Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale

Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameAustin Smith Championships (1946–68) (combined)
Austin Smith Championships (1969–70) (men)
WLOD Invitational (1969) (women)
WLOD International (1970)
Fort Lauderdale Invitation (1971)
S&H Green Stamp Classic (1972–73)
Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale (1974)
TourILTF Caribbean Circuit (1946–1970)
WTA Tour (1971–74)
Founded1946
Abolished1974
Editions28
LocationFort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
VenueFort Lauderdale Tennis Club
Pompano Beach Tennis Center
SurfaceClay (1971–74)

The Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1946 as a combined men's and women's event called the Austin Smith Championships that was part of the ILTF Circuit.[1] The tournament played at the Fort Lauderdale Tennis Club[2] from 1946 to 1974. It was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the United States and played on outdoor clay courts.

History

The Austin Smith Championships[3] were a combined men's and women's clay court tournament first established in 1946.[1] The event was always played on outdoor clay courts at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. In 1969 the men's tournament continued under its original brand name, whilst the women's event was renamed as the WLOD Invitational.[1] In 1970 the combined event was discontinued as the men's tournament was dropped from the schedule.[1] In 1970 the women's tournament was branded as the WLOD International. In 1971 two versions of the tournament one in January the WLOD Invitational[4] and one in February the Fort Lauderdale Invitation. In 1972 the women's tournament was renamed as the S&H Green Stamp Classic for sponsorship reasons as part of the Virginia Slims Circuit until 1973. In 1974 the last edition the tournament was just branded as the Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale.

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1949[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy United States Gardner Larned 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 9–7
1950[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (2) United States Herbert Behrens[5] 4–6, 6–4, 5–7, 6–0, 6-3
1951[6] United States Sidney Schwartz United States Donald Kaiser[7] 6–2, 6–4, 6–1
1952[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (3) United States Sidney Schwartz 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
1953[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (4) United States Tony Vincent 6–0, 1–6, 6–1, 6–1
1954[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (5) Canada Lorne Main 6–4, 6–3, 6–0
1955[1] United States Eddie Moylan South Africa Johann Kupferburger 6–2, 6–1, 6–4
1956[1] United States Jerry Moss United States Allen Quay 15–13, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1957[1] South Africa Reyno Summers[8] United States Pete Pressinger 4–6, 5–7, 6–2, 6–2, 6–1
1958[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (6) United States John W. Frost 1–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–4
1959[1] United States John Powless Sweden Birger Folke 8–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
1960[1] Australia Don Candy Ecuador Eduardo Zuleta 8–6, 9–7
1961[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy (7) Ecuador Miguel Olvera 8–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1962[1] United States Gardnar Mulloy(8) Brazil Carlos Fernandes 1–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–1
1963[1] United States Ed Rubinoff Brazil Thomaz Koch 4–6, 11–3, 8–6, 7–5, 6–2
1964[1] Ecuador Eduardo Zuleta United States Gardnar Mulloy 5–7, 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1965[1] United States Frank Froehling United States Billy Higgins 6–4, 6–2, 6–1
1966[1] United States Frank Froehling (2) Canada Mike Belkin 6–4, 6–1
1967[1] United States Frank Froehling (3) Chile Jaime Fillol 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1968[1] United States Frank Froehling (4) Ecuador Pancho Guzmán 1–6, 9–11, 6–2 ret.
↓  Open era  ↓
1969[1] South Africa Pat Cramer Chile Jaime Fillol 6–2, 11–9
1970[1] United States Cliff Richey United States Clark Graebner 6–3, 7–5

Women's singles

(incomplete roll):Two editions of the tournament was held in 1971 * in January and ** in February.

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1946 United States Doris Hart United States Virginia Kovacs 6–0, 6–1
1948 Romania Magda Rurac United States Laura Lou Jahn 6–0, 6–2
1949 United States Helen Rihbany United States Virginia Lee Boyer[9] 6-2 6-1
1950 United States Laura Lou Jahn United States Rhoda Hopkins Root 6–8, 6–3, 6–3
1951 United States Laura Lou Jahn (2) United States Nancy Morrison 6–2, 4–6, 7–5
1952 Romania Magda Rurac (2) United States Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen [10] 6–1, 6–3
1953 United States Doris Hart (2) Ecuador Alicia Wright 6–0, 6–2
1954 United States Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen (3) Canada Hanna Kozeluhova Sladek 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1955 United States Karol Fageros United States Marilyn Stock 6–2, 6–2
1956 United States Marilyn Stock United States Lois Miller Osten 6–0, 6–3
1957 Brazil Maria Bueno Mexico Martha Hernández 6–2, 6–1
1958 Brazil Maria Bueno (2) United States Janet Hopps 1–6, 6–4, 6–4
1959 United States Karol Fageros (2) Australia Marie Martin 6–4, 6–3
1960 Canada Ann Barclay United States Margaret Babbitt 6–1, 6–1
1961 Brazil Mary Habicht United States Kay Hubbell 1–6, 6–4, 6–0
1962 Australia Margaret Hellyer United States Stephanie DeFina 6–4, 6–3
1963 United States Stephanie DeFina United States Carol Hanks 6–2, 5–7, 10–8
1964 United States Stephanie DeFina (2) United States Frances Farrar 6–3, 6–0
1965 Netherlands Trudy Groenman Netherlands Ellie Krocke 6–4, 6–3
1966 United States Stephanie DeFina (3) United States Peachy Kellmeyer 5–7, 7–5, 6–2
1967 United States Stephanie DeFina (4) United States Peachy Kellmeyer 6–2, 6–1
1968 Canada Faye Urban United States Alice Tym 6–2, 6–1
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 United States Julie Heldman United Kingdom Virginia Wade 6–1, 6–4
1970 * United States Nancy Richey United States Peaches Bartkowicz 6–3, 6–0
1970 ** United States Chris Evert United States Laurie Fleming 6–2, 6–1
1971[11] France Françoise Dürr United States Billie Jean King 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1972 United States Chris Evert (2) United States Billie Jean King 6–1, 6–0
1973 United States Chris Evert (3) United Kingdom Virginia Wade 6–1, 6–2
1974 United States Chris Evert (4) Australia Kerry Reid Walkover

Women's doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1972 Australia Judy Tegart
France Françoise Dürr
United States Nancy Richey
United Kingdom Virginia Wade
6–3, 6–2
1973 France Gail Sherriff
United Kingdom Virginia Wade
Australia Evonne Goolagong
Australia Janet Young
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1974 France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve
United States Patti Hogan
United States Sharon Walsh
6–3, 6–2

Event names

  • Austin Smith Championships (1946–1968) (Combined men's & women's event)
  • Austin Smith Championships (1969–1970) (men's event)
  • WLOD Invitational (1969–1971) (women's event)
  • Fort Lauderdale Invitation (1971 women's event 2nd meeting)
  • S&H Green Stamp Classic (1972–1973)
  • Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale (1974)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Tournaments:Fort Lauderdale – Austin Smith Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Florida LTA 1957 Senior Tournament Schedule". Florida Lawn Tennis Association Guide for 1957 Year (PDF). New York: USTA. 1957. pp. 8, 9.
  3. ^ USTA
  4. ^ "WTA Tour Results 1970 to 2007" (PDF). New York: Wayback Machine. 29 May 2008. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-29. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Herbert Behrens: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Sid Schwartz Tennis Victor At Lauderdale". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida: newspapers.com. 19 Feb 1951. p. 35. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Donald Kaiser: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Reyno Summers: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Virginia Lee Boyer Past Matches". www.stevegtennis.com. Steve G Tennis. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  10. ^ Morgan, Nancy (24 May 2001). "Laura Lou Kunnen, 68, '50s tennis icon". Tampa Bay Times. Times Publishing Company. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  11. ^ WTA Tour Results 1970 to 2007 p.31.