St. Petersburg Masters Invitational

The St. Petersburg Masters Invitational[1] was an ILTF Circuit affiliated combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1953 as the Masters Invitational in St Augustine, Florida.[2] In 1954 that event moved to Jacksonville, Florida until 1959. In 1960 the event moved to St Petersburg. It remained at the former location until 1971. After the men's event St Petersburg Masters Invitational was discontinued in 1971 the women's event continued as the Virginia Slims Masters St Petersburg. In 1974 the men's tournament was revived as St. Petersburg WCT until 1975 when it was abolished. the women's tournament continued under various brand names and at various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was discontinued in 1990.

St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameMasters Invitational (1953–65)
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational (1966–71)
TourILTF Circuit (1953–1971)
Founded1953; 71 years ago (1953)
Abolished1971; 53 years ago (1971)
LocationTampa Bay Area, Florida, U.S.
SurfaceClay (1953–1971)

History

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In 1953 Masters Invitational tournament was established at the St Augustine Tennis Club, St Augustine, Florida and played on outdoor clay courts. In 1954 the Masters event was moved to Jacksonville, Florida through till 1959. In 1959 it changed location to St Petersburg, Florida,[3] where it remained under that brand name until 1965. In 1966 the tournaments name was changed to the St Petersburg Masters Invitational until 1970 when the women's event became known as the Virginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg, the men's tournament continued under the same name until 1971 when it was discontinued. The tournament was part Florida–Caribbean Circuit which was a major feature of the international tennis scene in from the 1950s to early 1970s.

The women's event continued under brand name VS Masters of St Petersburg until 1973 when it was rebranded as the St Petersburg Masters Invitational in 1974 a new sponsor was found and the event became known as the Barnett Bank Masters until 1974 when it was discontinued. In 1977 the tournament was revived as the Florida Federal Open until 1985, and in 1986 becoming the Eckerd Open until it was abolished. The tournament was played on outdoor clay courts from 1953 to 1974 and from 1987 to 1990. It was played on outdoor hard courts from 1977 to 1986.

The holding of men's tournaments in the Tampa Bay Area were not as consistent as the women's event in 1974 the former St Petersburg Masters Invitational was revived and rebranded as the St. Petersburg WCT from 1974 to 1975 before that was discontinued. In 1981 a Tampa Open men's tournament held in Tampa, Florida through till 1983.

Finals

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Men's singles

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Results included:[4][5]

Masters Invitational
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1953[6]   Art Larsen   Gardnar Mulloy 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1954   Art Larsen (2)   Kurt Nielsen 6–2, 6–1, 6–3
1955   Art Larsen (3)   Herb Flam 7–5, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1956   Vic Seixas   Art Larsen 6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1957   Vic Seixas (2)   Mervyn Rose 7–5, 6–1, 7–9, 9–7
1958   Luis Ayala   Mervyn Rose 6–3, 1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1959   Mario Llamas   Francisco Contreras 6–3, 6–4
1960   Neale Fraser   Roy Emerson 6–4, 6–0, 9–7
1961   Roy Emerson   Luis Ayala 6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1962   Roy Emerson (2)   Rod Laver 6–2, 6–4, 6–1
1963   Manuel Santana   Roy Emerson 6–4, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–3
1964   Roy Emerson (3)   Frank Froehling 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1965   Ramanathan Krishnan   Mike Belkin 4–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
St Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966   Niki Pilić   Cliff Richey 9–7, 7–5, 8–6
1967   Allen Fox   Niki Pilić 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Open era
1968[7]   Mike Belkin   Jaime Fillol 2–6, 6–0, 7–5, 6–4
1969[8]   Željko Franulović   Jaime Fillol 6–4, 6–3
1970[9]   Jan Kodeš   Joaquín Loyo-Mayoo 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1971[10]   Mike Belkin (2)   Harald Elschenbroich 7–5, 7–6, 6–1
For continuation of the men's event see St. Petersburg WCT

Women's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Masters Invitational
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1953   Doris Hart   Shirley Fry 6–3, 6–3
1959   Christiane Mercelis   Marie Toomey Martin 6–3, 6–4
1960   Ann Haydon   Donna Floyd 6–1, 6–3
1961   Suzy Körmöczy   Ann Haydon 6–2, 6–0
1962   Maria Bueno   Darlene Hard 6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1963   Maria Bueno (2)   Lesley Turner 6–2, 11–9
1964   Nancy Richey   Judy Alvarez 6–3, 6–4
1965   Nancy Richey (2)   Margaret Smith 6–3, 6–2
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966   Nancy Richey (3)   Betty Stöve 6–2, 6–2
1967   Ann Haydon-Jones (2)   Jan Lehane O'Neill 6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968[11]   Nancy Richey (4)   Lesley Turner Bowrey 7–5, 6–0
1969   Kerry Melville   Lesley Turner Bowrey 6–4, 6–3
1970   Nancy Richey (5)   Judy Alvarez 6–0, 6–2
For continuation of the women's event see Virginia Slims Masters St Petersburg

Locations

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Played from 1953 to 1990 in various locations in the Tampa Bay Area, Florida in the United States. St Augustine, Florida from 1953 to 1954, then Jacksonville, Florida from 1955 to 1959, then it was held in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1960 to 1975

Event names

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  • 1953–1965 Masters Invitational
  • 1966–1971 St Petersburg Masters Invitational
  • 1975–1976 St. Petersburg WCT

Tournament records

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tennis". St Louis Sporting News. St. Louis, Missouri: Newspaper Archives. April 27, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Sports in Brief by the Associated Press". Biloxi Daily. Biloxi, Mississippi: Newspaper Archives. March 10, 1953. p. 13. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "Tournament: St Petersburg – Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Tournament – Masters Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Tournament – St. Petersburg Masters Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  6. ^ Sports in Brief by the Associated Press. Biloxi Daily. Biloxi, Mississippi: Newspaper Archives. March 10, 1953. p. 13.
  7. ^ ATP Tour
  8. ^ ATP Tour
  9. ^ ATP Tour
  10. ^ ATP Tour
  11. ^ Tennis, St Louis Sporting News. St. Louis, Missouri: Newspaper Archives. April 27, 1968. p. 8.