79-Year-Old Tennis Pioneer Becomes the First Woman Athlete to Join Elite Hollywood Actress in the Iconic Walk of Fame at California

American tennis legend Billie Jean King has rubbed shoulders with the tennis greats like Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert during her playing days. And now she stamped her name in history alongside renowned actors such as Chadwick Boseman, Gal Gadot, and Chris Pine, along with musicians like Gwen Stefani, Andre Dr Dre, and De Leppard.

With a vibrant on-court and off-court life, Billie Jean King has 39 grand slam titles to her credit. Also, she has been an LGBTQ+ activist and fought for equal pay in tennis. Recently, she was elated as the Hollywood industry decided to immortalize her name.

Billie Jean King adds a new feather to her illustrious records

After the jury decided to put the name of Billie Jean King on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she expressed her jubilation on Twitter. As the first female athlete to receive the award in sports entertainment category, she expressed her joy in these words: “I’m so thrilled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a native of Southern California, it is a dream come true.”

Further, she added, “I was fortunate to join Holly Hunter when her star was revealed—and now, it is an honor to join her and all the other legends in Hollywood. Such an honor that I am the first woman athlete to receive this distinction.”

Holly Hunter, a Hollywood actress too received the award in 2008. She portrayed Billy Jean King in ‘When Billie beat Bobby’. The movie is based upon Billie Jean king defeating Bobby Riggs in a famed ‘battle of sexes’. But besides being portrayed in Hollywood, Billy Jean King has a long list of achievements to her credit.

A snapshot of the achievements of the legend

The walk of fame selection committee consists of seasoned artists. In the sports category, the former football player and actor Carl Weathers too got his name immortalized. Michael Strahan was the first inductee in the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Sports entertainment category.

Read More: Tennis Legend Billie Jean King Pens Down a Delightful Message to Maria Sharapova on Her 35th Birthday

The tennis legend was awarded with various honors, including the Presidential medal for freedom, the highest civilian honor in the USA in 2009. Also, she was the president of the Woman’s Tennis Association. As someone who has got a tennis center, a tournament named after her, her recent award certainly adds one more feather to her cap.

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