Gladys Medalie Heldman was an American tennis player, manager and magazine publisher. She was the founder of World Tennis magazine. As a manager, she supported and represented Billie Jean King and eight other female tennis players: Rosie Casals, Judy Dalton, Julie Heldman, Kerry Melville, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, and Valerie Ziegenfuss. They were called the Houston Nine and formed the Virginia Slims Tour in the early 1970s. She is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
The ATP Birmingham, also known as the Birmingham International Indoor Championships, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, from 1973 until 1980. The tournament was a part of the USLTA Indoor Circuit from 1973 through 1975, of the World Championship Tennis series in 1977 and of the Grand Prix circuit from 1978 until the last edition in 1980. Jimmy Connors won the singles title six times out of the eight times the tournament was held.
The Grand Prix Cleveland was a men's tennis tournament played in Cleveland, Ohio in the United States. The event was part of the World Championship Tennis in 1972 and 1973. The 1976 edition was part of the USLTA-IPA Indoor Circuit. It was part of the Grand Prix circuit from 1978 through 1982 and in 1984 and 1985. It was played on outdoor hard courts. It was titled the Cleveland Tennis Classic in 1972 and 1973, the National Tennis Foundation Open in 1976 International Open in 1978; the Gray International in 1979; the Western Open in 1980 and 1981; the Fazio's Tennis Classic/95th Western Tennis Championships in 1982; the Society Bank Western Open Tennis Championships in 1984; and the Society Bank Tennis Classic in 1985. It was a Challenger-level tournament in 1983.
The Hampton Grand Prix is a defunct men's tennis tournament played from 1970 to 1977. The first edition was held at the Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia in the United States and subsequent editions were held at the Hampton Coliseum. All editions were played on indoor carpet courts.
The Tennis South Invitational, also known as the Mississippi Indoors, was a men's tennis tournament played at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi in the United States from 1973 until 1977. The event was played as part of the USLTA Indoor Circuit from 1973 through 1975 and became a World Championship Tennis event in 1976. In its final year, 1977, it was an independent event, i.e. not part of a tennis tour or circuit. The tournament was played on indoor carpet courts. Ken Rosewall was the only multiple singles champion, winning the title in 1975 and 1976.
The Virginia Slims Circuit was a tennis tour consisting of a group of originally nine female professional players. Formed in 1970, the Virginia Slims Circuit eventually became the basis for the later WTA Tour. The players, dubbed the Original 9, rebelled against the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) because of the wide inequality between the amount of prize money paid to male tennis players and to female tennis players.
The Carolinas International Tennis Tournament, also known by its sponsored name North Carolina National Bank Tennis Classic, was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1965. Also known as the Carolinas Invitational it was played at the Julian J. Clark Tennis Stadium on the grounds of the Olde Providence Racquet Club in Charlotte, North Carolina from 1965 through 1977. The inaugural edition was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit while the following editions were part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit. The event was held on outdoor hard courts in 1971, and on outdoor clay courts in 1970 and from 1972 through 1977.
The Roanoke International Tennis Tournament was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia in the United States. The event was part of the USLTA Indoor Circuit and was held from 1972 until 1975. Jimmy Connors won three of the four editions.
The 1975 Commercial Union Assurance Grand Prix was a professional tennis circuit administered by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) which served as a forerunner to the current Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour. The circuit consisted of the four modern Grand Slam tournaments and open tournaments recognised by the ILTF. The Commercial Union Assurance Masters, Davis Cup Final and Nations Cup are included in this calendar but did not count towards the Grand Prix.
The 1972 Commercial Union Assurance Grand Prix was a professional tennis circuit held that year and organized by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF). It consisted of 33 Grand Prix tournaments in different categories including three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and was followed by a season-ending Masters tournament. The circuit ran from February through November.
The 1974 World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1974, the other being the Grand Prix circuit. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). It was the fourth edition of the WCT circuit and a total of 84 players participated. All players took part in the opening U.S. Pro Indoor tournament in Philadelphia and afterwards were divided into three groups of 28 players, with each group playing eight further tournaments.
The 1975 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1975. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). The 1975 circuit divided the players in three groups, Red, Blue and Green who played 24 tournaments in 12 countries. The first tournament, U.S. Professional Indoor Championships, was a combined event as was the season's final which was played in Dallas by the eight best performers and was won by American Arthur Ashe who defeated Björn Borg from Sweden in four sets.
The 1972 USLTA Indoor Circuit was a professional tennis circuit held in the United States that year. It consisted of 14 tournaments and was organized by Bill Riordan and sanctioned by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA).
The 1973 USLTA Indoor Circuit was a professional tennis circuit held in the United States from January until March that year. It consisted of 13 tournaments and was organized by Bill Riordan and sanctioned by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA).
Grover Eugene "Raz" Reid is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He was born Grover Reid Junior, but is known as Raz Reid, a nickname he has had since he was a young.
The 1974 USLTA Indoor Circuit , also known by its sponsored name Schick Tennis Classic, was a professional tennis circuit held in the United States from January until April that year. It consisted of 13 tournaments and was organized by Bill Riordan and sanctioned by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA). The circuit offered total prize money of over $400,000 including a bonus pool of $100,000 available for the top eight players who participated in at least six tournaments.
The 1975 Baltimore International was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the Towson State College in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. The event was part of the 1975 USLTA-IPA Indoor Circuit. It was the fourth edition of the tournament and was held from January 13 through January 19, 1975. Third-seeded Brian Gottfried won the singles title.
The 1975 Birmingham International was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the Birmingham Municipal Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, in the United States that was part of the 1975 USLTA Indoor Circuit. It was the third edition of the event and was held from January 20 through January 26, 1975. Top-seeded Jimmy Connors won his second consecutive singles title at the event and earned $5,000 first-prize money.
The 1975 Roanoke International, also known as the Roanoke Invitational Tennis Tournament, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia, in the United States that was part of the 1975 USLTA-IPA Indoor Circuit. It was the fourth and last edition of the event and was held from January 29 through February 2, 1975. Unseeded Roger Taylor won the singles title.
The 1975 Dayton Pro Tennis Classic, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, in the United States that was part of the 1975 USLTA Indoor Circuit. It was the second edition of the event and was held from January 28 through February 2, 1975. First-seeded Brian Gottfried won the singles title and earned $8,000 first-prize money.
Jimmy Connors (5)
