Virginia Slims of Houston

The Virginia Slims of Houston is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated tennis tournament played from 1970 to 1995. It was held in Houston, Texas in the United States and played on indoor carpet courts from 1970 to 1984 and on outdoor clay courts from 1985 to 1995.

Virginia Slims of Houston
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameVirginia Slims of Houston (1970–78, 1983–94)
Avon Championships of Houston (1979–82)
Gallery Furniture Championships (1995)
TourWTA Tour (1970–95)
Founded1970
Abolished1995
SurfaceCarpet (1970–84)
Clay (1985–95)

The event has the distinction of being the first-ever tournament on the professional women's circuit, which would eventually become the WTA Tour. In 1971, the event served as the series Championships of the inaugural Virginia Slims Tour.

Martina Navratilova was the most successful player at the tournament, winning the singles and doubles competitions six times each, partnering Dutchwomen Betty Stöve and Manon Bollegraf and Americans Janet Newberry, Pam Shriver, Elise Burgin and Kathy Jordan once each for her doubles successes.

Finals

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Singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970   Rosemary Casals   Judy Dalton 5–7, 6–1, 7–5
1971   Billie Jean King   Kerry Melville 6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1972 Not Held
1973   Françoise Dürr   Rosemary Casals 6–4, 1–6, 6–4
1974   Chris Evert   Virginia Wade 6–3, 5–7, 6–1
1975   Chris Evert   Margaret Court 6–3, 6–2
1976   Martina Navratilova   Chris Evert 6–3, 6–4
1977   Martina Navratilova   Sue Barker 7–6(5–3), 7–5
1978   Martina Navratilova   Billie Jean King 1–6, 6–2, 6–2
1979   Martina Navratilova   Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–2
1980   Billie Jean King   Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–3
1981   Hana Mandlíková   Bettina Bunge 6–4, 6–4
1982   Bettina Bunge   Pam Shriver 6–2, 3–6, 6–2
1983   Martina Navratilova   Sylvia Hanika 6–3, 7–6
1984   Hana Mandlíková   Manuela Maleeva 6–4, 6–2
1985   Martina Navratilova   Elise Burgin 6–4, 6–1
1986   Chris Evert-Lloyd   Kathy Rinaldi 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1987   Chris Evert   Martina Navratilova 3–6, 6–1, 7–6
1988   Chris Evert   Martina Navratilova 6–0, 6–4
1989   Monica Seles   Chris Evert 3–6, 6–1, 6–4
1990   Katerina Maleeva   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–1, 1–6, 6–4
1991   Monica Seles   Mary Joe Fernández 6–4, 6–3
1992   Monica Seles   Zina Garrison 6–1, 6–1
1993   Conchita Martínez   Sabine Hack 6–3, 6–2
1994   Sabine Hack   Mary Pierce 7–5, 6–4
1995   Steffi Graf   Åsa Carlsson 6–1, 6–1

Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970 Not Held
1971   Rosemary Casals
  Billie Jean King
  Judy Dalton
  Françoise Dürr
6–3, 1–6, 6–4
1972 Not Held
1973   Mona Schallau
  Pam Teeguarden
  Françoise Dürr
  Betty Stöve
6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1974   Janet Newberry
  Wendy Overton
  Sue Stap
  Virginia Wade
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
1975   Françoise Dürr
  Betty Stöve
  Evonne Goolagong
  Virginia Wade
2–6, 6–3, 7–6
1976   Françoise Dürr
  Rosemary Casals
  Chris Evert
  Martina Navratilova
6–0, 7–5
1977   Martina Navratilova
  Betty Stöve
  Sue Barker
  Ann Kiyomura
4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1978   Billie Jean King
  Martina Navratilova
  Greer Stevens
  Mona Guerrant
7–6(5–4), 4–6, 7–6(5–4)
1979   Martina Navratilova
  Janet Newberry
  Pam Shriver
  Betty Stöve
4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1980   Billie Jean King
  Ilana Kloss
  Betty Stöve
  Wendy Turnbull
3–6, 6–1, 6–4
1981   Sue Barker
  Ann Kiyomura
  Regina Maršíková
  Mary Lou Piatek
5–7, 6–4, 6–3
1982   Kathy Jordan
  Pam Shriver
  Sue Barker
  Sharon Walsh
7–6, 6–2
1983   Martina Navratilova
  Pam Shriver
  Jo Durie
  Barbara Potter
6–4, 6–3
1984   Mima Jaušovec
  Anne White
  Barbara Potter
  Sharon Walsh
6–4, 3–6, 7–6
1985   Elise Burgin
  Martina Navratilova
  Manuela Maleeva
  Helena Suková
6–1, 3–6, 6–3
1986   Chris Evert-Lloyd
  Wendy Turnbull
  Elise Burgin
  JoAnne Russell
6–2, 6–4
1987   Kathy Jordan
  Martina Navratilova
  Zina Garrison
  Lori McNeil
6–2, 6–4
1988   Katrina Adams
  Zina Garrison
  Lori McNeil
  Martina Navratilova
6–7, 6–2, 6–4
1989   Katrina Adams
  Zina Garrison
  Gigi Fernández
  Lori McNeil
6–3, 6–4
1990 Not Completed
1991   Jill Hetherington
  Kathy Rinaldi
  Patty Fendick
  Mary Joe Fernández
6–1, 2–6, 6–1
1992   Patty Fendick
  Gigi Fernández
  Jill Hetherington
  Kathy Rinaldi
7–5, 6–4
1993   Katrina Adams
  Manon Bollegraf
  Eugenia Maniokova
  Radka Zrubáková
6–3, 5–7, 7–6(9–7)
1994   Manon Bollegraf
  Martina Navratilova
  Katrina Adams
  Zina Garrison
6–4, 6–2
1995   Nicole Arendt
  Manon Bollegraf
  Wiltrud Probst
  Rene Simpson
6–4, 6–2

References

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