51 min listen
Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton & Ann Jones: Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis
FromTennisWorthy
Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton & Ann Jones: Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis
FromTennisWorthy
ratings:
Length:
52 minutes
Released:
Mar 30, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
In 2021, the International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted its first group of contributors simultaneously: the Original 9. Together in 1970, these nine women broke from the established tennis landscape to sign $1 contracts with promoter Gladys Heldman, creating the first women's tennis tour. The early years of professional women's tennis were challenging, defiant and ultimately, hugely successful in creating equity and a platform for women in sports.Two members of the Original 9, Rosie Casals and Judy Tegart Dalton, along with fellow Hall of Famer Ann Jones, discuss those early years. With Blair Henley, Casals and Dalton share why they risked their careers to break the status quo and why timing in the 1970s was key to gaining momentum. They share memories of playing with and against each other, and the lesser-known hard work behind the scenes of growing women's tennis.Later in the episode, Jones tells Chris Bowers how the camaraderie between the women's players fueled progress in the early years of the Virginia Slims tour. Jones shares how solidarity between the players, regardless of nationality, helped foster a key sense of purpose in making tennis a sustainable career.
Released:
Mar 30, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (27)
Episode 1: Lleyton Hewitt: Welcome to the TennisWorthy podcast presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, diving deep into the mindset of champions and uncovering the unique, special characteristics that define tennis legends and Hall of Famers on and off the court. The inaugural episode features Class of 2021 inductee and Australian great Lleyton Hewitt. Esteemed tennis journalist Chris Bowers and Lleyton discuss the unrelenting drive, intensity, and ‘never say die’ attitude that he credits for his immense success on and off the court. From Lleyton’s early beginnings as an athlete (in a different sport than tennis), to his mentality on the biggest stages and the Aussie traditions he holds dear, learn about the qualities and values that helped build his Hall of Fame career. Lleyton Hewitt is a Wimbledon champion, US Open champion and two-time Davis Cup champion. Known for his competitiveness, he is the youngest player to ascend to the ATP Tour’s world No. 1 ranking, which he by TennisWorthy