The birth of the Virginia Slims Circuit was one of the most important moments in the history of women's sports—and it all began in Texas.

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In 1970, professional opportunities for women tennis players were limited. Prize money lagged far behind that of men, and no organized women's professional tour existed. Determined to challenge the status quo, nine pioneering players risked their careers and livelihoods to create a new path forward. Billie Jean King, Rosemary Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton, Nancy Richey, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Julie Heldman, and Kerry Melville Reid became known as the Original 9.

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To launch their tour, the players signed symbolic one-dollar contracts with Gladys Heldman, publisher of World Tennis magazine. Heldman persuaded Philip Morris to sponsor the venture through its Virginia Slims brand, providing the financial backing needed to stage the first events.

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The inaugural Virginia Slims tournament was held at the Houston Racquet Club in September 1970, marking the birth of the modern women's professional tennis tour. The United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) responded by suspending the players from eligibility in USLTA-sanctioned events, but the women remained committed to their cause.

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What began as a bold experiment quickly gained momentum. By 1971, the Virginia Slims Circuit had expanded to 19 tournaments in 19 cities, featuring 40 players competing for more than $300,000 in prize money. Texas remained at the center of the movement. Nancy Jeffett (Texas Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 1983) owned the Virginia Slims of Dallas tournament, a prominent stop on the circuit, while Hugh Sweeney (Texas Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2012) owned and helped build the success of the Virginia Slims of Houston. With the exception of 1972, Houston hosted a Virginia Slims event every year until the tour concluded in 1995.

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The success of the Virginia Slims Circuit transformed women's tennis. The USLTA eventually merged its women's events under the Virginia Slims banner, helping pave the way for the formation and growth of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Just three years after the Original 9 took their stand, the 1973 U.S. Open became the first Grand Slam tournament to offer equal prize money to men and women.

Today, the legacy of the Original 9 lives on through the WTA Tour, where women compete on a global stage for equal prize money and professional opportunities once thought impossible. Their courage reshaped not only tennis, but the future of women's sports around the world.