Recognised for her achievements on and off the court: Billie Jean King listed by Forbes as one of United States greatest innovators

Billie Jean King is widely regarded by many as one of the most influential people not just in tennis but in sport with her gender equality efforts paying dividends over the years. All of this has most certainly not gone unnoticed with Forbes recognising her actions by putting her on their greatest living innovators list.

The publication has created this list to mark the 250th birthday of the United States of America. To celebrate, they are shedding light on some of the greatest innovators the country has produced, with King firmly among those ranks.

She is placed at 208th on the list out of 250 candidates. It is a celebration of "the business leaders, founders and entrepreneurs who aren’t just inventors, but have transformed entire industries and created new ones," as Forbes continue their year-long campaign commemorating the milestone birthday.

Her legacy has been etched into tennis forever, with her being recognised as a hugely significant figure. On the court she was the dominant figure of her era. She won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 1966, going on to win 12 Grand Slams between 1966 and 1975.

She would also win 16 doubles Grand Slam titles as well as 11 mixed doubles Grand Slam triumphs. This showcases her class on the court, but it is away from it where she has got a lot of headlines.

King was one of the leading advocates for equal prize money offered to both men and women. In 1973, she created and became the president of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). She continued to lobby for equal prize money, with it paying off at the US Open as it became the first Grand Slam event to offer equal prize money to both men and women.

Her talent on court would once again prove to be necessary after she accepted to compete in the Battle of the Sexes against Bobby Riggs. Earlier in 1973, he defeated Margaret Court in dominant fashion, continuously asking King for a match. She accepted the invitation, and in front of an audience of around 90 million people watching worldwide defeated Riggs in straight sets in a best of five format.

It would prove to be an absolutely huge win in tennis. Women would be offered more respect with their ability now rated a lot higher after the brilliance of King.

She continued to strive for women's rights and continued to be respected and heard throughout the world. She was honoured for all her achievements by being granted entry into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, a coveted club only the best and most highly recognised tennis figures get to be a part of.

"Few stand as tall in the world of women’s sports as Billie Jean King," wrote Forbes on X. "The legendary athlete and advocate leveraged her athletic dominance to build a powerful platform for equality, one that she has continued to scale, shattering barriers in sport and society."