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Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis with Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton and Ann Jones
Season 3 · Episode 8

Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis with Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton and Ann Jones

TennisWorthy · International Tennis Hall of Fame

April 1, 202551m 30s

Show Notes

In 2021, the International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted the Original 9, pioneers who signed $1 contracts in 1970 to create the first women's tennis tour. Facing challenges, they paved the way for equity in sports.


Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton, and Ann Jones reflect on those early years with Blair Henley, discussing their risks, timing, and behind-the-scenes efforts. Later, Jones tells Chris Bowers how player camaraderie fueled progress on the Virginia Slims tour, uniting women across nationalities to make tennis a viable career.

This episode originally aired in 2024.