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Billie Jean King sent a message of congratulations to Simone Biles on winning the Associated Press' Female Athlete of the Year award.
Biles had an impressive 2023 as she made her return to gymnastics after the Tokyo Olympics. The American won five medals at the World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Antwerp, including four golds.
She beat out several top athletes to be named AP's Female Athlete of the Year for the third time. Finishing second in the voting for the award was basketball star Caitlin Clark, followed by Spanish soccer star Aitana Bonmati, who won the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or. The likes of Mikaela Shiffrin, Coco Gauff, A'ja Wilson, Angel Reese and Breanna Stewart were the others nominated for the award.
Billie Jean King congratulated Biles on her win on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
"Congratulations to @Simone_Biles, AP Female Athlete of the Year for 2023."
King has often lauded the sporting achievements of players and coaches on social media platforms. The American recently congratulated Leylah Fernandez on winning the Billie Jean King Cup Finals Heart Winner. She also lauded Anhelina Kalinina for winning the Billie Jean King Cup play-offs Heart Winner.
Billie Jean King won 12 Grand Slam singles titles
Billie Jean King had an exceptional career which cemented her status as one of the all-time tennis greats.
The American won a total of 129 singles titles, including 12 Grand Slams. She won each of the four Majors, thus becoming one of the few players to win the Career Grand Slam.
Wimbledon was King's most successful Major as she won six titles while she clinched the US Open four times. She won the Australian Open in 1968 and the French Open in 1972.
King also had a successful doubles career, winning 27 Grand Slams (16 in women's doubles, 11 in mixed doubles). Barring the Australian Open, the American won all of the Majors in the women's doubles event, including ten at Wimbledon and five at the US Open. Rosemary Casals, Bett Stove and Martina Navratilova were some of the players who partnered King in her Grand Slam triumphs.
She won all of the four Grand Slams in the mixed doubles category as well, including four each at Wimbledon and US Open. King clinched two French Open titles while triumphing at the 1968 Australian Open with Dick Crealy as her partner.
