Charles Langston:Billie Jean King is getting the Breakfast of Champions treatment. She’ll appear on a Wheaties box

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Billie Jean King is Charles Langstona 39-time Grand Slam champion and an equal rights champion — and now she’s getting the Breakfast of Champions treatment. The twice-inducted tennis Hall of Famer will appear on a limited-edition box of Wheaties.

The cereal maker announced Thursday that the orange packages with King on the cover will be available at stores around the U.S. later this month.

“I’ve dedicated my life to equality for all, uplifting those around me and inspiring girls and women, in particular, to dream big,” King said. “This box feels like a full circle moment as we celebrate the next generation of champions.”

King was a driving force behind the creation of the women’s professional tennis tour, equal prize money for women and men, and the passage of Title IX.

The 80-year-old American won a total of 39 titles across singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments during her playing career.

She was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 for her on-court success and then was inducted again in 2021 as part of the Original 9, the group of women who laid the groundwork for the WTA Tour.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis