"Billie Jean King is one-of-a-kind" - Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Iga Swiatek and many others wish tennis legend on her 80th birthday

Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Iga Swiatek, and several other tennis stars extended their wishes to Billie Jean King on her 80th birthday.

King racked up an extraordinary total of 39 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles throughout her illustrious career. She is not only celebrated for her legacy in the sport but also for her unwavering dedication as an advocate for women's rights both within and beyond the realm of sports.

King was one of the first people who spoke against the unjust pay gap between male and female athletes. In 1973, the former World No. 1 brought together more than 60 women players for a meeting at the Gloucester Hotel in London a week before the Wimbledon Championships, which ultimately led to the birth of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).

Billie Jean King has been a champion for women's rights for years, and she continues to advocate for them to this day.

On the occasion of her 80th birthday, the WTA took to social media to share a video of several women's tennis players, including Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula along with many others extending their wishes to King.

“Billie Jean King - she fought for prize money, for women’s tennis and what she’s done is incredible. She took a stance on something where the odds were against her and you know if you look at everything that we have today, at all pretty much came from someone like her,” Gauff said.

“So it’s really kind of crazy that she is still out there doing it today. She’s doing it for not just tennis but for everyone,” Pegula said.

Billie Jean King's compatriots, Julie Heldman, Valerie Ziegenfuss, and Peaches Bartkowicz, also extended their good wishes to her. They all echoed the sentiment that King excels in every task she undertakes and that she has undeniably placed women's tennis on the world map.

“Billie Jean King is one-of-a-kind,” Heldman said.

“Billie Jean put us on the map. She cares deeply. It’s very rare to find a leader like that,” Ziegenfuss said.

“She’s a natural leader. She’s brilliant and it’s not only just for women and tennis but at everything she does,” Bartkowicz said.

Maria Sakkari, Ons Jabeur, Madison Keys, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Daria Kasatkina, and Andy Murray's mother Judy Murray also wished the tennis legend.

Billie Jean King about Coco Gauff: "When I see her, she's the reason we fought so hard 50 years ago"

Billie Jean King and Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open

After Coco Gauff's remarkable victory at the 2023 US Open, Billie Jean King expressed that the 19-year-old's victory is the very reason she and other female athletes fought for equal pay back in 1973.

King emphasized that Gauff is "a force" because of her background and commitment to social justice.

"Coco winning was just fantastic. When I see her, she's the reason we fought so hard 50 years ago. I think she's such a force because of her background and care for social justice," King said to PEOPLE.

King stated that she wants Coco Gauff to achieve the World No. 1 ranking. She also said that the World No. 3 is not only an exceptional player to watch but also a "great athlete."

"I want her to be happy, number one. She's really exciting to watch and a great athlete," King added.