Biography Helen Kelesi (born November 15, 1969 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian former professional tennis player. She achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 13 on November 20, 1989 and a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 26 on April 22, 1991. She was a regular fixture in the top 25 from 1986 to 1991. She won singles titles in two tour events, the 1986 Japan Open and the 1988 Citta de Taranto, and at the French Open, she was a quarterfinalist in 1988 (losing to Gabriela Sabatini) and 1989 (losing to Mary Joe Fernández). During her time on the WTA Tour, Kelesi recorded wins over Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Conchita Martínez, Jana Novotná, Manuela Maleeva, Helena Suková and Pam Shriver. She was Tennis Canada singles player of the year four times (1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990). She was inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002.
Kelesi's professional career came to an end in 1995 when a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball was discovered following months of headaches, dizziness and vision problems. Numerous operations followed over the years, Kelesi successfully recovered and began coaching young children in Canada in the late 1990s. She also became a part-time tennis journalist and commentator.
Significant finals WTA Tier I finals Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Result
Year
Tournament
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Win
1990
Rome
Clay
Monica Seles (YUG)
Laura Garrone (ITA)
6–3, 6–4
Loss
1990
Montréal Hard
Raffaella Reggi (ITA)
Betsy Nagelsen (USA)
6–3, 2–6, 2–6
WTA career finals Singles: 9 (2 titles, 7 runners-up)
Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
WTA Tier I (0–0)
WTA Tier II (0–0)
Virginia Slims / WTA Tier III, IV & V (2–7)
Titles by surface
Hard (1–3)
Clay (1–4)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result
W–L
Date
Tournament
Tier
Surface
Opponent
Score
Loss
0–1
Aug 1985
VS of Central New York, United States
Virginia Slims
Hard
Barbara Potter (USA)
6–4, 3–6, 2–6
Win
1–1
Oct 1986
Japan Open, Japan
Virginia Slims
Hard
Bettina Fulco (ARG)
6–2, 6–2
Win
2–1
May 1988
Ilva Trophy, Italy
Tier V
Clay
Laura Garrone (ITA)
6–1, 6–0
Loss
2–2
May 1988
Italian Open, Italy
Tier IV
Clay
Gabriela Sabatini (ARG)
1–6, 7–6(7–4) , 1–6
Loss
2–3
Aug 1988
Cincinnati Open, United States
Tier III
Hard
Barbara Potter (USA)
2–6, 2–6
Loss
2–4
Apr 1989
Spanish Open, Spain
Tier V
Clay
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP)
2–6, 7–5, 1–6
Loss
2–5
Nov 1989
VS of Nashville, United States
Tier V
Hard (i)
Leila Meskhi (URS)
2–6, 3–6
Loss
2–6
May 1990
Geneva European Open, Switzerland
Tier IV
Clay
Barbara Paulus (AUT)
6–2, 5–7, 6–7(3–7)
Loss
2–7
May 1991
Geneva European Open, Switzerland
Tier IV
Clay
Manuela Maleeva (SUI)
3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Doubles: 5 (2 titles, 3 runners-up)
Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
WTA Tier I (1–1)
WTA Tier II (0–0)
Virginia Slims / WTA Tier III, IV & V (1–2)
Titles by surface
Hard (1–2)
Clay (1–1)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result
W–L
Date
Tournament
Tier
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Loss
0–1
May 1988
Ilva Trophy, Italy
Tier V
Clay
Laura Garrone (ITA)
Andrea Betzner (FRG)
1–6, 2–6
Loss
0–2
Aug 1988
Cincinnati Open, United States
Tier III
Hard
Lindsay Bartlett (USA)
Beth Herr (USA)
6–4, 6–7(9–11) , 1–6
Win
1–2
May 1990
Italian Open, Italy
Tier I
Clay
Monica Seles (YUG)
Laura Garrone (ITA)
6–3, 6–4
Loss
1–3
Aug 1990
Canadian Open , Canada
Tier I
Hard
Raffaella Reggi (ITA)
Betsy Nagelsen (USA)
6–3, 2–6, 2–6
Win
2–3
Oct 1990
VS of Arizona, United States
Tier IV
Hard
Elise Burgin (USA)
Sandy Collins (USA)
6–4, 6–2
ITF Circuit finals Singles: 3 (3 titles)
Legend
$100,000 tournaments (0–0)
$75,000 tournaments (0–0)
$50,000 tournaments (0–0)
$25,000 tournaments (2–0)
$10,000 tournaments (1–0)
Result
W–L
Date
Tournament
Tier
Surface
Opponent
Score
Win
1–0
Jan 1991
Midland, United States
25,000
Hard (i)
Meredith McGrath (USA)
6–2, 6–2
Win
2–0
Jan 1992
Midland, United States (2)
25,000
Hard (i)
Claire Wegink (NED)
7–6(7–2) , 7–6(10–8)
Win
3–0
Jan 1993
Austin, United States
10,000
Hard
Elly Hakami (USA)
6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Doubles: 2 (2 runners-up)
Legend
$100,000 tournaments (0–0)
$75,000 tournaments (0–0)
$50,000 tournaments (0–0)
$25,000 tournaments (0–2)
$10,000 tournaments (0–0)
Result
W–L
Date
Tournament
Tier
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Loss
0–1
Jan 1991
Midland, United States
25,000
Hard (i)
Katrina Adams (USA)
Meredith McGrath (USA)
5–7, 5–7
Loss
0–2
Jan 1992
Midland, United States
25,000
Hard (i)
Caroline Vis (NED)
Manon Bollegraf (NED)
3–6, 1–6
Singles performance timeline
Tournament
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
SR
W–L
Win %
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open
A
NH
2R
A
A
3R
A
1R
A
2R
0 / 4
4–4
50%
French Open
1R
1R
4R
QF
QF
2R
3R
A
1R
1R
0 / 9
14–9
61%
Wimbledon
1R
2R
1R
1R
1R
1R
1R
A
3R
1R
0 / 9
3–9
25%
US Open
1R
3R
3R
2R
1R
2R
2R
1R
1R
1R
0 / 10
7–10
41%
Win–Loss
0–3
3–3
6–4
5–3
4–3
4–4
3–3
0–2
2–3
1–4
0 / 32
28–32
47%
Doubles performance timeline
Tournament
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
SR
W–L
Win %
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open
1R
A
A
A
A
2R
0 / 2
1–2
33%
French Open
1R
2R
QF
A
1R
A
0 / 4
4–4
50%
Wimbledon
2R
2R
1R
1R
1R
A
0 / 5
2–5
29%
US Open
1R
1R
A
2R
2R
A
0 / 4
2–4
33%
Win–Loss
1–4
2–3
3–2
1–2
1–3
1–1
0 / 15
9–15
38%
Mixed doubles performance timeline
Tournament
1986
1987
1988
SR
W–L
Win %
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open
NH
A
A
0 / 0
0–0
–
French Open
A
A
2R
0 / 1
1–1
50%
Wimbledon
2R
2R
1R
0 / 3
2–3
40%
US Open
A
A
A
0 / 0
0–0
–
Win–Loss
1–1
1–1
1–2
0 / 4
3–4
43%
Wins over top-10 opponents Kelesi has a 10–46 (18%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.
Wins over top-10 opponents per season
Season
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
Total
Wins
0
1
3
3
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
10
No.
Opponent
Rank
Event
Surface
Round
Score
Kelesi
1986
1.
Hana Mandlíková (TCH)
3
Washington, D.C., United States
Carpet (i)
2R
6–3, 6–1
46
1987
2.
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (FRG)
9
Amelia Island, United States
Clay
2R
6–3, 6–4
37
3.
Helena Suková (TCH)
6
Fed Cup, Vancouver, Canada
Hard
RR
4–6, 6–1, 6–2
36
4.
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (FRG)
9
Toronto , Canada
Hard
3R
6–2, 6–3
32
1988
5.
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (FRG)
9
Hilton Head, United States
Clay
3R
6–4, 7–5
35
6.
Manuela Maleeva (BUL)
6
French Open, Paris, France
Clay
3R
6–4, 6–2
25
7.
Manuela Maleeva (BUL)
6
Cincinnati, United States
Hard
SF
6–0, 6–3
23
1991
8.
Jana Novotná (TCH)
8
Chicago, United States
Carpet (i)
2R
2–6, 7–6, 7–6
24
9.
Conchita Martínez (ESP)
8
Geneva, Switzerland
Clay
SF
6–4, 6–7, 6–2
24
1992
10.
Conchita Martínez (ESP)
8
Fed Cup, Frankfurt, Germany
Clay
RR
7–6(7–4) , 6–2
136