Valerie Ziegenfuss

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.

Valerie Ziegenfuss

Ziegenfuss in 1973
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	U.S.
Born	(1949-06-29) 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 Representing  United States Olympic Games 1968 Mexico City Doubles (Exhib.) 1968 Mexico City Doubles (Demo.)

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

Ziegenfuss in 1969

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.	Feb 1972	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA	Hard	Rosie Casals	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.	May 1967	La Jolla, California, USA	Hard	Stephanie Grant	Peaches Bartkowicz Sue Shrader	8–6, 9–7
Runner-up	2.	Oct 1968	Mexico City Olympics (Exhibition), Mexico	Clay	Peaches Bartkowicz	Rosy Darmon Julie Heldman	0–6, 8–10
Winner	3.	1969	Cincinnati, Ohio, USA	Hard	Kerry Harris	Emilie Burrer Pam Richmond	6–3, 9–7
Winner	4.	Mar 1971	Detroit, Michigan, USA	Carpet	Mary-Ann Eisel	Jane Bartkowicz Judy Tegart Dalton	2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Winner	5.	Feb 1972	Washington, D.C., USA	Carpet	Wendy Overton	Judy Tegart Dalton Françoise Dürr	7–5, 6–2
Runner-up	6.	Jun 1972	Hamburg, Germany	Clay	Wendy Overton	Helga Masthoff Heide Orth	6–3, 6–2, 0–6
Runner-up	7.	Jan 1973	San Francisco, California, USA	Hard	Wendy Overton	Margaret Court Lesley Hunt	1–6, 5–7
Winner	8.	Nov 1976	Johannesburg, South Africa	Hard	Laura duPont	Yvonne Vermaak Elizabeth Vlotman	6–1, 6–4
Runner-up	9.	Jan 1977	Washington, D.C., USA	Carpet	Kristien Shaw	Martina Navratilova Betty Stöve	5–7, 2–6
Winner	10.	Nov 1978	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Clay	Françoise Dürr	Laura duPont Regina Maršíková	1–6, 6–4, 6–3

References

1. Bostic, Stephanie, ed. (1979). USTA Player Records 1978. United States Tennis Association (USTA). p. 268.
2. "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.
3. 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.

External links

• Valerie Ziegenfuss at the Women's Tennis Association
• Valerie Ziegenfuss at the International Tennis Federation
• Pressure Point match against Kathy Kuykendall on YouTube