Staff Reporter.
Billie Jean King, 81, became the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the new sports entertainment category on Monday.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame was previously reserved for stars of cinema, television, radio, theatre and music.
“The important thing is, I don’t want to be the last one,” said King.
“My family loved music and movies. My mother would have loved this.”
Her star is the 2,807th to be installed on the Walk of Fame, which began in 1960 and runs along along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Los Angeles.
King one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, winning 39 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles competitions.
She is also an advocate for gender equality and social justice, winning the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match against Bobby Riggs in 1973.
The American is also the founder of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).In 2020 the Fed Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup in honour of the former world number one.