Courtesy: X
Billie Jean King, the American tennis legend, who is also an advocate for social causes, has received a star on the highly famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. The 81-year-old has become the first woman to get honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the newly created sports entertainment category, and previously, it was given to celebrities belonging to television, radio, music, theatre, and cinema.
As per the report from BBC Sport, Billie Jean King is the recipient of the 2,807th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which came into being in the 1960 at the Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. During her illustrious tennis career, she won a combined 39 Grand Slams in singles and doubles category, to get regarded as one of the greatest tennis players to lace up a pair of boots.
The important thing is, I don't want to be the last one: Billie Jean King
After being immortalised on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Billie Jean King was quoted as saying, as per BBC Sport, “The important thing is, I don't want to be the last one. My family loved music and movies. My mother would have loved this.” Moreover, after performing at the highest level in tennis for so many years, Billie Jean King founded the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in June 1973, which helped bring women’s tennis to the mainstream imagination.
Apart from receiving the Hollywood Walk of Fame star, Billie Jean King had the Fed Cup renamed after her in the year 2020, which is one of many accomplishments in her life. In a post on her official X account, she acknowledged the honour bestowed upon her, and said, “Today, I became the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Sports Entertainment category. Words cannot express how honored and grateful l am to receive this star.”
“I may be the first woman to be awarded a star in this category, but l'm certainly not going to be the last. Let's keep going for it!,” she concluded.
