Julie Heldman shouts out Naomi Osaka in Original 9 video

It's not the June that tennis fans were expecting, but the gap in the season calendar, if nothing else, provides an opportunity to look back at decades past and gain a greater appreciation of where tennis has been and where it's going.

So here's a trip through tennis history with Julie Heldman, decorated champion and one of the Original 9 WTA players.

In a video for the tour, Heldman gave a series of insights about her relationship to the game.

Her dream opponent from any generation:

"She was brilliant, and she hit the backhand volley and did a pirouette," Heldman said of Suzanne Lenglen.

Her idol growing up:

Heldman's father, Julius: "He was a lefty, he had a lot of spin and he was kind," she said.

Her favorite tournament:

The Italian Open, "which is wild and crazy and sunny"

Also in the interview, she called her 1969 Rome title the highlight of her career.

Her on-court strength:

A big forehand and bigger effort.

And her favorite current player to watch:

Naomi Osaka (and Agnieszka Radwanska during ​her career).

Forbes credits marketing related to the Tokyo Olympics with helping Osaka earn $37.4 million in the past year, the most in history by a female athlete.

Heldman, in addition to being a pioneer for the WTA, won three medals at the 1968 Mexico City Games, back when tennis was a "demonstration sport," two decades before it would return to the Olympics as an official event.