Billie Jean King's trailblazing role in tennis is being recognised with the rebranding of the Fed Cup in her name, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday. The announcement ties in with the 50th anniversary of King and eight other players, known as the "original nine", breaking away from the tennis establishment to form their own circuit and leading to the foundation of the WTA.

"A champion on the court and a pioneer off it, Billie Jean King is a global campaigner for equality who has dedicated her life to fighting discrimination in all its forms," the ITF said in a statement. "The values she represents epitomise the ethos of a tournament that has evolved to become the largest annual international team competition in women's sport, with 116 nations entered in 2020. "