Gladys Heldman | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 13, 1922 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 2003 (aged 81) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Known for | Founder of World Tennis magazine |
| Spouse | Julius Heldman |
| Children | 2, including Julie |
| Father | George Z. Medalie |
Gladys Medalie Heldman (May 13, 1922 – June 22, 2003) 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 (the precursor of today's WTA Tour). She is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.