Billie Jean King’s Signature adidas Shoe Is Coming Back

July 21, 2026

adidas is reaching deep into its archive to revive a gem from generations past: the signature shoe of tennis legend and women’s rights icon Billie Jean King.

Few athletes have done more to advance women’s sports or challenge assumptions about female athletic ability than King. The defining moment came in 1973, when 55-year-old former tennis champion and self-described male chauvinist Bobby Riggs claimed that the women’s game was so inferior that even an aging male player could dominate its best competitors.

A 29-year-old King accepted the challenge, setting the stage for what became known as the “Battle of the Sexes.” With an estimated 90 million viewers watching worldwide, King defeated him in three straight sets, delivering a monumental win for women everywhere and forcing a far less progressive public to reconsider the legitimacy of women’s sports.

Most people know the story. Far fewer know the shoe. In 1974, one year after her historic victory, King became the first female athlete to release a signature sneaker with adidas. She had worn the same model against Riggs in a blue suede colorway, with that game-worn pair now preserved in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. More than half a century later, adidas is bringing the silhouette back with a new design rich with thoughtful references to the match that changed sports forever.

The most striking detail appears on the tongue, where a thick leather tag features a blue illustration of King updated to reflect her appearance today. Her signature is stamped in gold along the lateral heel, while the backtabs display the scores from her three-set victory: 6–4, 6–3, and 6–3. The insoles read “Pressure Is a Privilege,” King’s personal motto and the title of her 2008 memoir.

Looking beyond those commemorative touches, the adidas Billie Jean King is distinguished by curved overlays around the toe box. The rest of the design stays rooted in familiar adidas Originals language, pairing serrated Three Stripes with a low-profile retro tennis sole. This 2026 edition wisely allows the storytelling elements to take center stage. The upper arrives almost entirely in off-white suede, complemented by leather on the stripes and heel tabs for a subtle shift in texture.

The adidas Billie Jean King has already begun surfacing at European retailers, suggesting a wider adidas.com release is imminent. Women’s sizes are expected to retail for $110. See official images below and stay tuned for further release details.