Billie Jean King did not win a Grand Slam title during 1977. She played Wimbledon and the US Open but skipped the Australian Open and the French Open. Her best result in a Grand Slam tournament was the mixed doubles event at Forest Hills, where she and Vitas Gerulaitis lost the final to Frew McMillan and Betty Stõve.
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King lost only 6 singles matches all year. Four of them were to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals of both Wimbledon and the U. S. Open and in the final of both the Colgate Series Championships and the Family Circle Cup. All the King-Evert matches were routs, with King winning a total of 10 games to Evert's 48.
King's first singles tournament was a minor event in San Antonio, Texas that began on March 21st. It did not count for ranking purposes because tournament officials accepted the entry of transexual Renee Richards in defiance of both the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and most of the top players. King was openly supportive of Richards, earning the highly public scorn of Evert, Martina Navratilova, and WTA president Stöve.
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King lost only 6 singles matches all year. Four of them were to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals of both Wimbledon and the U. S. Open and in the final of both the Colgate Series Championships and the Family Circle Cup. All the King-Evert matches were routs, with King winning a total of 10 games to Evert's 48.
King won 27 of her last 28 singles matches in 1977, beginning with the Phoenix tournament in October. She also won 31 of her last 34 matches since the end of the U. S. Open.
King's first singles tournament was a minor event in San Antonio, Texas that began on March 21st. It did not count for ranking purposes because tournament officials accepted the entry of transexual Renee Richards in defiance of both the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and most of the top players. King was openly supportive of Richards, earning the highly public scorn of Evert, Martina Navratilova, and WTA president Stöve.
Despite missing almost 3 months of tournaments, King was ranked second in the year-ending "Women's International Computer Rankings," which the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) released on December 31, 1977.
The following lists the WTA's year-end top 10 players, King's win-loss record against them during this year, their total ranking points, the number of their events and matches considered by the WTA for ranking purposes, and their points average:
#01 0-4 229 13 71 17.612 Chris Evert
#02 0-0 147 10* 48 12.244 Billie Jean King
#03 4-0 226 19 83 11.881 Martina Navratilova
#04 2-0 163 16 67 10.185 Virginia Wade
#05 1-0 152 16 68 9.515 Sue Barker
#06 2-0 138 18 58 7.693 Rosemary Casals
#07 4-0 146 22 71 6.617 Betty Stöve
#08 2-1 103 16 51 6.462 Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat
#09 2-0 127 20 51 6.326 Wendy Turnbull
#10 3-0 133 22 66 6.061 Kerry Melville Reid
20-5 80.0% Overall
Here is the same information for a few players who finished the year outside the top 10:
#12 0-0 061 10* 32 5.065 Tracy Austin
#16 2-0 091 23 50 3.951 Virginia Ruzici
#22 0-0 042 08* 26 3.513 Renee Richards
#26 1-0 039 09* 26 3.251 Nancy Richey
#32 2-0 052 19 34 2.740 Francoise Durr
#49 1-0 023 09* 20 1.921 Maria Bueno
* When determining a player's points average, the divisor is the greater of: 12, and the number of tournaments played.
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After about 9 months of dismal results in women's doubles, King won 14 of her last 15 matches beginning in Phoenix. She also won 17 of her last 20 matches since the end of the U. S Open. (She was only 9-6 through Forest Hills.)
King had 9 different partners for her 14 events in 1977:
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Two significant milestones were reached in 1977 for three of the greatest players of the last 20 years. King, 33 years old, played Richey, 34, and Bueno, 37, for the last time in singles.
The following lists the WTA's year-end top 10 players, King's win-loss record against them during this year, their total ranking points, the number of their events and matches considered by the WTA for ranking purposes, and their points average:
#01 0-4 229 13 71 17.612 Chris Evert
#02 0-0 147 10* 48 12.244 Billie Jean King
#03 4-0 226 19 83 11.881 Martina Navratilova
#04 2-0 163 16 67 10.185 Virginia Wade
#05 1-0 152 16 68 9.515 Sue Barker
#06 2-0 138 18 58 7.693 Rosemary Casals
#07 4-0 146 22 71 6.617 Betty Stöve
#08 2-1 103 16 51 6.462 Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat
#09 2-0 127 20 51 6.326 Wendy Turnbull
#10 3-0 133 22 66 6.061 Kerry Melville Reid
20-5 80.0% Overall
Here is the same information for a few players who finished the year outside the top 10:
#12 0-0 061 10* 32 5.065 Tracy Austin
#16 2-0 091 23 50 3.951 Virginia Ruzici
#22 0-0 042 08* 26 3.513 Renee Richards
#26 1-0 039 09* 26 3.251 Nancy Richey
#32 2-0 052 19 34 2.740 Francoise Durr
#49 1-0 023 09* 20 1.921 Maria Bueno
* When determining a player's points average, the divisor is the greater of: 12, and the number of tournaments played.
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After about 9 months of dismal results in women's doubles, King won 14 of her last 15 matches beginning in Phoenix. She also won 17 of her last 20 matches since the end of the U. S Open. (She was only 9-6 through Forest Hills.)
King had 9 different partners for her 14 events in 1977:
- Karen Hantze Susman (Wimbledon)
- Julie Anthony (U. S. Open)
- Rosemary Casals (Bridgestone Doubles Championship plus 4 other events)
- Joanne Russell (Wightman Cup)
- Renee Richards (2 events)
- Lea Antonopolis (1 event)
- Martina Navratilova (1 event)
- Betty Stöve (1 event)
- Renata Tomanova (1 event).
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King and Richey played their career-first singles match at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in the quarterfinals of the July 1959 Middle States Grass Court Championships. Richey needed 38 games to defeat King 7-9, 6-2, 8-6. Their last singles match was in the first round of the April 1977 Family Circle Cup on clay. After failing to win a game in the first set and under constant pressure in the second, King engineered one of her most remarkable comebacks to win 0-6, 7-6(5-2), 6-2.
About 19 years ago in the third round of the Eastern Grass Court Championships in Orange, New Jersey, Bueno defeated King in their career-first singles match 6-4, 6-4. Wimbledon's Centre Court was the setting for their last singles match, also in the third round. King won 6-2, 7-5 after trailing 5-3 in the second set. The American won 8 of their 13 singles contests.
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King's all-events win-loss record in 1977 was 90-17, 84.1%, broken down into singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles as follows. (Third place matches and walkovers are never counted in these statistics.)
* She played 13 singles tournaments (7 of which King won) plus Federation Cup and Wightman Cup. She had a win-loss record of 56-6, 90.3% (22-1 outdoor hard, 18-1 indoor, 8-1 grass, 8-3 outdoor clay). She won all 7 of her Federation Cup and Wightman Cup singles matches. Against players who were not in the WTA's year-end top 10, King went 36-1, 97.3%.
*She played 13 women's doubles tournaments (4 of which she won) plus Wightman Cup. Her win-loss record was 26-9, 74.3%.
* She played 3 mixed doubles events with a win-loss record of 8-2, 80.0%.
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One of the all-time best tennis players, Alice Marble, coached King for a while when she was a junior player. On May 14, 1977, a newspaper interview with her was published. Here is some of what she said.
General Notes:
(1) The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) refused to consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes. The WTA was punishing players for entering despite the tournament's decision to allow Renee Richards to play.
(2) Earlier in March 1977, King requested that the WTA exercise its discretion to grant King a wild card entry for the eight-player Virginia Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Margaret Smith Court, who finished in sixth place on the points list, failed to qualify for the championships because she did not play enough Virginia Slims tournaments. This left a spot open in the draw, which the WTA filled with Mima Jausovec instead of King.
(3) King then decided to play the Lionel Cup tournament in San Antonio. The WTA had harshly criticized that tournament because it had allowed transexual Renee Richards to enter. Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Betty Stöve (president of the WTA) criticized King's decision, citing Richards's unresolved and highly controversial status on the women's tour. Evert said she was disappointed with King and that until Richards's status was resolved, "all of the women should stick together." Navratilova said, "Billie Jean is a bad girl pouting. She made a bad decision. She's mad because she could not get what she wanted." Stöve said that if King had wanted the competition, "[T]here are plenty of men around here she could've played with. She didn't have to choose a 'disputed' tournament."
(4) The draw in San Antonio had King playing Richards in the semifinals if both made it that far. Richards, however, lost in the quarterfinals to third-seeded Marcie Louie.
King in singles, [1] seed:
1R d. Sue Stap 6-2, 6-3
2R d. Carol Baily 6-4, 6-4
QF d. [7] Kate Latham 6-4, 6-2
SF d. [3] Marcie Louie 6-2, 6-2
FN d. [6] Mary Hamm 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
King's prize money for winning the singles title was US$3,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$12,900 in March 2019 dollars).
King in women's doubles with Lea Antonopolis, [1] seed:
1R bye
2R/QF lost to [NS] Karen Krantzcke / Kym Ruddell 6-2, 6-3
This was the last tennis match ever played between Karen Krantzcke and King. Karen died tragically in Tallahassee, Florida, U. S. on April 11, 1977.
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) refused to consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes. The WTA was punishing players for entering despite the tournament's decision to allow Renee Richards to play.
King in singles, [1] seed:
1R d. Mareen "Peanut" Louie Harper 6-1, 6-2
2R d. Glynis Coles 6-4 (or 6-2), 6-4
QF d. [7] Mary Carillo 6-2, 6-4
SF d. [4] Jane Stratton 6-4, 6-1
FN d. Caroline Stoll 6-1, 6-1
King in women's doubles with Renee Richards:
1R bye
2R/QF d. Patty Shoolaman / Aleida Spex 6-0, 6-7, 6-1
SF d. Glynis Coles / Kym Ruddell 6-3, 6-4
FN d. Pat Bostrom / Jane Stratton 6-3, 6-0
Singles:
Did not play.
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [4] seed:
1R lost to Wendy Turnbull / Carrie Meyer 7-5, 6-2
King and Casals saved 2 match points.
General Notes:
(1) The U. S. won all of its singles matches, which resulted in all of its doubles matches being dead rubbers. King did not play doubles.
(2) Vicki Berner was the captain.
U. S. team results, [1] seed:
1R d. Austria, 3-0
2R d. Switzerland, 3-0
QF d. France, 3-0
SF d. [4] South Africa, 3-0
FN d. [3] Australia, 2-1
King in singles:
1R d. Helena Wimmer 6-2, 6-2
2R d. Christiane Jolissaint 6-0, 6-3
QF d. Frederique Thibault 6-0, 6-0
SF d. Greer Stevens 6-2, 6-0
FN d. Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
In the final, Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat won the last 6 games of the second set before the momentum switched back to King. The American played an almost-perfect first set, missing only 2 first serves.
General Notes:
(1) King said after losing badly to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals and in response to the constant questions about retirement:
(3) During that match, a friend of King's confided,
In 1964, they lost the doubles final to the top-seeded team of Margaret Smith Court and Lesley Turner Bowrey. In singles, Hantze Susman lost in the third round to top-seeded Smith Court. In mixed doubles, she and her husband Rod lost in the quarterfinals to second seeds Fred Stolle and Turner Bowrey.
Hantze Susman did not play Wimbledon from 1965 through 1976. But in 1977, which was Wimbledon's centenary year, King persuaded her to play two events. She lost in the second round of singles to Helle Sparre-Viragh and the second round of doubles (partnering with King).
King in singles, [5] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Anne Smith 6-8, 6-0, 6-3
3R Centre Court: d. Maria Bueno 6-2, 7-5
4R d. [NS] Marise Kruger 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
QF Centre Court: lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-1, 6-2
In their 46-minute quarterfinal match, Chris Evert defeated King for the first time in a Grand Slam singles tournament and for the first time on grass. Evert said it was the best match she had ever played on grass (to that point in her career). King said, "She just played beautiful tennis. I don't think many players would've beaten her today."
In the third round, King played Maria Bueno in singles for the last time. After the match, King said, "I knew Maria had a sore arm. Her serve was ... so bad it was [actually] good at times, not bouncing much, keeping me off balance." Bueno led 5-3 in the second set when King thought to herself, "[I]f you're gonna feel sorry for her, you might as well shake hands and quit." King then swept the next four games and the last 10 points to win the match. Longtime tennis designer and observer Ted Tinling said Bueno was worth watching even though she now hits 6 memorable shots per match instead of the 100 in her prime. It had been 11 years since they last played each other at Wimbledon (1966 final won by King) and 9 years since they last played each other anywhere (1968 U. S. Open semifinal won by King).
King in women's doubles with Karen Hantze Susman, [8] seed:
1R bye
2R Centre Court: lost to [NS] Mary Carillo / Pat Bostrom 7-9, 6-4, 6-3 (35 games)
King in mixed doubles with Phil Dent, [2] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Virginia Wade / Ray Ruffels 7-5, 6-2
3R d. Pat Bostrom / Steve Docherty 6-2, 6-4
QF d. [NS] Kerry Melville Reid / Grover Reid 6-3, 1-6, 9-7
SF lost to [NS] Greer Stevens / Robert Hewitt 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
General Note:
King said after losing to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals:
(1) The singles draw included 96 women (6 rounds for those who received a first round bye, 7 rounds for everyone else) and 12 seeded players. The women's doubles draw included 48 teams (5 rounds for those who received a first round bye, 6 rounds for everyone else). The mixed doubles draw included 32 teams (5 rounds) with 4 seeded teams.
King in singles, [7] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Anne Smith 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
3R d. Sheila McInerney 6-1, 2-6, 6-1
4R Court 17: d. [9] Kerry Melville Reid 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5)
QF Stadium Court: lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-2, 6-0
In a night match on Stadium Court, Chris Evert repeated her Wimbledon quarterfinal blow-out victory over King. This loss prompted King to say, "I'm really ticked with my play. I played the big points badly. Chris played them much better."
After King defeated Kerry Melville Reid in the fourth round, King refused the traditional post-match handshake and cursed her opponent. Annoyed at a linesperson's call in the third set, King hit a ball into the adjoining Grandstand Court. Melville Reid then asked the umpire to assess a penalty point against King, which caused her to become incensed.
King in women's doubles with Julie Anthony, [NS]:
1R d. [7] Pam Teeguarden / Regina Marsikova 6-2, 6-4
2R d. Tanya Harford / Yvonne Vermaak 6-0, 6-1
3R d. Marise Kruger / Brigitte Cuypers 6-4, 7-6
QF lost to [1] Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 6-3, 7-5
King in mixed doubles with Vitas Gerulaitis, [3] seed:
1R d. Ken Stuart / Betty Ann Grubb Hansen Stuart 6-2, 6-1
2R d. Virginia Ruzici / John Feaver 6-1, 6-2
QF d. Mona Schallau Guerrant / Ross Case 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
SF d. [1] Greer Stevens / Robert Hewitt 4-6, 6-3, 7-6
FN lost to [2] Betty Stöve / Frew McMillan 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
General Notes:
(1) King played 7 consecutive weeks beginning with this tournament.
(2) Maria Bueno lost her first round singles match with Virginia Ruzici 6-3, 6-3. It was a Tuesday night match with an estimated 250 spectators. Bueno and partner Pat Bostrom lost their first round doubles match to King and Renee Richards.
Draws:
The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Helen Gourlay Cawley 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2R lost to Michelle Tyler 6-3, 6-0
King offered no excuses for losing badly to Michelle Tyler in the second round. "My knees felt fine. I'm feeling more comfortable on clay than I have in a long time. I wasn't tired. Michelle played well, and I didn't. ... I couldn't get my adrenaline going." King was unsteady with her backhand. Her serve was "scattergun." And she was ineffective at net - when she could get there. From 3-3 in the first set, Tyler won 9 consecutive games, with only two going to deuce.
At the start of her first round match with Helen Gourlay Cawley, King was suffering from jet lag and blurry vision. She had just returned from Leningrad where she participated in a U. S. - U. S. S. R. series. She served-and-volleyed frequently and effectively during the last 2 sets.
King in women's doubles with Renee Richards, [3] seed:
1R d. Maria Bueno / Pat Bostrom 6-4, 6-2
QF d. Sharon Walsh Pete / Glynis Coles 6-3, 6-4
SF lost to [1] Ilana Kloss / Linky Boshoff 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
General Notes:
(1) King Enterprises, headed by Larry King (Billie Jean's husband), promoted this tournament.
(2) In an interview with the Washington Post that was published in December 1977, King said that the loss here to Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat turned around her year.
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds) with 8 seeds. The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds) with 4 seeds.
(2) The draws are available.
King in singles, [8] seed:
1R d. Zenda Liess 7-5, 6-4
2R d. Françoise Durr 6-2, 6-4
QF d. [2] Martina Navratilova 6-4, 6-1
SF lost to [6] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [4] seed:
1R d. Kathy Kuykendall / Candy Reynolds 6-2, 6-2
QF lost to Marise Kruger / Brigette Cuypers 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
General Notes:
(1) For "personal reasons," Kerry Melville Reid, seeded fifth, retired from her quarterfinal match with Renee Richards while behind 7-6, 4-1. Her husband Grover "Raz" Reid later said:
Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
(2) https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020000955
King in singles, [6] seed:
1R d. Kathy Kuykendall 6-3, 6-3
2R d. Laura DuPont 6-3, 6-3
QF d. [3] Rosemary Casals 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
SF d. [2] Martina Navratilova 7-6(5-4), 4-6, 6-4
FN d. [7] Wendy Turnbull 1-6, 6-1, 6-0
King lost only 4 points to Wendy Turnbull in the third set of the final. King won 17 consecutive points in that set from her serving at 1-0 (0-0) to her again serving at 5-0 (15-0). King received US$14,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$57,800 in March 2019 dollars) for winning the title. Turnbull received US$7,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$28,900 in March 2019 dollars) for being the runner-up.
King jumped out to a 4-0, 2-break lead in the first set of her semifinal match with Martina Navratilova. But Navratilova then did the same thing to tie the set at 4-4 and then won her own serve. There were no service breaks during the next 3 games. King led (3-0) in the tiebreaker; however, Navratilova won 4 of the next 5 points to level it at (4-4). At simultaneous set point, Navratilova hit wide on a service return to lose the set. King lost her serve in the third game of the second set while Navratilova held all 5 of her service games. That was enough for King to lose the set. Navratilova seemed to have all the momentum when she broke serve in the first game of the third set. King, however, immediately broke back.
Navratilova had defeated Tracy Austin in the quarterfinals 6-1, 6-1.
King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, [3] seed:
1R d. Virginia Ruzici / Laura DuPont 6-4, 6-3
QF d. Marise Kruger / Pat Bostrom 6-2, 6-2
SF d. [1] Ilana Kloss / Linky Bishoff 6-0, 6-3
FN d. [4] Helen Gourlay Cawley / Joanne Russell 6-1, 7-5
In the final, King and Navratilova defeated the Wimbledon women's doubles champions. King and Navratilova each received US$2,300 (inflation-adjusted to US$9,500 in March 2019 dollars) for winning the title.
General Notes:
(1) Maria Bueno lost to Betty Stöve in the second round 6-3, 6-0. But she beat Katia Ebbinghaus in the first round 6-0, 6-2.
(2) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
Draws:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020001049
King in singles, [6] seed:
1R d. Florenta Mihai 6-2, 6-4
2R d. Renata Tomanova 6-2, 6-0
QF d. [1] Martina Navratilova 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
SF d. [4] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-3, 6-3
FN d. [2] Betty Stöve 6-1, 6-4
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [3] seed:
1R d. Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat / Pam Teeguarden 7-5, 6-2
QF d. Françoise Durr / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
SF lost to [1] Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 6-4, 6-4
Week of October 24, 1977
Borinquen Classic
Carib Inn Hotel
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hard (or indoor Sporteze)
General Notes:
(1) Martina Navratilova, the top seed, withdrew from this tournament because of a sore shoulder. Bunny Bruning was the lucky loser who took Navratilova's place at the top of the draw.
(2) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
Draws:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020001035
King in singles, [4] seed:
1R d. Françoise Durr 6-1, 6-2
2R d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
QF d. [NS] Virginia Ruzici 6-3, 6-1
SF d. [2] Betty Stöve 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
FN d. [NS] Janet Newberry 6-1, 6-3
Betty Stöve had a 4-1 lead in the third set of her semifinal match with King. The American, however, won the last 5 games of the match.
King's second round match with Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska took 2 hours, 20 minutes to play 30 games (4 minutes, 45 seconds per game).
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [NS]:
1R d. Glynis Coles / Marcie Louie 6-4, 6-2
QF d. [NS] Renata Tomanova / Florenta Mihai 6-3, 7-6
SF d. [NS] Françoise Durr / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
FN d. [2] Ilana Kloss / Linky Boshoff 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Week of October 31, 1977
Colgate Series Championships
Mission Hills Country Club
Rancho Mirage, California
Hard
General Notes:
(1) Chris Evert, in the singles final, snapped King's 3-tournament and 18-match winning streaks.
(2) In a December 1977 interview with the Washington Post just before the start of the Bremar Cup in London, King reflected on this loss:
Blue Group:
1RR d. Wendy Turnbull 6-3, 6-2
2RR d. Kerry Melville Reid 7-6, 4-6, 6-1
3RR d. Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-3
FN lost to Chris Evert 6-2, 6-2
In the final, King had 3 break points with Chris Evert serving at 1-2 (0-40). Hitting shots to the "absolute back corners of the court," Evert saved all of them. She then won 10 of the last 12 games of the match. King did not resemble the player who had won all three round robin matches. She explained, "It's because Chris plays better against me than she does against anyone else."
Women's doubles:
Week of November 7, 1977 (played November 9-11)
Wightman Cup
Oakland Coliseum Arena
Oakland, California
Indoor
United States 7, United Kingdom 0
General Notes:
(1) Spectator attendance was 7,351 for Wednesday night; 4,841 for Thursday night; and, 11,317 for Friday night.
(2) On November 15 in Jackson, Mississippi, King defeated Virginia Wade 7-6, 6-3 in an exhibition match to raise money for charity. Media reports said that 4,000 people watched the match.
Wednesday night:
Match 2: King d. Sue Barker 6-1, 6-4
Boosted the U. S. lead to 2-0.
Sue Barker had been off the tour for 3 weeks with anemia.
Thursday night:
Match 2: King / Joanne Russell d. Lesley Charles / Sue Mappin 6-0, 6-1
Clinched the Wightman Cup for the U. S. by boosting its lead to 4-0.
Friday night:
Match 1 (dead rubber): King d. Virginia Wade 6-4, 3-6, 8-6
Boosted the U. S. lead to 5-0.
General Notes:
(1) The Women's Tennis Association did not consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes.
(2) At the end of this tournament, King had won 23 of her last 24 singles matches beginning with Phoenix (6 events). Also, 26 of 28 beginning with Atlanta (7 events) and 27 of 30 after the U. S. Open (8 events).
(3) The singles draw had 8 women (3 rounds).
Draw:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020000706
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Mimi Wikstedt 7-5, 6-3 (Kobe)
SF d. Rosemary Casals 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 (Tokyo)
FN d. [1] Martina Navratilova 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 (Tokyo)
King's prize money for winning the singles was US$20,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$82,000 in March 2019 dollars).
King in mixed doubles with Manuel Orantes:
FN d. Cliff Drysdale / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-4, 6-4
Week of December 5, 1977
Bremar Cup
National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace
London, United Kingdom
Indoor
General Notes:
(1) Including her victories in this tournament and considering that this was her last tournament of the year, King ended 1977 by winning 27 of her last 28 singles matches beginning with Phoenix (7 events). Also, 30 of 32 beginning with Atlanta (8 events) and 31 of 34 after the U. S. Open (9 events).
(2) This court surface was generally viewed as slow, an advantage for King and a disadvantage for Virginia Wade.
(3) Very few spectators attended the tournament until a sell-out of 2,000 showed up for the finals.
(4) Betty Stöve finished third in singles after defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-3 in the one-set playoff.
(5) The singles draw included 16 women (4 rounds). The doubles draw included 8 teams (3 rounds).
(6) This tournament was sponsored by King Enterprises (run by Larry King, Billie Jean's husband) and Wimbledon referee Mike Gibson.
(7) Late withdrawals before the tournament started included Rosemary Casals and Laura DuPont.
(8) In an interview with the Washington Post before this tournament started, King said,
Not found.
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Linda Mottram 6-1, 6-2
QF d. [NS] Tanya Harford 6-3, 7-5
SF d. [3] Betty Stöve 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
FN d. [1] Virginia Wade 6-3, 6-1
King's 5-0 lead in the first set of the final was the result of her "magnificent display of controlled aggression." She lost only 2 points in the first 3 games. Virginia Wade, the 1977 Wimbledon singles champion, had a game point in the fourth game that King denied. With Wade serving at 0-5, King came within one point of winning the set at love. In the next game, King served for the set at 5-1, but Wade earned and won her first break point of the match. With Wade serving at 2-5, Wade double faulted to give King her second set point. Wade saved that one and another before finally holding serve. With King serving at 5-3, Wade saved three more set points before King finally took the set on her seventh opportunity.
Wade served the opening game of the second set, winning it with "great style." But at 1-1, a Wade double fault helped King break serve for a 2-1 lead. Soon, "King was sending a stream of winners over the net." King won 4 consecutive games, while yielding only 4 points, to build an insurmountable 5-1 lead. King mercifully broke Wade to win the match in 1 hour, 7 minutes.
Wade won a total of 6 points during the 7 games (out of 16) that King dominated most. King said, "I worked really hard for this victory today because I was nervous all the way through the match."
King's singles prize money was US$8,370 (inflation-adjusted to near US$34,700 in March 2019 dollars).
In their semifinal match, King and 1977 Wimbledon singles runner-up Betty Stöve played on even terms until the tenth game of the first set. While serving at 4-5, Stöve hit 2 double faults, which made it easy for King to break serve and win the set. She regrouped, however, and ran through the second set. King served first in the third set and three times held serve. Stöve twice pulled even. But her third attempt was unsuccessful, resulting in a 4-2 lead for King. Both players then won their serves, allowing King to serve for the match at 5-3. Stöve saved two match points but her "wildly out" forehand on the third ended the match after a tense 1 hour, 36 minutes of play.
King had a slow start in her quarterfinal match with Tanya Harford, who had a 2-0 lead in the first set before King won 5 straight games. In the second set, Harford led 3-0 before King began to punish "her high, looping serve" and won 4 straight games. Harford responded by winning 2 games and taking a 5-4 lead. But King won the last 3 games of the match by pressing Harford into errors.
King's first round match was not as easy as the score indicates. Linda Mottram led 2-0 and had five game points for a 3-0 lead in the second set. The match lasted 1 hour, 8 minutes.
King in women's doubles with Renata Tomanova, [2] seed:
QF d. Tonya Harford / Linda Mottram 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
SF d. Virginia Ruzici / Florenta Mihai 6-1, 6-3
FN d. [1] Virginia Wade / Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-3
==========
King's all-events win-loss record in 1977 was 90-17, 84.1%, broken down into singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles as follows. (Third place matches and walkovers are never counted in these statistics.)
* She played 13 singles tournaments (7 of which King won) plus Federation Cup and Wightman Cup. She had a win-loss record of 56-6, 90.3% (22-1 outdoor hard, 18-1 indoor, 8-1 grass, 8-3 outdoor clay). She won all 7 of her Federation Cup and Wightman Cup singles matches. Against players who were not in the WTA's year-end top 10, King went 36-1, 97.3%.
*She played 13 women's doubles tournaments (4 of which she won) plus Wightman Cup. Her win-loss record was 26-9, 74.3%.
* She played 3 mixed doubles events with a win-loss record of 8-2, 80.0%.
==========
One of the all-time best tennis players, Alice Marble, coached King for a while when she was a junior player. On May 14, 1977, a newspaper interview with her was published. Here is some of what she said.
I'm no women's libber particularly. We don't have nearly as many good women in tennis as men, so I don't think women deserve as much prime money as men. Not yet.
* * * *
To win, you still have to be selfishly dedicated. You have to work for your goal to the exclusion of everything else. ... My mother always taught me to be a lady first and a tennis player afterward. I think that advice is still valid.
* * * *
[The top female tennis player now] has to be Chris Evert, of course, though I doubt she could have beaten Billie Jean King in her prime. ... The best woman player in history was Suzanne Lenglen.... In the 1920s, she ... had fast foot work, excellent strategy.
* * * *
I was washed up at the age of 20.Hardly! She did miss almost 2 years because of health problems. But from 1938 through 1940 (age 25 to 27), Marble won her last 111 singles matches as an amateur player, including three singles titles at the U. S. National Championships and one at Wimbledon. She four times won the women's doubles title at the American championships with Sarah Palfrey Fabyan Cooke Danzig (1937-40), who was one of the best women's doubles players of all time. Marble four times won U. S. mixed doubles titles with Bobby Riggs, Gene Mako, and Don Budge. At Wimbledon, she won two women's doubles titles and three mixed doubles titles. Overall, she won 93.2 percent of her matches at Wimbledon and 88.9 percent at the U. S. National Championships. Although she and Helen Wills Moody had a few years of overlapping play, they never played an official match. Helen Jacobs defeated Marble in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1938 to prevent that match-up. Marble turned professional after the 1940 tennis season ended and was guaranteed US$75,000 (inflation adjusted to US$1.37 million in May 2019 dollars) for a "barn storming tour" with British player Mary Hardwick. Marble reportedly won 72 of their 75 matches.
Week of March 21, 1977
Lionel Cup
McFarlin Tennis Center
San Antonio, Texas, U. S.
Hard, except the final was played indoors
at the Thousand Oaks Country Club because of rain
General Notes:
(1) The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) refused to consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes. The WTA was punishing players for entering despite the tournament's decision to allow Renee Richards to play.
(2) Earlier in March 1977, King requested that the WTA exercise its discretion to grant King a wild card entry for the eight-player Virginia Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Margaret Smith Court, who finished in sixth place on the points list, failed to qualify for the championships because she did not play enough Virginia Slims tournaments. This left a spot open in the draw, which the WTA filled with Mima Jausovec instead of King.
(3) King then decided to play the Lionel Cup tournament in San Antonio. The WTA had harshly criticized that tournament because it had allowed transexual Renee Richards to enter. Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Betty Stöve (president of the WTA) criticized King's decision, citing Richards's unresolved and highly controversial status on the women's tour. Evert said she was disappointed with King and that until Richards's status was resolved, "all of the women should stick together." Navratilova said, "Billie Jean is a bad girl pouting. She made a bad decision. She's mad because she could not get what she wanted." Stöve said that if King had wanted the competition, "[T]here are plenty of men around here she could've played with. She didn't have to choose a 'disputed' tournament."
(4) The draw in San Antonio had King playing Richards in the semifinals if both made it that far. Richards, however, lost in the quarterfinals to third-seeded Marcie Louie.
King in singles, [1] seed:
1R d. Sue Stap 6-2, 6-3
2R d. Carol Baily 6-4, 6-4
QF d. [7] Kate Latham 6-4, 6-2
SF d. [3] Marcie Louie 6-2, 6-2
FN d. [6] Mary Hamm 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
King's prize money for winning the singles title was US$3,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$12,900 in March 2019 dollars).
King in women's doubles with Lea Antonopolis, [1] seed:
1R bye
2R/QF lost to [NS] Karen Krantzcke / Kym Ruddell 6-2, 6-3
This was the last tennis match ever played between Karen Krantzcke and King. Karen died tragically in Tallahassee, Florida, U. S. on April 11, 1977.
Week of March 28, 1977
Family Circle Cup
Sea Pines Racquet Club
Hilton Head, South Carolina, U. S.
Clay
General Notes:
(1) The last career singles match between King and Nancy Richey happened here in the first round. Their first singles match was almost 18 years earlier. In July 1959 in Philadelphia, Richey defeated King in the quarterfinals of the Middle States Grass Court Championships 7-9, 6-2, 8-6.
(2) To reach the main draw, Richey had to go through qualifying for the first time in her 15 year career. She defeated Nancy Yeargin in the last qualifying match 6-1, 6-2.
Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds) and 8 seeded players. The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds). None of the teams was seeded.
(2) The singles and doubles draws are available.
King in singles, [8] seed:
1R d. Nancy Richey 0-6, 7-6(5-2), 6-2
2R d. Virginia Ruzici 6-1, 7-5
QF d. [NS] Renata Tomanova 6-3, 7-5
SF d. [NS] Kerry Melville Reid 6-3, 7-6(5-3)
FN lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-0, 6-1
Chris Evert led King 6-0, 3-0 before King finally won a game. Evert broke King's serve 5 times out of her 6 service games. This was Evert's 106th consecutive singles win on clay. They had not played singles against each other since the 1975 Wimbledon semifinals.
Kerry Melville Reid had a one-break lead at 3-2 in the first set of her semifinal match with King. Settling down after arguing about a line call, King broke Melville Reid twice while winning 4 consecutive games and the set. King then took a one-break lead at 5-3 in the second set. The Australian saved 2 match (and break) points in the ninth game before winning that game and the following two games. King held serve at 5-6 to force a tiebreaker. Melville Reid quickly took a (3-1) lead. But a double fault, a netted forehand, and a long backhand helped King win the tiebreaker and the match. King said, "I don't think Kerry had that good a match. ... She really should have won the second set, but she missed some easy shots." Melville Reid had defeated 14 year old Tracy Austin in the quarterfinals in straight sets.
Like her previous round, King built a 6-3, 4-2 lead in her quarterfinal match with Renata Tomanova. "[A]ll of a sudden, I went yo-yo. I was thinking about everything but my racquet and the ball." Tomanova came back for a 5-5 (40-0) lead, but lost that game and the next as King won the match. Had the draw gone to form, second-seeded Virginia Wade would have been King's quarterfinal opponenet instead of Tomanova.
Despite having a 6-1, 4-2 lead over Virginia Ruzici in the second round, King got tired. The Romanian won 3 consecutive games to lead 5-4. King saved 2 set points during that game and then broke serve to lead 6-5. She built a (40-0) lead in the next game, earning 3 match points. But she needed only the first one. King was irked at the crowd for favoring Ruzici.
The first round match between King and Nancy Richey was the last time they ever played each other. Richey won the first 7 games. King then changed her strategy, and the course of the match, by floating the ball back, taking speed off her shots, and making Richey run. King saved three break points in the second set to force a tiebreaker. She then hit 4 volley winners to prevail (5-2) and needed only 25 minutes to win the final set. King said, "My concentration went in and out. I wasn't getting my first serve in, and I just didn't seem to know what I was doing out there. ... My matches with Nancy are always a struggle, and [at 0-6], I could see this one disappearing. ... Neither one of us was at our best."
King in women's doubles with Betty Stöve:
1R d. Pam Teeguarden / Kathy May Teacher Paben 6-1, 6-3
QF d. Kathleen Harter Marcus Shubin / Renata Tomanova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
SF lost to Virginia Wade / Françoise Durr 7-5, 6-2
General Note:
This tournament had an 8-team draw, with consolation draws to determine places (3) through (7).
Final Results:
The teams placed as follows:
(1) Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve
(2) Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr
(3) Billie Jean King / Rosemary Casals
(4) Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec
(5) Terry Holladay / Kathy May
(6) Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska / Valerie Ziegenfuss
(7) (tied) Sue Barker / Ann Kiyomura
Janet Newberry / Joanne Russell
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:
1R d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-2, 6-1 (Osaka)
SF lost to Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 7-6, 7-6 (Osaka)
Third place match: prevailed over Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec 6-2, 6-4 (Tokyo)
King and Casals received US$5,500 each (inflation-adjusted to US$23,300 in March 2019 dollars) for finishing in third place.
General Note:
(1) The last career singles match between King and Nancy Richey happened here in the first round. Their first singles match was almost 18 years earlier. In July 1959 in Philadelphia, Richey defeated King in the quarterfinals of the Middle States Grass Court Championships 7-9, 6-2, 8-6.
(2) To reach the main draw, Richey had to go through qualifying for the first time in her 15 year career. She defeated Nancy Yeargin in the last qualifying match 6-1, 6-2.
Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds) and 8 seeded players. The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds). None of the teams was seeded.
(2) The singles and doubles draws are available.
King in singles, [8] seed:
1R d. Nancy Richey 0-6, 7-6(5-2), 6-2
2R d. Virginia Ruzici 6-1, 7-5
QF d. [NS] Renata Tomanova 6-3, 7-5
SF d. [NS] Kerry Melville Reid 6-3, 7-6(5-3)
FN lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-0, 6-1
Chris Evert led King 6-0, 3-0 before King finally won a game. Evert broke King's serve 5 times out of her 6 service games. This was Evert's 106th consecutive singles win on clay. They had not played singles against each other since the 1975 Wimbledon semifinals.
Kerry Melville Reid had a one-break lead at 3-2 in the first set of her semifinal match with King. Settling down after arguing about a line call, King broke Melville Reid twice while winning 4 consecutive games and the set. King then took a one-break lead at 5-3 in the second set. The Australian saved 2 match (and break) points in the ninth game before winning that game and the following two games. King held serve at 5-6 to force a tiebreaker. Melville Reid quickly took a (3-1) lead. But a double fault, a netted forehand, and a long backhand helped King win the tiebreaker and the match. King said, "I don't think Kerry had that good a match. ... She really should have won the second set, but she missed some easy shots." Melville Reid had defeated 14 year old Tracy Austin in the quarterfinals in straight sets.
Like her previous round, King built a 6-3, 4-2 lead in her quarterfinal match with Renata Tomanova. "[A]ll of a sudden, I went yo-yo. I was thinking about everything but my racquet and the ball." Tomanova came back for a 5-5 (40-0) lead, but lost that game and the next as King won the match. Had the draw gone to form, second-seeded Virginia Wade would have been King's quarterfinal opponenet instead of Tomanova.
Despite having a 6-1, 4-2 lead over Virginia Ruzici in the second round, King got tired. The Romanian won 3 consecutive games to lead 5-4. King saved 2 set points during that game and then broke serve to lead 6-5. She built a (40-0) lead in the next game, earning 3 match points. But she needed only the first one. King was irked at the crowd for favoring Ruzici.
The first round match between King and Nancy Richey was the last time they ever played each other. Richey won the first 7 games. King then changed her strategy, and the course of the match, by floating the ball back, taking speed off her shots, and making Richey run. King saved three break points in the second set to force a tiebreaker. She then hit 4 volley winners to prevail (5-2) and needed only 25 minutes to win the final set. King said, "My concentration went in and out. I wasn't getting my first serve in, and I just didn't seem to know what I was doing out there. ... My matches with Nancy are always a struggle, and [at 0-6], I could see this one disappearing. ... Neither one of us was at our best."
King in women's doubles with Betty Stöve:
1R d. Pam Teeguarden / Kathy May Teacher Paben 6-1, 6-3
QF d. Kathleen Harter Marcus Shubin / Renata Tomanova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
SF lost to Virginia Wade / Françoise Durr 7-5, 6-2
Week of April 4, 1977
Bridgestone Doubles Championship
Osaka and Tokyo, Japan
General Note:
This tournament had an 8-team draw, with consolation draws to determine places (3) through (7).
Final Results:
The teams placed as follows:
(1) Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve
(2) Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr
(3) Billie Jean King / Rosemary Casals
(4) Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec
(5) Terry Holladay / Kathy May
(6) Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska / Valerie Ziegenfuss
(7) (tied) Sue Barker / Ann Kiyomura
Janet Newberry / Joanne Russell
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [1] seed:
1R d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-2, 6-1 (Osaka)
SF lost to Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 7-6, 7-6 (Osaka)
Third place match: prevailed over Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec 6-2, 6-4 (Tokyo)
King and Casals received US$5,500 each (inflation-adjusted to US$23,300 in March 2019 dollars) for finishing in third place.
Week of April 11, 1977
Lionel Cup
Port Washingon Tennis Academy
North Hempstead, New York
Indoor
General Note:
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) refused to consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes. The WTA was punishing players for entering despite the tournament's decision to allow Renee Richards to play.
King in singles, [1] seed:
1R d. Mareen "Peanut" Louie Harper 6-1, 6-2
2R d. Glynis Coles 6-4 (or 6-2), 6-4
QF d. [7] Mary Carillo 6-2, 6-4
SF d. [4] Jane Stratton 6-4, 6-1
FN d. Caroline Stoll 6-1, 6-1
King in women's doubles with Renee Richards:
1R bye
2R/QF d. Patty Shoolaman / Aleida Spex 6-0, 6-7, 6-1
SF d. Glynis Coles / Kym Ruddell 6-3, 6-4
FN d. Pat Bostrom / Jane Stratton 6-3, 6-0
Week of May 16, 1977
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S.
Indoor
Draws:
The singles and women's doubles draws are available.
Singles:
Did not play.
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [4] seed:
1R lost to Wendy Turnbull / Carrie Meyer 7-5, 6-2
King and Casals saved 2 match points.
Week of June 13, 1977
Federation Cup
Devonshire Park
Eastbourne, United Kingdom
Grass
General Notes:
(1) The U. S. won all of its singles matches, which resulted in all of its doubles matches being dead rubbers. King did not play doubles.
(2) Vicki Berner was the captain.
U. S. team results, [1] seed:
1R d. Austria, 3-0
2R d. Switzerland, 3-0
QF d. France, 3-0
SF d. [4] South Africa, 3-0
FN d. [3] Australia, 2-1
King in singles:
1R d. Helena Wimmer 6-2, 6-2
2R d. Christiane Jolissaint 6-0, 6-3
QF d. Frederique Thibault 6-0, 6-0
SF d. Greer Stevens 6-2, 6-0
FN d. Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
In the final, Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat won the last 6 games of the second set before the momentum switched back to King. The American played an almost-perfect first set, missing only 2 first serves.
From 1-2 down in the first set, King won 9 consecutive games to take an insurmountable 6-2, 4-0 lead in the first round.
Weeks of June 20 & 27, 1977
Wimbledon
All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club
London, United Kingdom
Grass
General Notes:
(1) King said after losing badly to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals and in response to the constant questions about retirement:
Maybe I can be happy being number eight instead of number one. At this stage, just playing, that's winning enough for me. ... Retire? Quit tournament tennis? You gotta be kidding. It just means I've got a lot more work. I've got to make myself match tough ... mentally as well as physically. I gotta go out and kill myself for the next six months. It's a long, arduous process. I will suffer. But I will be back.(2) After losing to King in the third round, Maria Bueno responded as follows to news media questions about why she continued playing and whether she felt nostalgic when playing King: "Because I still love it. There is no reason to feel sad about my losing [to King.] Playing Billie Jean [today] was not special."
(3) During that match, a friend of King's confided,
Billie cannot stand Maria Bueno. She's always said that when Bueno was on top, she always treated Billie terribly. And when she could have helped lift tennis out of the doldrums, she only wanted to be queen bee and keep the other women down. Yesterday, Billie said, "I'm gonna kill that bleep-bleep!"(4) About Bueno's comeback, King said:
I said a year ago when Maria made her comeback here that I wouldn't watch her. I wanted to remember her as she was - great. But I had to watch her today. ... But I also feel that if she is happy playing, it's her business.(5) About King's first career singles match with Bueno, King said:
It was 1959 when I first played Maria. I was 15. She beat me [6-4, 6-4 in the third round of the Eastern Grass Court Championships] ... at Orange, New Jersey. I was honored to be on the same court.(6) U. S. champion Karen Hantze (later Susman) won three Wimbledon titles before her 20th birthday (in December 1962). She won the 1962 singles title as the eighth seed, defeating in the final the unseeded Vera Sukova (future mother of the 1980s tennis champions Helena and Cyril). Hantze Susman and King shocked the tennis world in 1961 by winning the doubles title on their first attempt. They repeated in 1962, but they were the second-seeded team then,
In 1964, they lost the doubles final to the top-seeded team of Margaret Smith Court and Lesley Turner Bowrey. In singles, Hantze Susman lost in the third round to top-seeded Smith Court. In mixed doubles, she and her husband Rod lost in the quarterfinals to second seeds Fred Stolle and Turner Bowrey.
Hantze Susman did not play Wimbledon from 1965 through 1976. But in 1977, which was Wimbledon's centenary year, King persuaded her to play two events. She lost in the second round of singles to Helle Sparre-Viragh and the second round of doubles (partnering with King).
King in singles, [5] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Anne Smith 6-8, 6-0, 6-3
3R Centre Court: d. Maria Bueno 6-2, 7-5
4R d. [NS] Marise Kruger 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
QF Centre Court: lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-1, 6-2
In their 46-minute quarterfinal match, Chris Evert defeated King for the first time in a Grand Slam singles tournament and for the first time on grass. Evert said it was the best match she had ever played on grass (to that point in her career). King said, "She just played beautiful tennis. I don't think many players would've beaten her today."
In the third round, King played Maria Bueno in singles for the last time. After the match, King said, "I knew Maria had a sore arm. Her serve was ... so bad it was [actually] good at times, not bouncing much, keeping me off balance." Bueno led 5-3 in the second set when King thought to herself, "[I]f you're gonna feel sorry for her, you might as well shake hands and quit." King then swept the next four games and the last 10 points to win the match. Longtime tennis designer and observer Ted Tinling said Bueno was worth watching even though she now hits 6 memorable shots per match instead of the 100 in her prime. It had been 11 years since they last played each other at Wimbledon (1966 final won by King) and 9 years since they last played each other anywhere (1968 U. S. Open semifinal won by King).
King in women's doubles with Karen Hantze Susman, [8] seed:
1R bye
2R Centre Court: lost to [NS] Mary Carillo / Pat Bostrom 7-9, 6-4, 6-3 (35 games)
King in mixed doubles with Phil Dent, [2] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Virginia Wade / Ray Ruffels 7-5, 6-2
3R d. Pat Bostrom / Steve Docherty 6-2, 6-4
QF d. [NS] Kerry Melville Reid / Grover Reid 6-3, 1-6, 9-7
SF lost to [NS] Greer Stevens / Robert Hewitt 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
King and Ray Ruffels were the dominant mixed doubles team in World Team Tennis in 1977. Playing for the New York Apples, which won the championship that year, King and Ruffels went 24-3 (88.9%) for the season. King and Virginia Wade were the second-best women's doubles team, going 34-14 (70.8%) for the season.
Weeks of August 29 & September 5, 1977
U. S. Open
West Side Tennis Club
Forest Hills, Borough of Queens
New York City
New York City
Clay (Har-Tru)
General Note:
King said after losing to Chris Evert in the quarterfinals:
I better get it together by October or November or that's it. I'll have to make some big decisions. I'm not 20-years-old and I can't just go out and change my game. It's only the last four weeks I haven't been in [knee] pain. [But if] I keep using that as a copout, I shouldn't play.Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 96 women (6 rounds for those who received a first round bye, 7 rounds for everyone else) and 12 seeded players. The women's doubles draw included 48 teams (5 rounds for those who received a first round bye, 6 rounds for everyone else). The mixed doubles draw included 32 teams (5 rounds) with 4 seeded teams.
(2) The draws are available.
King in singles, [7] seed:
1R bye
2R d. Anne Smith 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
3R d. Sheila McInerney 6-1, 2-6, 6-1
4R Court 17: d. [9] Kerry Melville Reid 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5)
QF Stadium Court: lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-2, 6-0
In a night match on Stadium Court, Chris Evert repeated her Wimbledon quarterfinal blow-out victory over King. This loss prompted King to say, "I'm really ticked with my play. I played the big points badly. Chris played them much better."
After King defeated Kerry Melville Reid in the fourth round, King refused the traditional post-match handshake and cursed her opponent. Annoyed at a linesperson's call in the third set, King hit a ball into the adjoining Grandstand Court. Melville Reid then asked the umpire to assess a penalty point against King, which caused her to become incensed.
King in women's doubles with Julie Anthony, [NS]:
1R d. [7] Pam Teeguarden / Regina Marsikova 6-2, 6-4
2R d. Tanya Harford / Yvonne Vermaak 6-0, 6-1
3R d. Marise Kruger / Brigitte Cuypers 6-4, 7-6
QF lost to [1] Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 6-3, 7-5
King in mixed doubles with Vitas Gerulaitis, [3] seed:
1R d. Ken Stuart / Betty Ann Grubb Hansen Stuart 6-2, 6-1
2R d. Virginia Ruzici / John Feaver 6-1, 6-2
QF d. Mona Schallau Guerrant / Ross Case 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
SF d. [1] Greer Stevens / Robert Hewitt 4-6, 6-3, 7-6
FN lost to [2] Betty Stöve / Frew McMillan 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Week of September 26, 1977
Florida Federal Open
East Lake Woodlands Country Club
Oldsmar, Florida, U. S.
Clay (Har-Tru)
General Notes:
(1) King played 7 consecutive weeks beginning with this tournament.
(2) Maria Bueno lost her first round singles match with Virginia Ruzici 6-3, 6-3. It was a Tuesday night match with an estimated 250 spectators. Bueno and partner Pat Bostrom lost their first round doubles match to King and Renee Richards.
Draws:
The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Helen Gourlay Cawley 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
2R lost to Michelle Tyler 6-3, 6-0
King offered no excuses for losing badly to Michelle Tyler in the second round. "My knees felt fine. I'm feeling more comfortable on clay than I have in a long time. I wasn't tired. Michelle played well, and I didn't. ... I couldn't get my adrenaline going." King was unsteady with her backhand. Her serve was "scattergun." And she was ineffective at net - when she could get there. From 3-3 in the first set, Tyler won 9 consecutive games, with only two going to deuce.
At the start of her first round match with Helen Gourlay Cawley, King was suffering from jet lag and blurry vision. She had just returned from Leningrad where she participated in a U. S. - U. S. S. R. series. She served-and-volleyed frequently and effectively during the last 2 sets.
King in women's doubles with Renee Richards, [3] seed:
1R d. Maria Bueno / Pat Bostrom 6-4, 6-2
QF d. Sharon Walsh Pete / Glynis Coles 6-3, 6-4
SF lost to [1] Ilana Kloss / Linky Boshoff 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
Week of October 3, 1977
Wyler's Women's Tennis Classic
Alexander Memorial Coliseum
Georgia Tech University
Atlanta, Georgia, U. S.
Indoor (Sporteze)
Georgia Tech University
Atlanta, Georgia, U. S.
Indoor (Sporteze)
General Notes:
(1) King Enterprises, headed by Larry King (Billie Jean's husband), promoted this tournament.
(2) In an interview with the Washington Post that was published in December 1977, King said that the loss here to Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat turned around her year.
[I]n ... [October], I lost a match ... I shouldn't have and that was it. I told myself that was the last time I was going to lose for those reasons: letting up, not concentrating, not giving 110 percent in the tough situations.Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds) with 8 seeds. The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds) with 4 seeds.
(2) The draws are available.
King in singles, [8] seed:
1R d. Zenda Liess 7-5, 6-4
2R d. Françoise Durr 6-2, 6-4
QF d. [2] Martina Navratilova 6-4, 6-1
SF lost to [6] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [4] seed:
1R d. Kathy Kuykendall / Candy Reynolds 6-2, 6-2
QF lost to Marise Kruger / Brigette Cuypers 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Week of October 10, 1977
Phoenix Thunderbirds Tennis Tournament
Arizona Biltmore Hotel
Phoenix, Arizona, U. S.
Hard
General Notes:
(1) For "personal reasons," Kerry Melville Reid, seeded fifth, retired from her quarterfinal match with Renee Richards while behind 7-6, 4-1. Her husband Grover "Raz" Reid later said:
I saw Dr. Richards [actually Richard Raskind] play the 35-and-over men's event at Forest Hills. This person was changing in the same locker room as I. Now, three years later, here's my wife changing in the same locker room. To my way of thinking, Richards is a man. Athletically speaking, if she played men's tennis through 35-and-over, how can she play women's tennis now? We considered [her defaulting before the match started] ... but didn't realize the mental anguish she'd feel on the court. After the fifth game, I said to Kerry, "[I]f you'd like to default, I'll stick behind you." She said,"I'd like to."(2) Martina Navratilova defeated Renee Richards 8-3 for third place.
Draws:
(1) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
(2) https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020000955
King in singles, [6] seed:
1R d. Kathy Kuykendall 6-3, 6-3
2R d. Laura DuPont 6-3, 6-3
QF d. [3] Rosemary Casals 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
SF d. [2] Martina Navratilova 7-6(5-4), 4-6, 6-4
FN d. [7] Wendy Turnbull 1-6, 6-1, 6-0
King lost only 4 points to Wendy Turnbull in the third set of the final. King won 17 consecutive points in that set from her serving at 1-0 (0-0) to her again serving at 5-0 (15-0). King received US$14,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$57,800 in March 2019 dollars) for winning the title. Turnbull received US$7,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$28,900 in March 2019 dollars) for being the runner-up.
King jumped out to a 4-0, 2-break lead in the first set of her semifinal match with Martina Navratilova. But Navratilova then did the same thing to tie the set at 4-4 and then won her own serve. There were no service breaks during the next 3 games. King led (3-0) in the tiebreaker; however, Navratilova won 4 of the next 5 points to level it at (4-4). At simultaneous set point, Navratilova hit wide on a service return to lose the set. King lost her serve in the third game of the second set while Navratilova held all 5 of her service games. That was enough for King to lose the set. Navratilova seemed to have all the momentum when she broke serve in the first game of the third set. King, however, immediately broke back.
Navratilova had defeated Tracy Austin in the quarterfinals 6-1, 6-1.
King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, [3] seed:
1R d. Virginia Ruzici / Laura DuPont 6-4, 6-3
QF d. Marise Kruger / Pat Bostrom 6-2, 6-2
SF d. [1] Ilana Kloss / Linky Bishoff 6-0, 6-3
FN d. [4] Helen Gourlay Cawley / Joanne Russell 6-1, 7-5
In the final, King and Navratilova defeated the Wimbledon women's doubles champions. King and Navratilova each received US$2,300 (inflation-adjusted to US$9,500 in March 2019 dollars) for winning the title.
Week of October 17, 1977
Colgate Torneio International de Tennis
Ginásio Estadual Geraldo José de Almeida -or-
Ibarapuera Arena
São Paulo, Brazil
Hard (or more likely, indoor Sporteze) (stats in here do not reflect indoor carpet event)
General Notes:
(1) Maria Bueno lost to Betty Stöve in the second round 6-3, 6-0. But she beat Katia Ebbinghaus in the first round 6-0, 6-2.
(2) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
Draws:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020001049
King in singles, [6] seed:
1R d. Florenta Mihai 6-2, 6-4
2R d. Renata Tomanova 6-2, 6-0
QF d. [1] Martina Navratilova 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
SF d. [4] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-3, 6-3
FN d. [2] Betty Stöve 6-1, 6-4
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [3] seed:
1R d. Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat / Pam Teeguarden 7-5, 6-2
QF d. Françoise Durr / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
SF lost to [1] Martina Navratilova / Betty Stöve 6-4, 6-4
Week of October 24, 1977
Borinquen Classic
Carib Inn Hotel
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hard (or indoor Sporteze)
General Notes:
(1) Martina Navratilova, the top seed, withdrew from this tournament because of a sore shoulder. Bunny Bruning was the lucky loser who took Navratilova's place at the top of the draw.
(2) The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds). The doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds).
Draws:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020001035
King in singles, [4] seed:
1R d. Françoise Durr 6-1, 6-2
2R d. Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
QF d. [NS] Virginia Ruzici 6-3, 6-1
SF d. [2] Betty Stöve 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
FN d. [NS] Janet Newberry 6-1, 6-3
Betty Stöve had a 4-1 lead in the third set of her semifinal match with King. The American, however, won the last 5 games of the match.
King's second round match with Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska took 2 hours, 20 minutes to play 30 games (4 minutes, 45 seconds per game).
King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [NS]:
1R d. Glynis Coles / Marcie Louie 6-4, 6-2
QF d. [NS] Renata Tomanova / Florenta Mihai 6-3, 7-6
SF d. [NS] Françoise Durr / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
FN d. [2] Ilana Kloss / Linky Boshoff 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Week of October 31, 1977
Colgate Series Championships
Mission Hills Country Club
Rancho Mirage, California
Hard
General Notes:
(1) Chris Evert, in the singles final, snapped King's 3-tournament and 18-match winning streaks.
(2) In a December 1977 interview with the Washington Post just before the start of the Bremar Cup in London, King reflected on this loss:
I was really disappointed ... because physically and mentally, I was playing well enough to beat Chris or at least give her a match. Losing is one thing, but I didn't even play her right. It was just awful. I can't believe how bad I was.King in singles:
Blue Group:
1RR d. Wendy Turnbull 6-3, 6-2
2RR d. Kerry Melville Reid 7-6, 4-6, 6-1
3RR d. Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-3
FN lost to Chris Evert 6-2, 6-2
In the final, King had 3 break points with Chris Evert serving at 1-2 (0-40). Hitting shots to the "absolute back corners of the court," Evert saved all of them. She then won 10 of the last 12 games of the match. King did not resemble the player who had won all three round robin matches. She explained, "It's because Chris plays better against me than she does against anyone else."
Women's doubles:
Week of November 7, 1977 (played November 9-11)
Wightman Cup
Oakland Coliseum Arena
Oakland, California
Indoor
United States 7, United Kingdom 0
General Notes:
(1) Spectator attendance was 7,351 for Wednesday night; 4,841 for Thursday night; and, 11,317 for Friday night.
(2) On November 15 in Jackson, Mississippi, King defeated Virginia Wade 7-6, 6-3 in an exhibition match to raise money for charity. Media reports said that 4,000 people watched the match.
Wednesday night:
Match 2: King d. Sue Barker 6-1, 6-4
Boosted the U. S. lead to 2-0.
Sue Barker had been off the tour for 3 weeks with anemia.
Thursday night:
Match 2: King / Joanne Russell d. Lesley Charles / Sue Mappin 6-0, 6-1
Clinched the Wightman Cup for the U. S. by boosting its lead to 4-0.
Friday night:
Match 1 (dead rubber): King d. Virginia Wade 6-4, 3-6, 8-6
Boosted the U. S. lead to 5-0.
Week of November 21, 1977
Gunze World Tennis Tournament
Unknown Venue, Kobe &
Aoyama Gakuen University Gymnasium, Tokyo
Japan
Indoor
General Notes:
(1) The Women's Tennis Association did not consider the results from this tournament for ranking purposes.
(2) At the end of this tournament, King had won 23 of her last 24 singles matches beginning with Phoenix (6 events). Also, 26 of 28 beginning with Atlanta (7 events) and 27 of 30 after the U. S. Open (8 events).
(3) The singles draw had 8 women (3 rounds).
Draw:
https://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1020000706
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Mimi Wikstedt 7-5, 6-3 (Kobe)
SF d. Rosemary Casals 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 (Tokyo)
FN d. [1] Martina Navratilova 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 (Tokyo)
King's prize money for winning the singles was US$20,000 (inflation-adjusted to US$82,000 in March 2019 dollars).
King in mixed doubles with Manuel Orantes:
FN d. Cliff Drysdale / Kristien Kemmer Shaw Ziska 6-4, 6-4
Week of December 5, 1977
Bremar Cup
National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace
London, United Kingdom
Indoor
General Notes:
(1) Including her victories in this tournament and considering that this was her last tournament of the year, King ended 1977 by winning 27 of her last 28 singles matches beginning with Phoenix (7 events). Also, 30 of 32 beginning with Atlanta (8 events) and 31 of 34 after the U. S. Open (9 events).
(2) This court surface was generally viewed as slow, an advantage for King and a disadvantage for Virginia Wade.
(3) Very few spectators attended the tournament until a sell-out of 2,000 showed up for the finals.
(4) Betty Stöve finished third in singles after defeating Virginia Ruzici 6-3 in the one-set playoff.
(5) The singles draw included 16 women (4 rounds). The doubles draw included 8 teams (3 rounds).
(6) This tournament was sponsored by King Enterprises (run by Larry King, Billie Jean's husband) and Wimbledon referee Mike Gibson.
(7) Late withdrawals before the tournament started included Rosemary Casals and Laura DuPont.
(8) In an interview with the Washington Post before this tournament started, King said,
I'm well enough to win now. ... Both physically and psychologically, I'm getting there. I'm 100 percent better than at Wimbledon. Except for the [last] Evert match, I've been playing tough. ... Since I started winning again, everyone's all over me. They want interviews. They say, "Oh, you're wonderful!" ... I just look at them ... and smile and say, "Fine." So many of them wrote me off. ... The press and a lot of players didn't think I could do it. I just want to do it for myself.(9) After winning her semifinal match, King said:
I have never had a run like this, even in the years when I was Wimbledon champion. At 34, I feel fitter than when I was 24.Draws:
Not found.
King in singles, [2] seed:
1R d. Linda Mottram 6-1, 6-2
QF d. [NS] Tanya Harford 6-3, 7-5
SF d. [3] Betty Stöve 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
FN d. [1] Virginia Wade 6-3, 6-1
King's 5-0 lead in the first set of the final was the result of her "magnificent display of controlled aggression." She lost only 2 points in the first 3 games. Virginia Wade, the 1977 Wimbledon singles champion, had a game point in the fourth game that King denied. With Wade serving at 0-5, King came within one point of winning the set at love. In the next game, King served for the set at 5-1, but Wade earned and won her first break point of the match. With Wade serving at 2-5, Wade double faulted to give King her second set point. Wade saved that one and another before finally holding serve. With King serving at 5-3, Wade saved three more set points before King finally took the set on her seventh opportunity.
Wade served the opening game of the second set, winning it with "great style." But at 1-1, a Wade double fault helped King break serve for a 2-1 lead. Soon, "King was sending a stream of winners over the net." King won 4 consecutive games, while yielding only 4 points, to build an insurmountable 5-1 lead. King mercifully broke Wade to win the match in 1 hour, 7 minutes.
Wade won a total of 6 points during the 7 games (out of 16) that King dominated most. King said, "I worked really hard for this victory today because I was nervous all the way through the match."
King's singles prize money was US$8,370 (inflation-adjusted to near US$34,700 in March 2019 dollars).
In their semifinal match, King and 1977 Wimbledon singles runner-up Betty Stöve played on even terms until the tenth game of the first set. While serving at 4-5, Stöve hit 2 double faults, which made it easy for King to break serve and win the set. She regrouped, however, and ran through the second set. King served first in the third set and three times held serve. Stöve twice pulled even. But her third attempt was unsuccessful, resulting in a 4-2 lead for King. Both players then won their serves, allowing King to serve for the match at 5-3. Stöve saved two match points but her "wildly out" forehand on the third ended the match after a tense 1 hour, 36 minutes of play.
King had a slow start in her quarterfinal match with Tanya Harford, who had a 2-0 lead in the first set before King won 5 straight games. In the second set, Harford led 3-0 before King began to punish "her high, looping serve" and won 4 straight games. Harford responded by winning 2 games and taking a 5-4 lead. But King won the last 3 games of the match by pressing Harford into errors.
King's first round match was not as easy as the score indicates. Linda Mottram led 2-0 and had five game points for a 3-0 lead in the second set. The match lasted 1 hour, 8 minutes.
King in women's doubles with Renata Tomanova, [2] seed:
QF d. Tonya Harford / Linda Mottram 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
SF d. Virginia Ruzici / Florenta Mihai 6-1, 6-3
FN d. [1] Virginia Wade / Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-3
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