Valerie Ziegenfuss


Valerie Bradshaw 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. Their actions brought about the creation of a new tennis tour, the Virginia Slims Circuit, which was the basis for the WTA Tour.
During her career she reached the fourth round at the French Open and the US Open on two occasions. 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. The publisher Gladys Heldman 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

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Runner-up1.Feb 1972Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USAHard Rosie Casals4–6, 1–6

Doubles 10 (6–4)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1.May 1967La Jolla, California, USAHard Stephanie Grant Peaches Bartkowicz
Sue Shrader
8–6, 9–7
Runner-up2.Oct 1968Mexico City Olympics, MexicoClay Peaches Bartkowicz Rosy Darmon
Julie Heldman
0–6, 8–10
Winner3.1969Cincinnati, Ohio, USAHard Kerry Harris Emilie Burrer
Pam Richmond
6–3, 9–7
Winner4.Mar 1971Detroit, Michigan, USACarpet Mary-Ann Eisel Jane Bartkowicz
Judy Tegart Dalton
2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Winner5.Feb 1972Washington, D.C., USACarpet Wendy Overton Judy Tegart Dalton
Françoise Dürr
7–5, 6–2
Runner-up6.Jun 1972Hamburg, GermanyClay Wendy Overton Helga Masthoff
Heide Orth
6–3, 6–2, 0–6
Runner-up7.Jan 1973San Francisco, California, USAHard Wendy Overton Margaret Court
Lesley Hunt
1–6, 5–7
Winner8.Nov 1976Johannesburg, South AfricaHard Laura duPont Yvonne Vermaak
Elizabeth Vlotman
6–1, 6–4
Runner-up9.Jan 1977Washington, D.C., USACarpet Kristien Shaw Martina Navratilova
Betty Stöve
5–7, 2–6
Winner10.Nov 1978Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClay Françoise Dürr Laura duPont
Regina Maršíková
1–6, 6–4, 6–3