Phoenix Thunderbird Open (tennis)

The Phoenix Thunderbird Open[1] was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1952 as Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational.[2] Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational it continued as a joint event until 1970 when the men's event was discontinued.[3] In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic that event continued until 1980.

Phoenix Thunderbird Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit (1952–69)
ILTF Grand Prix Circuit (1970)
Founded1952
Abolished1970
Editions18
LocationPhoenix, United States
VenuePhoenix Country Club
SurfaceHard / indoor (1952–65)
Hard / outdoor (1966–70)

The tournament was part of the ILTF North America Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1952 to 1969. In 1970 it became ILTF Grand Prix Circuit for that year only.

History

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The tournament was founded in 1952,[4] as the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships a joint men's and women's tennis tournament played at the Phoenix Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona, United States. In 1953 the word 'championships' was dropped from the tournaments title becoming the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational. In 1969 the tournament went open under the brand name the Thunderbird Invitational.[5] In 1970 the tournament was re branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open,[6] and was the final year as a combined event when the men's tournament was discontinued. In 1971 women's event became part of the Virginia Slims Circuit and was known as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic, that event carried on till 1980 when it was last known as the Thunderbird Classic before it too was abolished. The tournament was originally played on indoor hard courts from 1953 to 1965, then outdoor hard courts from 1966 to 1970. The event was originally played at the end February annually, then moved to mid to late March. It was only in 1970 that its scheduling was moved to October that year, however the women's event carried on with the new dates.

The current successor tennis event for men played at the same venue is the Arizona Tennis Classic.[7]

Finals

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Stan Smith in 2009, won 3 T.Bird singles titles.

Singles

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Included:[8]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
Phoenix Thunderbird Championships
1952   Tony Trabert   Bob Perry 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational
1953   Tony Trabert   Bob Perry 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
1954   Arthur Larsen   Tom Brown 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1955   Arthur Larsen (2)   Herbert Flam 6–4, 6–1
1956   Tom Brown   Gardnar Mulloy 6–4, 8–6
1957   Alex Olmedo   Noel Brown 6–3, 6–2
1958   Gilbert Shea   Myron Franks 7–5, 11–9
1959   Hugh Stewart   Tom Brown 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1960   Tom Brown (2)   Whitney Reed 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1961   Whitney Reed   Jon Douglas 6–4, 6–3
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation
1962   Tut Bartzen   Allen Fox 6–4,6–4
1963   Charlie Pasarell   Allen Fox 2–6, 6–3, 6–2
1964   Charlie Pasarell (2)   Dennis Ralston 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1965   Chuck McKinley   Arthur Ashe 8–10, 6–4, 10–8
1966   Arthur Ashe   Jim Osborne 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1967   Stan Smith   Allen Fox 7–5, 6–3
1968   Stan Smith (2)   Bob Lutz 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969 [9]   Cliff Richey   Manuel Santana 6–4, 6–4
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
1970   Stan Smith (3)   Jim Osborne 6–3, 6–7, 6–1

Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970   Dick Crealy
  Ray Ruffels
  Jan Kodeš
  Charlie Pasarell
7–6, 6–3

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). "US Tournaments". World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
  2. ^ "USLTA Tournaments: Arizona". American Lawn Tennis. New York City: Rea Publications. 1952. p. 20.
  3. ^ Archives, Tennis (2017). "Thunderbird Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  4. ^ "T-Bird Tennis Titles Taken by Richey's". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 24 Mar 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Spanish ace heads T-Bird tennis tourney". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 16 Mar 1969. p. 75. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  6. ^ World of Tennis 1971
  7. ^ "Phoenix: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. ^ Archives, Tennis (2017). "Thunderbird Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  9. ^ The Arizona Republic (1969)

Sources

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