50th anniversary

The Original 9 in pictures

Meet the nine women (seven Americans and two Australians) who championed equality for women in professional tennis and joined forces with Gladys Heldman to launch the Virginia Slims Circuit.

01 /09
After a successful junior career, Jane ‘Peaches’ Bartkowicz became a US Open quarterfinalist and won the Canadian Open in 1968.

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02 /09
A two-time US Open finalist, Rosie Casals won the groundbreaking Virginia Slims Invitational at Houston in 1970, as well as 10 majors across women’s and mixed doubles.

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03 /09
Singles finalist at Wimbledon in 1968, Australia’s Judy Tegart Dalton was runner-up to Casals at Houston, and won nine Grand Slam doubles titles.

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04 /09
Julie Heldman, daughter of pioneering tennis promoter Gladys, won the Italian Open in 1969 and reached three Grand Slam singles semifinals.

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05 /09
Billie Jean King won 12 Grand Slam singles titles among 39 overall, and spent time as World No.1 in both singles and doubles.

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06 /09
Kerry Melville Reid reached the final of the US Open and the first Virginia Slims Championships in 1972, and won her home Slam, the Australian Open, in 1977.

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07 /09
The youngest member of the Original 9, Kristy Pigeon won the Wimbledon and US Open juniors as well as the Welsh Open in the adult ranks.

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08 /09
Nancy Richey won the Australian Open in 1967 and Roland Garros in 1968, as well as four doubles majors.

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09 /09
Valerie Ziegenfuss reached the round of 16 at three Slams and excelled when playing for her country.

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