Valerie Ziegenfuss

Valerie Ziegenfuss
	Ziegenfuss in 1973
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	U.S.
Born	June 29, 1949 (age 75); San Diego, California
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
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

Valerie Jean Bradshaw (née Ziegenfuss; June 29, 1949) is an American former female professional tennis player. She started as an amateur player at the beginning of the 1970s, then turned professional.

She is most famous for being one of the Original 9 with eight of her fellow players,^[1] who rebelled against the United States Tennis Association in 1970.^[2] Their actions brought about the creation of 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 at the Virginia Slims of Oklahoma in 1972. After winning two rounds of qualifying, she defeated 5th seeded Helen Gourlay, No. 2 seed Francoise Durr, and Judy Dalton (seeded 6th) and then lost to Rosie Casals.^[4]

She had far more success in doubles tournaments, with 12 doubles final appearances, including six victories.

She won a bronze medal in doubles in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City 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 $5,000 of her own money, which enabled 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 the Virginia Slims Circuit.^[2]

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

Result	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	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

Result	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1.	May 1967	La Jolla, California, U.S.	Hard	Stephanie Grant	Peaches Bartkowicz Sue Shrader	8–6, 9–7
Loss	2.	Oct 1968	Mexico City Olympics (Exhibition), Mexico	Clay	Peaches Bartkowicz	Rosy Darmon Julie Heldman	0–6, 8–10
Win	3.	1969	Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.	Hard	Kerry Harris	Emilie Burrer Pam Richmond	6–3, 9–7
Win	4.	Mar 1971	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.	Carpet	Mary-Ann Eisel	Peaches Bartkowicz Judy Tegart Dalton	2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win	5.	Feb 1972	Washington, D.C., U.S.	Carpet	Wendy Overton	Judy Tegart Dalton Françoise Dürr	7–5, 6–2
Loss	6.	Jun 1972	Hamburg, Germany	Clay	Wendy Overton	Helga Masthoff Heide Orth	6–3, 6–2, 0–6
Loss	7.	Jan 1973	San Francisco, California, U.S.	Hard	Wendy Overton	Margaret Court Lesley Hunt	1–6, 5–7
Win	8.	Nov 1976	Johannesburg, South Africa	Hard	Laura duPont	Yvonne Vermaak Elizabeth Vlotman	6–1, 6–4
Loss	9.	Jan 1977	Washington, D.C., U.S.	Carpet	Kristien Shaw	Martina Navratilova Betty Stöve	5–7, 2–6
Win	10.	Nov 1978	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Clay	Françoise Dürr	Laura duPont Regina Maršíková	1–6, 6–4, 6–3