Billie Jean King & wife Ilana all smiles as they celebrate American legend's historic star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Billie Jean King has been honored with a star on Hollywood's celebrated Walk of Fame. King, who is arguably the greatest-ever women's tennis player, has graced the sport for over fifty years as a player, coach, broadcaster, and ambassador. King won an astonishing 39 Grand Slam titles between 1961 and 1980.

Previously, the Walk of Fame was reserved for stars of stage and screen, but in 2023, a new Sports Entertainment category was added. King became the third recipient of a star in the new section, following former pro football player Michael Strahan and Rocky's Carl Weathers.

King shared an image on her Instagram account in which she is seated above her star, accompanied by her wife and long-term partner Ilana Kloss. The tennis icon was delighted by her new accolade, and captioned the picture:

"Today, I became the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Sports Entertainment category"

Billie Jean King IG Post | Source: Billie Jean King Instagram/@billiejeanking

Aside from her tennis career, King has dabbled in the entertainment industry. She has an executive producer credit for PBS’s Groundbreakers and has acted in several TV shows, including The Odd Couple and Law & Order.

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Billie Jean King's Walk of Fame star recognizes her unmatched achievements on and off the court

1980 Wimbledon - Source: Getty

Billie Jean King's 39 Majors included 12 Major singles wins, with 27 other titles in doubles and mixed doubles. She also won seven Federation Cups as a key member of the US team and nine Wightman Cups. Only Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams have bettered her six Wimbledon titles.

King's wife, Ilana Kloss, was a player during King's heyday and wrote on the WTA's website about the Billie-Jean effect on her sport, as reported by PEOPLE magazine:

“We'd all fight to ballgirl for her — especially at the net where we'd get more work. It's the first memory I have of seeing a female athlete live — we didn't have TV and any tennis that wasn't local we would have listened to on the radio — and she brought this amazing energy, focus, and sense of the theatre to the court."

Now 81, King remains an influential voice in tennis and the wider public domain. A fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, she remains an icon of the sport and is still seen regularly at tournaments around the world.