Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA), founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
The Women's Tennis Association was founded in the month of June 1973, but can trace its origins back to Houston, Texas with the inaugural Virginia Slims tournament, arranged by Gladys Heldman, and held on 23 September 1970. Rosie Casals won this first event. The WTA's corporate headquarters is in St. Petersburg, Florida. The European headquarters is in London, and the Asia-Pacific headquarters is in Beijing.
Read more about Women's Tennis Association: History, Growth Milestones, Management, Tournament Categories, Players’ Council, Ranking Method, WTA Rankings, Global Advisory Council Members
Famous quotes containing the words women, tennis and/or association:
“That myththat image of the madonna-motherhas disabled us from knowing that, just as men are more than fathers, women are more than mothers. It has kept us from hearing their voices when they try to tell us their aspirations . . . kept us from believing that they share with men the desire for achievement, mastery, competencethe desire to do something for themselves.”
—Lillian Breslow Rubin (20th century)
“[My one tennis book] was very, very old. It had a picture of Bill Tilden. I looked at the picture and that was how I learned to hold the racket.”
—Maria Bueno (b. 1939)
“It is not merely the likeness which is precious ... but the association and the sense of nearness involved in the thing ... the fact of the very shadow of the person lying there fixed forever! It is the very sanctification of portraits I thinkand it is not at all monstrous in me to say ... that I would rather have such a memorial of one I dearly loved, than the noblest Artists work ever produced.”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning (18061861)