Valerie Ziegenfuss
| Country (sports) |
 |
|---|---|
| Residence | U.S. |
| Born |
June 29, 1949 San Diego, California |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [1] |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 25–44 |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| French Open | 4R (1972) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1970, 1973, 1975, 1976) |
| US Open | 3R (1969, 1975) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 1R (1968-d, 1968-e) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 45–42 |
| Career titles | 6 |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| French Open | 3R (1971) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1969, 1971) |
| US Open | SF (1969. 1971) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 10–9 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
| French Open | QF (1976) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1970, 1971) |
| US Open | 2R (1972) |
| Other mixed doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | QF (1968-d) |
Medal record
| |
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Valerie Bradshaw (née Ziegenfuss; June 29, 1949) is an American former female professional tennis player. She started off as an amateur player at the beginning of the 1970s before turning professional.
She is most famous for being one of the so-called "Original 9" along with eight of her fellow players, who rebelled against the United States Tennis Association in 1970.[2] Their actions brought about the creation of a new tennis tour, the Virginia Slims Circuit, which was the basis for the WTA Tour.[3]
During her career she reached the fourth round at the French Open (in 1972) and the US Open on two occasions (1969 and 1975). She reached one singles final the Virginia Slims of Oklahoma in 1972. She had far more success in doubles tournament, with twelve doubles final appearances, including six tournament victories.
She won a bronze medal in doubles in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City partnering with Jane Bartkowicz.
Career review
"Original 9"
In 1970 the top women tennis players started to become frustrated at the lack of equality within tennis in terms of prize money on offer for male and female players.[3] The publisher Gladys Heldman (founder of "World Tennis" magazine) offered up $5,000 of her own money which would allow the players to negotiate their own contracts. Ziegenfuss and the other players, including Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals, signed $1 contracts in the summer of 1970 and formed their own tour, the Virginia Slims Circuit.
WTA Tour finals
Singles 1
| Legend | |
| Grand Slam | 0 |
| WTA Championships | 0 |
| Tier I | 0 |
| Tier II | 0 |
| Tier III | 0 |
| Tier IV & V | 0 |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | February 15, 1972 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA | Hard | |
4–6, 1–6 |
Doubles 10 (6-4)
| Legend | |
| Grand Slam | 0 |
| WTA Championships | 0 |
| Tier I | 0 |
| Tier II | 0 |
| Tier III | 0 |
| Tier IV & V | 0 |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 27 May 1967 | La Jolla, California, USA | Hard | |
|
8–6, 9–7 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 26 October 1968 | Mexico City Olympics (Exhibition), Mexico | Clay | |
 |
0–6, 8–10 |
| Winner | 3. | 1969 | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | Hard |  |
|
6–3, 9–7 |
| Winner | 4. | 18 March 1971 | Detroit, Michigan, USA | Carpet | |
|
2–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Winner | 5. | 20 February 1972 | Washington, D.C., USA | Carpet | |
|
7–5, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 5 June 1972 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | |
 |
6–3, 6–2, 0–6 |
| Runner-up | 7. | 15 January 1973 | San Francisco, California, USA | Hard | |
|
1–6, 5-7 |
| Winner | 8. | 22 November 1976 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | |
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6–1, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 9. | 9 January 1977 | Washington, D.C., USA | Carpet | |
  |
5–7, 2–6 |
| Winner | 10. | 5 November 1978 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | |
|
1–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
References
- ↑ Bostic, Stephanie, ed. (1979). USTA Player Records 1978. United States Tennis Association (USTA). p. 268.
- ↑ "The Tour Story – One of the greatest stories in sport". Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
- 1 2 Araton, Harvey (29 August 2000). "Following in the path of a pioneer". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
Notes
- ^ The "Original 9" also featured Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Peaches Bartkowickz, Nancy Richey, Kerry Melville, Judy Dalton, Julie Heldman and Kristy Pigeon.
- ^ The Virginia Slims Circuit was the name of the modern day circuit WTA circuit before the formation of the Women's Tennis Association in 1973. It became the WTA Tour in 1988.