Thunderbird Classic (tennis)

The Thunderbird Classic was a Virginia Slims Circuit affiliated tennis tournament founded in 1952,[1] as a combined men's and women's tournament called the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational.[2] Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation it continued as a joint event until 1970 when it was branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open the men's event was discontinued that year.

Thunderbird Classic
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameVirginia Slims Thunderbird Classic (1971–72)
Virginia Slims of Phoenix (1973–74)
Thunderbird Classic (1975–80)
TourILTF World Circuit (1952–71)
Virginia Slims Circuit(1972–80)
Founded1952
Abolished1980
LocationPhoenix, United States
VenuePhoenix Country Club
SurfaceHard / indoor (1952–65)
Hard / outdoor (1966–70)

In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic and ran annually under a number of name changes until 1980 when it too was discontinued.

History edit

The tournament was founded in 1952,[3] 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 tournament title. In 1969 the tournament went open under the brand name the Thunderbird Invitational.[4] In 1970 the tournament was re branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open,[5] 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 it's scheduling was moved to October that year, however the women's event carried on with the new dates.

Finals edit

Singles edit

 
Billie Jean King seen here in 1978, won the last of her 5 Phoenix titles in 1977.
Year Winners Runners-up Score
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational
1953   Anita Kanter   Dorothy Bundy Cheney 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1954   Beverly Baker Fleitz   Helen Pastall Perez 6–4, 7–5
1955   Beverly Baker Fleitz (2)   Pat Canning Todd 6–1, 6–1
1956   Beverly Baker Fleitz (3)   Mary Ann Mitchell 6–1, 6–1
1957   Louise Brough   Pat Canning Todd 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
1958   Beverly Baker Fleitz (4)   Louise Brough 6–2, 3–6, 10–8
1959   Vicky Palmer   Barbara Green 3–6, 6–1, 7–5
1960   Karen Hantze   Vicki Palmer 7–5, 9–7
1961   Nancy Richey   Darlene Hard 6–3, 6–4
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation
1962   Nancy Richey (3)   Karen Hantze Susman 6–3, 7–5
1963   Nancy Richey (3)   Vicki Palmer 8–6, 8–6
1964   Jane Albert   Mimi Arnold 6–3, 7–5
1965   Justina Bricka   Jane Albert 6–2, 6–4
1966   Billie Jean Moffitt King   Mary-Ann Eisel 6–3, 6–2
1967   Nancy Richey (4)   Carol Aucamp 6–1, 6–4
1968   Patti Hogan   Tory Ann Fretz 6–2, 6–4
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969[6]   Nancy Richey (5)   Patti Hogan 6–2, 6–0.
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
1970   Vicki Berner   Stephanie Tolleson 6–3, 6–2
Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic
1971   Billie Jean King (2)   Rosie Casals 7–5, 6–1
1972   Billie Jean King (3)   Margaret Smith Court 7–6(7–3), 6–3
Virginia Slims of Phoenix
1973   Billie Jean King (4)   Nancy Richey Gunter 6–1, 6–3
1974   Virginia Wade   Helen Gourlay 6–1, 6–2
Thunderbird Classic
1975   Nancy Richey Gunter (6)   Virginia Wade 4–6, 7–5, 6–4
1976   Chris Evert   Dianne Fromholtz 6–1, 7–5
1977   Billie Jean King (5)   Wendy Turnbull 1–6, 6–1, 6–0
1978   Martina Navratilova   Tracy Austin 6–4, 6–2
1979   Martina Navratilova (2)   Chris Evert 6–1, 6–3
1980   Regina Maršíková   Wendy Turnbull 7–6(10–8), 7–6(7–3)

Doubles edit

 
Betty Stove seen here in 1973, won 5 Phoenix doubles titles.
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1971   Rosie Casals
  Billie Jean King
  Françoise Dürr
  Judy Tegart Dalton
6–3, 6–2
1972   Rosie Casals (2)
  Wendy Overton
  Françoise Dürr
  Betty Stöve
6–4, 6–3
1973   Kerry Harris
  Kerry Melville
  Rosie Casals
  Billie Jean King
6–4, 6–4
1974   Françoise Dürr
  Betty Stöve
  Mona Schallau
  Pam Teeguarden
6–3, 5–7, 6–3
1975   Françoise Dürr (2)
  Betty Stöve (2)
  Rosie Casals
  Martina Navratilova
6–7, 6–4, 6–0
1976   Billie Jean King (2)
  Betty Stöve (3)
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
6–2, 6–1
1977   Billie Jean King (3)
  Martina Navratilova
  Helen Gourlay Cawley
  JoAnne Russell
6–1, 7–5
1978   Tracy Austin
  Betty Stöve (4)
  Martina Navratilova
  Anne Smith
6–4, 6–7, 6–2
1979   Betty Stöve (5)
  Wendy Turnbull
  Rosie Casals
  Chris Evert
6–4, 7–6
1980   Pam Shriver
  Paula Smith
  Ann Kiyomura
  Candy Reynolds
6–0, 6–4

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "USLTA Tournaments: Arizona". American Lawn Tennis. New York City: Rea Publications. 1952. p. 20.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ World of Tennis 1971
  6. ^ "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.

External links edit