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Representing the  United States
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1969 Israel | Women's Singles |
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1969 Israel | Women's Doubles |
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1969 Israel | Mixed Doubles |
Julie Heldman (born December 8, 1945) was an American tennis player who won 22 professional tennis titles and helped pioneer the women's pro circuit.
Heldman rose to her highest world ranking (# 5) in 1969, when she was also was ranked # 2 in the U.S.
Tennis career
The daughter of junior champion Julius Heldman (the U.S. junior champion in 1936; a leading amateur player in the 1930s and 1940s) and World Tennis founder & publisher Gladys Heldman (who played at Wimbledon), she was born in Berkeley, California and began playing tennis when she was 8.
She won her first national title (the Canadian 18 and under singles) at age 12, in 1958. It was the first of her three Canadian Junior Championships, and she became the first 12 year-old ever to capture a national crown.
Heldman went on to win the U.S. Girls Junior Singles Title in 1960 (in the 15s) and 1963 (in the 18s).
Heldman was Cincinnati Singles Champion in 1962.
While a student at Stanford University in 1964 she reached the national collegiate singles and doubles finals. She received her BA from Stanford in 1966, and went on to earn her J.D. from UCLA Law School in 1981, where she was a Law Review editor and was Law School Graduate of the Year, as well as UCLA Graduate Woman of the Year.
Heldman was Canadian Singles Champion in 1965.
In 1969 she won the Italian Open Singles Championship, beating Kerry Melville in the final.
In 1970, she was part of history as a member of the "Houston Nine" who left the USTA to play in the Virginia Slims Circuit tournament in Houston. Supported by her mother, the tour was so successful that it eventually merged with the USTA and became the current WTA. The first all-woman's tour, the Virginia Slims circuit eventually earned women the right to receive equal pay with men in competitions.
She reached the semifinals in three Grand Slam events: the 1970 French Open, the 1974 Australian Open, and the 1974 U.S. Open.
She was U.S. Clay Court Doubles Champion in 1974. She was also Canadian Doubles Championin 1974.
Federation Cup
Heldman played on two championship Federation Cup teams for the US, in 1966 and 1969, as well as in 1970, and 1974-75. She was Team Captain in 1975, and was 21-9 overall.
Olympics
She won three medals in the 1968 Olympic Gold, Silver, and Bronze in Mexico City where it was a demonstration sport.
Maccabiah Games
In 1969, Heldman, who is Jewish, won the Maccabiah Games Singles in Israel — plus the Maccabiah Doubles with Marilyn Aschner and Mixed Doubles with Ed Rubinoff.
Other career highlights
- Ranked in the USTA Top 10, 1963-65, 1968-69, 1971-75
- Ranked in the World Top 10, 1969-70, 1973-74
- Virginia Slims Professional Tour, 1971-75
- U.S. Wightman Cup Team Member, 1969-71, 1974; Most Valuable Player, 1969; Team Captain, 1974-75
- U.S. Bonne Bell Cup Team Member, 1973-1974; Most Valuable Player, Team Captain, 1974
- Winner of USTA Service Bowl 1975
Halls of Fame
Heldman was inducted into the:
- Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame, 1978
- National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, 1989
- ITA Women's Hall of Fame, 1998
- International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, 2001
- USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame, 2006
Miscellaneous
- Her sister Carrie Heldman was also an excellent junior player.
- After ending her playing career she worked as a television color commentator and journalist, with CBS, NBC, PBS, and HBO at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, 1973-78. She at the same time authored articles for various publications, including her mother’s magazine, World Tennis.
- Covering the Avis Challenge Cup Tournament for NBC in 1976, she became the first woman to provide commentary on a men’s tennis event.
- Married Bernie Weiss in 1981, and had daughter Amy in 1987.
- In 1985 Heldman became President & Co-Chairman of Signature Eyewear.
- Heldman retired in 2000.