Helen Kelesi
Major Accomplishments
Ranked as high as No. 13 on the WTA Tour on November 20, 1989.
Achieved a WTA Tour career-high doubles ranking of No. 26 on April 22, 1991.
Member of the Canadian Fed Cup team from 1986-1990, 1992-1994.
Ranked No. 2 in Canada in 1993.
Member of the 1988 Canadian Olympic tennis team.
Reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 1989.
Biography
Helen Kelesi received the nickname “Hurricane Helen” for her fiery, intense on-court demeanor that earned her the 1993 USTA Austin singles title and the SunLife Nationals singles title from 1986-1989.
In 1988, Kelesi was a member of the first Olympic tennis team for Canada.
Kelesi was a very accomplished tennis player for more than 25 years. She made her debut on the WTA Tour at the age of 15 years and seven months. She posted a WTA Tour singles win-loss record of 263-182. She competed very well at all four Grand Slams as she advanced to the quarter-finals of the French Open in 1988 and 1989, the third round of the Australian Open in 1990, third round at Wimbledon in 1993 and the third round at the US Open in 1986 and 1987.
Kelesi had wins over South African, Amanda Coetzer at the 1990 US Open and competed against top players, Jennifer Capriati, Steffi Graf, Mary Joe Fernandez and Monica Seles. Her total WTA Tour career prize money earned was over $900,000. In Fed Cup play she posted a win-loss singles record of 15-10 and 11-5 in doubles action.
Kelesi earned several awards for her on-court performance. She was named Tennis Canada Player of the Year from 1986 to 1987 and again in 1989. She was the Tennis Canada Most Improved Player in 1985 and Tennis Canada Doubles Team of the Year in 1987 with Jill Hetherington and in 1992 with Rene Simpson.
She retired from the WTA Tour in 1995.