FROM CENTRE COURT TO CENTRE STAGE

On Sunday 27 June 2027, the day before the Championships begin at Wimbledon, two of tennis’s greatest champions swap centre court for centre stage, serving up a unique matinee event quite unlike any other: Billie Jean King & John McEnroe – Champions in Sport. Champions in Life.

Billie Jean King, the sports icon and equality champion who captured a record 20 Wimbledon championships, and John McEnroe the man with the most combined singles and doubles titles on the ATP Tour,  and the voice of tennis,  didn’t just win at the top of tennis – they changed the sport. This matinee ‘in conversation’ event will see King and McEnroe — two of the most significant athletes of the 20th century — share unfiltered stories from the biggest moments of their lives,  from McEnroe’s unforgettable Wimbledon finals to King’s iconic “Battle of the Sexes” win over Bobby Riggs.

At a time when success is so often measured by winning alone, King and McEnroe offer a different perspective – exploring what it means to overcome adversity, handle pressure, learn from failure, break barriers, and keep moving forward when the odds are stacked against you.

Both are among the most honest and visible figures the sport has ever produced – players whose personalities and convictions carried them far beyond the tennis court. King, who founded the Women’s Tennis Association, became a fearless campaigner for equality on and off the court, while McEnroe built a reputation as the game’s most compelling and controversial on-court showman and legendary broadcaster. Between them, they redefined what it meant to be an athlete in the public eye, turning personality into as much a part of their legacy as their trophies.

With 56 Grand Slam titles between them, this is a rare opportunity to hear two Hall of Fame legends reflect on the lessons of a lifetime spent competing at the very top.

2027 marks a landmark year for tennis: 150 years since the first Wimbledon Championships, 50 years since McEnroe’s own Wimbledon debut, and 54 years since King was the last athlete to win the Triple Crown at Wimbledon (winning the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles in 1973).  Staged the day before the Championships throw open the gates at SW19, the show is the perfect curtain-raiser to the historic fortnight.

The show also forms part of The O2’s 20th anniversary season – a summer-long programme marking two decades since the venue first opened its doors. Billie Jean King & John McEnroe will be the only spoken-word event in the celebrations.

Tickets:

O2 Priority, LTA & AELTC Pre-Sale: 10.00am, Tuesday 22 September 2026

General On Sale: 10.00am, Friday 25 September 2026
via fane.co.uk/king-mcenroe