WTA Legends Connect

Dear WTA Alumnae,

Fifty years ago, the formation of the WTA embodied a revolutionary dream led by our iconic founder Billie Jean King, and other courageous visionaries who believed there was a place for women in professional tennis – and that a united front was key.

Since those early days of uncertainty and challenges, the WTA has become the global leader in women’s professional sports – propelled to success by the incredible on-court champions and off-court activists who bravely kicked down doors to advance equality and empowerment while creating opportunities for themselves and future generations of women athletes.

On August 25, the WTA hosted its 50th Anniversary Gala at Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. It was a memorable evening for the WTA Family, and we were thrilled that so many – including 13 founding members –  could join us to celebrate this important milestone. Led by emcee Chris McKendry, the night was filled with music sung by Broadway stars and nostalgic walks down memory lane. Click here to read more and check out our video highlights below.

WTA 50th Anniversary Tournament Celebrations

Earlier in the summer, season-long celebrations continued at the Hamburg European Open and Prague Open. Special appearances to celebrate the 50th Anniversary were made in Hamburg by Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sanchez, Barbara Schett, Helga Masthoff, Eva Pfaff, Isabel Cueto, Anna-Lena Herzgerodt (Groenefeld) and Andrea Petkovic. In Prague, we celebrated with Denisa Allertova, Radka Bobkova, Ivona Brzakova, Iva Budarova, Andrea Holikova, Lucie Hradecka, Klara Koukalova, Leona Laskova, Lenka Nemeckova, Helena Sukova, Katerina Vankova (with her daughter) and Olga Votavova.

Update on Leslie Allen’s daughter

The loving and caring global tennis community rallied around former Top 20 player Leslie Allen and her ailing daughter Rachel at the 1995 US Open. A bone marrow drive was held in the ladies' locker room and 91 WTA, ATP and USTA staff, players, lines people, umpires, and others affiliated with the tournament came by to have their blood drawn to be tested. It was a remarkable gesture of kindness and hope from the tennis family, and best of all, it turned out to be a lifesaving day! Check this incredible video here.

Hologic Mobile Mammography Screening Unit in NYC

The WTA’s lead global sponsor and official health partner, Hologic, provided a mobile mammography screening unit outside the WTA’s US Open hotel for WTA Legends to do their annual mammography screening. It was great to see 1979 Australian Open champion Barbara Jordan participating. Hologic’s Global Women’s Health Index has illustrated that more than 2 billion women worldwide in 2021 did not complete any preventative cancer screenings, including breast cancer. Early detection and treatment are crucial to fighting this disease.

Remembering Jack Jones

The WTA was saddened to learn that Jack Jones passed away on September 2 at the age of 97. Jack was a tremendous fan of the female athletes who competed not just in his tournament, the Family Circle Cup, but around the world. Apart from being an innovative marketer and promoter, Jack was a deeply compassionate man who advocated for the equal rights of women in society.

Rosie Casals, who won the first Family Circle Cup at Hilton Head in 1973, commented: “I loved Jack Jones and his business partner John Moreno... they were pioneers of women's tennis and knew how to sell our product. They envisioned more than the women expected and taught us to think big. The $30,000 I won at Hilton Head was a big deal at the time and we've come a long way since then. Because of them daring to put us on national network TV (NBC) and offering the largest purse in women's sports, we succeeded in paving the way for equality. The two 'Js' were ahead of their times."

Please see Jack's obituary/appreciation here and you can read more about his legacy in this article: Jack Jones, who helped bolster women's tennis, dies at 97 - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

The goal of the WTA Legends & Friends Program is to celebrate our incredible WTA history and promote the legacy of those who built the sport, while connecting with current generations of players. Through increased communication, we’ll inspire today’s players and serve as a valuable resource and partner to the global tennis community.

A key focus of the program is to engage with more former players at tournaments. We would like to grow the WTA’s bond with you, so please let us know your thoughts and how you wish to be involved by emailing Sarka Vitkova at svitkova@wtatennis.com.

To provide feedback or editorial submissions for the new WTA Legend e-newsletter, email svitkova@wtatennis.com.

Let us know what you think!

Women's Tennis Association , 100 Second Avenue South, Suite 300N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, United States

© Copyright WTA Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
WTA and WTA logos are trademarks of WTA Tour, Inc. All other marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. No portion of this email may be reproduced - electronically, mechanically or by any other means - without the written permission of WTA Tour, Inc.

You are receiving this email because you have signed up to receive updates from WTA.
If you would prefer not to receive updates, unsubscribe or update your preferences.