Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen

Ginger Helgeson
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Carlsbad, California
Born	September 14, 1968 (age 55); St. Cloud, Minnesota, US
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Turned pro	1987
Retired	1998
Plays	Right-handed (two handed backhand)
Prize money	$724,792
Singles
Career record	183–144 (56.0%)
Career titles	1 WTA
Highest ranking	No. 29 (January 2, 1995)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (1994)
French Open	2R (1992, 1993, 1994)
Wimbledon	3R (1994)
US Open	4R (1994)
Doubles
Career record	98–108 (47.6%)
Career titles	0 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 38 (January 9, 1995)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (1992, 1993, 1997)
French Open	QF (1994)
Wimbledon	QF (1997)
US Open	3R (1994)

Last updated April 28, 2024

Ginger Helgeson (born September 14, 1968) is a former American professional tennis player, who is considered to be perhaps the greatest player ever to come out of Minnesota.^[1] She reached her highest singles ranking on January 2, 1995, when she became the No. 29 in the world. In doubles, she reached No. 38 in the same year, on January 9.

Tennis career

Helgeson-Nielsen was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, before moving to Edina after seventh grade. She was coached by her brother, Brace, throughout juniors and high school.^[1] She attended Edina High School and became a three-time consecutive Minnesota state singles champion,^[2] and was ranked No. 1 by the USTA Northern at all levels.^[3]

Helgeson-Nielsen then received a scholarship to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Whilst there, she was a four-year letter winner and a three-time All American, and holds the all-time best career winning percentage.^[3]

She played professionally from 1987, spending her first few years on the ITF Women's Circuit. Her best season was in 1994, winning her first WTA title in Auckland and reaching the fourth round of the Australian and U.S. Opens. At the latter event, she beat reigning Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez for her biggest career victory.^[4] Her ranking hit the top 30 as a result of her breakthrough season. She reached the final of Auckland again in 1995, but a serious wrist injury at a tournament in Amelia Island put her out for the rest of the 1995 season.^[4] She returned in March 1996, but wasn't able to make it back into the top 100 in singles. She played her last match at the US Open qualifying tournament in 1998, where she reached the second round.

In addition to her win over Martínez, she also recorded victories over Helena Suková, Mary Joe Fernández, Gigi Fernández, Anke Huber, Lori McNeil, Sabine Appelmans, Sabine Hack and Natasha Zvereva.^[4]

In 2009, she was inducted into the USTA Northern Hall of Fame,^[3] having already been inducted into the Pepperdine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.^[5] Helgeson-Nielsen now lives in Alpine, California,^[1] with her two boys. She runs her own professional tennis instruction business.^[1]

WTA career finals

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments
Virginia Slims
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Tier IV & V

Singles: 1 title, 1 runner-up

Result	W/L	Date	Tournament	Category	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1–0	Feb 1994	Auckland, New Zealand	Tier IV	Hard	Inés Gorrochategui	7–6^(7–4), 6–3
Loss	1–1	Feb 1995	Auckland, New Zealand	Tier IV	Hard	Nicole Bradtke	6–3, 2–6, 1–6

Doubles: 2 runner-ups

Result	W/L	Date	Tournament	Category	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	0–1	Aug 1992	Schenectady, U.S.	Tier V	Hard	Shannan McCarthy	Alexia Dechaume Florencia Labat	3–6, 6–1, 2–6
Loss	0–2	Aug 1994	San Diego Open, U.S.	Tier II	Hard	Rachel McQuillan	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	3–6, 3–6

Best Grand Slam results details

	Australian Open
1994 Australian Open
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Veronika Martinek	6–3, 6–2
2R	Kristie Boogert	6–2, 6–0
3R	Anke Huber (7)	3–6, 7–6^(12–10), 6–4
4R	Kimiko Date (10)	5–7, 1–6

	French Open
1992 French Open
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Sophie Amiach	6–4, 5–7, 6–4
2R	Nathalie Tauziat (12)	6–3, 1–6, 3–6

1993 French Open
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Silke Meier	6–1, 4–6, 6–2
2R	Conchita Martínez (4)	5–7, 2–6

1994 French Open
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Elna Reinach	4–6, 6–4, 6–3
2R	Conchita Martínez (3)	2–6, 3–6

	Wimbledon Championships
1994 Wimbledon
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Veronika Martinek	6–3, 6–2
2R	Claire Wegink (LL)	6–4, 6–0
3R	Amanda Coetzer (14)	0–6, 3–6

	US Open
1994 US Open
Round	Opponent	Score
1R	Karin Kschwendt	6–2, 6–1
2R	Åsa Carlsson	6–1, 6–1
3R	Conchita Martínez (3)	3–6, 6–4, 6–1
4R	Gigi Fernández	3–6, 4–6

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References

1 2 3 4 "Six Inducted In USTA Northern Hall of Fame".
↑ "MSHSL Records".
1 2 3 "Helgeson Named to 2009 USTA Northern Hall of Fame".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
1 2 3 Wolf, Bob (July 13, 1995). "This Ginger Is Ailing After Big 1994 Season". The Los Angeles Times.
↑ "Pepperdine Announces New Hall of Fame Class".^{[ permanent dead link ]}

External links

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Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[Helgeson_Induction_2-1] 1 2 3 4 "Six Inducted In USTA Northern Hall of Fame".

[2] "MSHSL Records".

[Helgeson_Induction-3] 1 2 3 "Helgeson Named to 2009 USTA Northern Hall of Fame".^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[Helgeson_Info_2-4] 1 2 3 Wolf, Bob (July 13, 1995). "This Ginger Is Ailing After Big 1994 Season". The Los Angeles Times.

[Helgeson_Induction_3-5] "Pepperdine Announces New Hall of Fame Class".^{[ permanent dead link ]}

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