Peachy Kellmeyer
| Full name | Fern Lee Kellmeyer |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | February 19, 1944 Wheeling, West Virginia |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2011 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | R2 (1964) |
Fern 'Peachy' Kellmeyer (born February 19, 1944, in West Virginia, United States) is a retired tennis player and current tennis administrator who helped change the face of women's tennis. Kellmeyer is an alumnus of Florida Atlantic University.[1]
A junior champion in the 1950s, Kellmeyer played No. 1 on the University of Miami women's tennis team. She was also the first woman to compete on the University of Miami’s Division I men's tennis team.[2]
In 1973, Kellmeyer was tapped by founder Gladys Heldman as the first tour director of the fledgling Virginia Slims Circuit. She continuously pushed to secure additional venues and increased prize money for players. In 1977, she brought the first women's tennis tournament to Madison Square Garden.
She is the tour operations executive consultant for the Women's Tennis Association.
References
[edit]- ^ "ITA - Fern 'Peachy' Kellmeyer". ITA Women's Hall of Fame McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center. Archived from the original on August 31, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
- ^ "Kellmeyer: 'Title IX was what I'm most proud of'". ESPN.com. August 9, 2011.
