Billie Jean King Documentary 'Give Me the Ball!' Captures Tennis Icon's Trailblazing Career

Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff's inspirational film follows King's fight for equal pay and LGBTQ+ representation in sports.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:31pm

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Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff's documentary 'Give Me the Ball!' offers a ferociously entertaining and inspirational portrait of tennis legend Billie Jean King. The film follows King's rise from a young girl in Long Beach, California who just wanted to 'play all the sports' to becoming a cultural icon who fought for equal pay and LGBTQ+ representation in the world of professional tennis.

Why it matters

Billie Jean King's story is a landmark in the history of women's sports and the broader fight for gender equality. Her relentless pursuit of fair compensation for female athletes and her decision to publicly come out as a lesbian in the 1970s were groundbreaking moments that helped pave the way for greater inclusion and representation in the sports world and beyond.

The details

The documentary chronicles key moments in King's career, from her early days playing free youth tennis clinics to her historic 'Battle of the Sexes' match against Bobby Riggs in 1973, which drew a television audience of 90 million. The filmmakers highlight King's primal passion for sports from a young age and her unwavering determination to fight for equal pay and opportunities for women in tennis, even when those ideas were considered 'heretical' at the time.

  • Billie Jean King was born in Long Beach, California in 1943.
  • King became the number one female tennis player in the world in the 1960s.
  • The 'Battle of the Sexes' match against Bobby Riggs took place on September 20, 1973.
  • King is now 82 years old and is interviewed extensively for the documentary.

The players

Billie Jean King

A pioneering tennis player and cultural icon who fought for equal pay and LGBTQ+ representation in sports.

Bobby Riggs

A former tennis champion who challenged King to the 'Battle of the Sexes' match in 1973, believing women should 'stay in their place.'

Liz Garbus

The co-director of the documentary 'Give Me the Ball!'

Elizabeth Wolff

The co-director of the documentary 'Give Me the Ball!'

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What they’re saying

“Almost singlehandedly, she planted the idea on the map that women, like men, should be paid for playing tennis (when she started, they were not), and also — radical notion! — that they should make the same amount of money that men did.”

— Owen Gleiberman, Film Critic (Variety)

“The sheer force of her playing was embodied in moves of extraordinary elegance; she was like a dancer. And that quality of hers was abetted by something that most tennis champions don't have: a charisma on the level of a movie star.”

— Owen Gleiberman, Film Critic (Variety)

What’s next

The documentary 'Give Me the Ball!' is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026.

The takeaway

Billie Jean King's trailblazing career and activism not only transformed the sport of tennis, but also had a profound impact on the broader fight for gender equality and LGBTQ+ representation in sports and society. This documentary captures the inspiring story of an athletic superstar who used her platform to become a true culture hero.