanged service breaks to reach 2-2 in the third set. Each held serve for a 3-3 tie. In a spectacular game, Smith Court broke King to lead 4-3 and held her own serve to extend the lead to 5-3. King then fought through 3 deuces to hold serve and stay alive in the match. Smith Court had three match points at 5-4 (40-0). King saved the first one with a forehand passing shot. The Australian won the match during the next point when King's forehand drive sailed long. After the match, King said, "Margaret's serve was strong and accurate, especially her first serve, while I was having a lot of trouble with mine. Even my bread and butter shot, my cross-court backhand, failed me." King also said that the Australian's serve was "the strongest I've seen in some time, and she covered the court so easily." Smith Court received US$6,500 for winning the tournament, with King receiving US$3,500.
     (2) King said that her first round opponent, Karen Krantzcke, "didn't play very well." She lost her serve twice in the first set and three times in the second. Her double fault on match point ended the contest.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  d. Wendy Overton / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-2, 6-4
SF  d. Margaret Smith Court / Lesley Hunt 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
FN  d. Betty Stöve / Karen Krantzcke 6-4, 6-2

Week of April 9, 1973
Virginia Slims of Massachusetts
Boston Harbor Marina
Quincy, Massachusetts, U. S.
Indoors

King in singles,
[3] seed:

1R  d. Farel Footman 6-3, 6-1
2R  d. Marcie Louie 6-1, 6-1
QF  d. 
[5]  Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-2, 6-3
SF  d. [7]  Julie Heldman 6-0, 6-0
FN  lost to [1]  Margaret Smith Court 6-2, 6-4

Singles Notes:
     (1)  Margaret Smith Court said after winning the final in 59 minutes, "It might have looked easy but it wasn't. I've been serving much better the last two or three weeks, and a good serve can give you that extra point or two." According to the Boston Globe, this was Smith Court's 81st win in her last 83 singles matches dating to late October 1972. King said after the final, "I'm in great shape but I'm not match tough. I'd make one tough shot then miss three easy ones." She had missed the previous 4 weeks of the tour because of torn abdominal muscles. King received US$3,000 for finishing second with Smith Court receiving US$6.000.
     (2)  Rosemary Casals won US$1,850 for finishing in third place. She defeated Julie Heldman 8-4 in the third place match.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R   ___________ / _____________
SF  d. Wendy Overton / Karen Krantzcke 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
FN  d. Betty Stöve / Françoise Durr 6-4, 6-2

Women's Doubles Note:
     King and Rosemary Casals split US$1,000 for winning this title.

Week of April 16, 1973
Virginia Slims of Florida
Deerwood Country Club
Jacksonville, Florida, U. S.
Clay

King in singles, 
[2] seed:

1R  d. Cecilia Martinez 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
2R  d. Joy Schwikert 6-1, 6-2
QF  lost to Wendy Overton 1-6, 7-6(5-3), 7-6(5-4)

Singles Note:
     King was up a service break at 4-3 in the third set of her quarterfinal with Wendy Overton.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
SF  advanced vs.  ___________ / _____________
FN  d. Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 (or 6-3)

Week of April 30, 1973
NBC Family Circle Cup
Virginia Slims Tour
Hilton Head, South Carolina, U. S.
Clay


General Note:

This tournament was played the same week as the Federation Cup in Bad Homburg, Germany. Most of the top players chose to play here. The main exceptions were Virginia Wade, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, and Helga Niessen Masthoff.

King in singles,
[2] seed:

1R  d. Marcie Louie 6
-1, 6-4
QF  d. Wendy Overton 6-4, 6-1
SF  lost to [4]  Rosemary Casals 7-6, 6-3

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
SF  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
FN  lost to Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

Week of May 7, 1973
Toray Sillok
Osaka, Shizuoka, Kobe, and the Tokyo Municipal Gymnasium, Tokyo
Osaka & Tokyo, Japan
Indoor (a
rtificial grass)


King in singles, 
[1] seed:

1R Tokyo:  d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-2, 6-1
QF Shizuoka:  d. Valerie Ziegenfuss 
6-2, 6-3
SF  d. Rosemary Casals 6-3, 7-6
FN Tokyo:  
d. [4]  Nancy Richey 7-6(5-4), 5-7, 6-3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRgnIebnH5o

Women's doubles:

The event was held, but no results were found for King.

Week of June 4, 1973
Gulf Coast Professional Women's Tournament
Mobile, Alabama, U. S.
Unknown surface

King in singles, [2] seed:

1R  d. Kathy Kuykendall 6-3, 6-3
SF  d. [3]  Valerie Ziegenfuss 7-5, 6-4
FN  d. [4]  Françoise Durr 6-3, 7-5

Singles Note:
     King earned US$4,000 for winning the title.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________

FN  d. Françoise Durr / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Week of June 11, 1973
John Player Tournament
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Grass


King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  bye
2R  d. L
esley Hunt 6-1, 6-1
QF  d. Lany Kaligis 6-1, 6-2
SF  
d. Rosemary Casals 6-4, 6-3
FN  d. Virginia Wade 8-6, 6-4

Singles Note:
     The final lasted 1 hour, 17 minutes.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  advanced vs. __________ / _____________
QF  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
SF  d. Tory Fretz / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
F.N  d. Chris Evert / Betty Stöve 
6-2, 9-7

Week of June 18, 1973
Rothman's London Grass Court Championships
Queen's Club
London, United Kingdom
Grass


King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
SF  advanced vs. ___________ / _____________
FN  d. Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Weeks of June 25 & July 2, 1973
Wimbledon
All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club
London, United Kingdom
Grass

General Note:

King played 362 games spread over 17 matches while winning all three events (138 games in 6 singles matches, 105 games in 5 women's doubles matches, and 119 games in 6 mixed doubles matches).

King in singles, 
[2] seed:

1R  bye
2R  
d. Lucia Bassi 6-0, 6-2
3R  d. Kerry Harris 6-2, 6-3
4R  d. Lesley Hunt 6-4, 5-7, 6-0
QF  d. [7]  Kerry Melville Reid 9-8(5), 8-6
SF  d. [3]  Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
FN  d.
[4]  Chris Evert 6-0, 7-5

Singles Notes:
     (1)  Chris Evert won only 9 points in the first set of the final against King but led 5-4 in the second set before King won the last 3 games of the match. King said at the time that the first set was the best tennis she had ever played.
     (2)  King needed 8 match points to defeat Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the semifinals. She had 2 match points at 5-4 in the second set before Goolagong Cawley won the last 3 games of the set. King needed 6 more match points in the last game of the match before finally winning it.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  bye
2R  d. Ilana Kloss / Linky Boshoff 
6-3, 6-4
3R  d. Ann Kiyomura / Marita Redondo 6-2, 6-0
QF  d. Julie Anthony / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-4, 6-3
SF  d. Evonne Goolagong Cawley / Janet Young 7-5, 7-5
FN  d. [3]  Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 6-1, 4-6, 7-5

King in mixed doubles with Owen Davidson, [2] seed:

1R  bye
2R  d. 
Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat / Stephen Warboys 9-8, 6-2
3R  d. Kazuko Sawamatsu / Jun Kamiwazumi 6-4, 6-1
4R  d. Wendy Gilchrist Paish / John Paish 6-1, 6-1
QF  d. Martina Navratilova / Jan Kodes 6-3, 6-0
SF  d. [3]  Olga Morozova / Alex Metreveli 6-7, 7-5, 6-1
FN  d. Janet Newberry / Raul Ramirez 6-3, 6-2

King with all three trophies she won in 1973 at Wimbledon.



Week of July 30, 1973
Virginia Slims of Denver
South High School
Denver, Colorado, U. S.
Hard


King in singles, 
[1] seed:

1R  d. Tam O'Shaughnessy 6-1, 6-1
2R  d. Françoise Durr 6-2, 6-2
QF  d. Karen Krantzcke 6-2, 7-6(5-2)
SF  d. [5]  Julie Heldman 7-5, 6-2
FN  d. [7]  Betty Stöve 6-4, 6-2

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

1R  d. Peggy Michel / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-3, 6-2
SF  advanced vs. ________________ / ________________
FN   Abandoned

Women's Doubles Note:
     Rosemary Casals and King were leading Francoise Durr and Betty Stove 3-2 in the first set of the doubles final when rain halted the match. Eventually, the final was abandoned, with the teams splitting the title and the prize money.
 
Week of August 6, 1973
Commerce Union Bank Classic
Virginia Slims Tour
Centennial Park Tennis Center
Nashville, Tennessee, U. S.
Clay


King in singles, 
[2] seed:

1R  d. Mary Christenson 6-3, 6-0
2R  d. Kerry Harris 6-4, 6-1
QF  d. 
[8]  Betty Stöve 7-6(5-1), 6-3
SF  d. Françoise Durr 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
FN  lost to [1]  Margaret Smith Court 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Singles Notes:
     (1)  Margaret Smith Court ended King's 26-match winning streak in the final. Smith Court broke King early in the first set to take a 3-1 lead and broke again at 5-3 to win the set. There were 7 service breaks in the 10 games of the second set. King broke Smith Court's service in the ninth game and then held serve to win the set. King held serve only once in four attempts in the final set. Smith Court broke King to take a 4-2 lead and broke King again to win the match. There were 13 service breaks in the 27-game match. King held serve only 6 times in 14 attempts compared to Smith Court's success ratio of 8 times in 13 attempts.
     (2)  During her semifinal match with Françoise Durr, King sent a ball sailing over the fence in sheer disgust after missing a shot in the sixth game of the second set. "Françoise had played very badly in the first set, and it was tough when she started to play well in the second set. It was hard to get my game geared to the way she was playing." The high humidity contributed to a slippery racquet that bothered King throughout the match. Rain necessitated a temporary halt in play during the second game of the third set. Just after the match resumed, King held serve to grab a 2-0 lead. But Durr, clearly refreshed by the brief rest, held serve and broke King's service to tie the set at 2-2. King returned the favor by breaking Durr and then winning her own service to take a one-break 4-2 lead. Then it was Durr's turn to rally as she held serve and broke King to force another tie at 4-4. Relying heavily on her backhand for crucial points, King broke Durr's service in the ninth game to lead 5-4 and then won her own service on four consecutive points to take the match amd remain unbeaten in tournament play since early May. "I always am trying to make my shots too good against Billie Jean instead of just hitting the ball back," said Durr. Gesturing with an imaginary baseball bat, King complained that Durr's serves were as difficult as ever to hit. "It's just like a knuckleball. You wait and wait and wait and then the ball's past you for a strike."
 
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:


1R  d. Cecilia Martinez / Wendy Gilchrist Paish 6-0, 6-2
QF  d. Jill Schwikert / Joy Schwikert 6-0, 6-1
SF  King / Casals defaulted. Janet Newberry / Karen Krantzcke advanced by walkover.

Week of August 13, 1973
Jersey Shore Classic
Virginia Slims Tour
Allaire Racquet Club
Wall Township, New Jersey, U. S.
Indoors

King in singles, 
[2] seed:

1R  d. Françoise Durr 6-3, 6-2
2R  King defaulted (strained right knee). Joy Schwikert advanced by walkover.
 

Weeks of August 27 & September 3, 1973
US Open
West Side Tennis Club
Forest Hills, Borough of Queens, New York City, U. S.
Grass


King in singles, 
[1] seed:

1R Stadium Court: d. Margaret "Peggy" Michel 6-2, 6-3
2R  d. Karen Krantzcke 6-3, 6-1
3R  lost to Julie Heldman 3-6, 6-4, 4-1 retired (influenza)

Singles Notes:
     (1)  King retired from her fourth round match with Julie Heldman while ill and suffering from the oppressive heat and humidity. When Heldman complained to the match umpire that King was taking too long between games, King reportedly said to Heldman, "If you want the match that badly, you can have it!"
     (2)  Video of end of 1st round match: https://tinyurl.com/64j2k8df

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  d. Martina Navratilova / Lesley Hunt 7-5, 6-0
2R  d. Ilana Kloss / Patricia Walkden Pretorius 6-1, 2-6, 6-0
QF  d. Julie Anthony / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-7, 7-6, 6-1
SF  d. Chris Evert / Olga Morozova 6-2, 6-1
FN  lost to 
[2]  Margaret Smith Court / Virginia Wade 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

King in mixed doubles with Owen Davidson, [1] seed:

1R  d. Marilyn Tesch / Saeed Meer 6-3, 7-5
2R  d. Laurie Fleming / Grover Raz Reid 6-1, 6-3
QF  d. llana Kloss / Jasjit Singh 6-4, 6-4
SF  d. 
[3]  Rosemary Casals / Frew McMillan 7-5, 6-3
FN  d. [2]  Margaret Smith Court / Marty Riessen 6-3, 3-6, 7-6

Week of September 10, 1973
World Invitational Classic
Hilton Head Racquet Club
Hilton Head, South Carolina, U. S.
Hard


General Note:

This was a made-for-television special event.

King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  lost to Chris Evert 4-6, 7-6(5-3), 6-1

Singles Note:
     King had two match points, the first at 5-3 in the second set with Chris Evert serving and the second at 5-4 in the second set when King double faulted.

King in women's doubles with Chris Evert:

FN  lost to Margaret Smith Court / Evonne Goolagong Cawley 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

King in mixed doubles with Arthur Ashe:

FN  lost to Margaret Smith Court / John Newcombe 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Week of September 17, 1973
Virginia Slims of Houston
Net Set Racquet Club
Houston, Texas, U. S.
Hard


General Note:

On Thursday night, King won the "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs.

King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  d. Cynthia Doerner 6-0, 6-4 (played on Monday)
2R  d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-2, 6-1 (played on Monday)
QF  d. Robin Tenney 6-1, 6-1 (played on Friday)
SF  lost to [3]  Rosemary Casals 7-6(5-2), 6-1 (played on Saturday)

Third place match: abandoned because of rain with Nancy Richey leading 5-3 in a scheduled 8-game pro set.

Singles Note:
     After losing the semifinal to Rosemary Casals, King said, "I had nothing left to give."


Week of October 1, 1973
Faberge International of Phoenix Tournament Virginia Slims Tour
Phoenix Tennis Center
Phoenix, Arizona, U. S.
Hard


King in singles, [1] seed:

1R  d. Margaret "Peggy" Michel 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
2R  d. Laura Rossouw 6-2, 6-1
QF  d. 
[8]  Betty Stöve 6-3, 6-4
SF  d. [3]  Kerry Melville Reid 7-6(5-0), 6-3
FN  d. [4]  Nancy Richey 6-1, 6-3

Singles Note:
     From the Arizona Republic newspaper:
Billie Jean King may have a few worlds left to conquer but in her tennis play, particularly in Phoenix, she has nothing left to prove. Her decisive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Mrs. Gunter ... before the largest tennis crowd in Phoenix history, an estimated 4,500, saw Mrs. King in top form. ... [H]er easy triumph over Riggs where Margaret Court had failed and her sweep of Wimbledon have shown what Billie Jean can do when she is really psyched up for a match. Mrs. King was obviously up for her championship match Sunday. Mrs. Gunter never really had a chance. She didn't seem to know where BJK would strike next. After losing the first game of the first set. Billie Jean swept six straight games, driving Nancy back of the baseline, then depositing drop shots just over the net. Mrs. King played Nancy's baseline game most of the match until she saw an opening, then struck. Mrs. Gunter rallied briefly by breaking Mrs. King's service opening the second set. But the Hilton. S.C. pro returned the favor in the fourth game. Nancv held service in game six, but BJ's service ace took the next game. Then a relatively easy missed passing shot cost Nancy her service. Mrs. Gunter's frustration was typified by the match point. Mrs. King drove Nancy into the corner, came up to the net and hit a shot that struck the top of the net and barely bounced over. "This was one of the best days of my life," Billie Jean said after the match. "I was hitting the lines and I had control of every spin, especially on my second serve. I was really pleased."
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:

1R  d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska / Laura DuPont 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
2R  d. Julie Heldman / Tory Fretz 6-2, 6-2
SF  d. Ann Kiyomura / Pat Bostrom 6-4. unknown
FN  lost to Kerry Melville Reid / Kerry Harris 6-4, 6-4

Women's Doubles Note:
    From the Arizona Republic newspaper:

"The doubles finals proved to be one of the big upsets of the tourney.... The two Kerrys rifled accurate shots all over the court while King-Casals were serving: inconsistently and found themselves outpositioned on alley shots."

Week of October 22, 1973
Virginia Slims of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii, U. S.
Hard


King in singles, 
[1] seed:

1R  bye
QF  d. Pat Bostrom 7-5, 6-0
SF  d. Marcie Louie 6-0, 6-2
FN  d. Helen Gourlay Cawley 6-1, 6-1


Women's doubles:

The event was held, but no results were found for King.

Week of November 19, 1973
Lady Baltimore
Baltimore Civic Center
Baltimore, Maryland, U. S.
Indoors

General Note:

King entered this tournament as a substitute for Chris Evert, who decided to play the South African Open instead.

King in singles, 
[1] seed:

1R  d. Tory Fretz 7-5, 6-0
SF  d. 
[4]  Betty Stöve 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
FN  lost to [2]  Rosemary Casals 3-6, 7-6(5-3), 6-4

Singles Note:
     In the first set, King trailed Tory Fretz 5-3 and saved a set point. King then turned the match into a rout by winning the last 10 games.

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:

SF  d. Jeanne Evert / Tory Fretz 6-0, 6-1
FN  d. Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

General Note:

King did not play the Bonne Belle Cup in Sydney Australia the week of December 17, 1973. Shortly before this event began, Margaret Smith Court publicly accused King of dodging her ever since the King-Riggs match. According to Smith Court, King demanded US$30,000 to appear at this event. When the organizers agreed to the demand, the Australian said that King then insisted on a percentage of the gate. They did not agree to that.

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