The 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the 11th season since the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced on January 3, 1983, and concluded on March 4, 1984, after 64 events.
The Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the elite tour for professional women's tennis organised by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). It was the first unified global women's circuit in the Open Era and featured tournaments that had previously been part of the Toyota Series and the Avon Series. The circuit consisted of 48 tournaments in nine countries, including the four Grand Slam tournaments, and culminated in the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships played in February 1984. ITF tournaments were not part of the tour, although they awarded points for the WTA World Ranking.
Martina Navratilova was the most successful player in both singles and doubles across the season. She won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in singles, with Chris Evert-Lloyd winning the French Open. In doubles, Navratilova again won all the Grand Slams apart from the French Open, which was collected by Rosalyn Fairbank and Candy Reynolds; Pam Shriver was her partner in all the Grand Slam events. Navratilova won a total of 29 titles in the course of the year and only suffered one defeat in singles, against Kathy Horvath at the French Open. This led to her beginning and ending the year as the WTA number 1. Shriver was her closest challenger with 16 titles, including 14 in doubles events. Players from the United States won 74 of the 125 titles awarded in singles, doubles and mixed doubles; players from Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands and Switzerland each won a solitary title.
Tour changes Avon, who had been the sponsors of the January to March U.S. winter circuit of the WTA Tour since 1978, announced in 1982 that they would be trimming back their sponsorship of the tour. Toyota, who sponsored the international tour for the remaining nine months of the season, also withdrew their support. The 1983 season saw Virginia Slims returning to sponsor a unified worldwide tour after an absence of four years. The company sponsored events between 1970 and 1978 but withdrew their support following disagreements with the organisers of the WTA Tour, the Women's Tennis Association. However the company decided to associate themselves with the women's tennis circuit again in 1983. The tour was therefore known as the Virginia Slims World Championship Series, with 18 events including the US Open held in the United States and a further 12 events in six other countries incorporated under the Virginia Slims brand in a merged season.
Season summary
Singles World number-one singles player Martina Navratilova, who had won 90 out of 93 matches the previous year, began the 1983 season in great form, winning successive titles in Washington and Houston, defeating Sylvia Hanika in the final on both occasions. The third best player in the world, Andrea Jaeger, won the tournament at Marco Island in Florida; Chris Evert-Lloyd, the world number two, took the title at Palm Beach, also in Florida.
Schedule The table below shows the 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series schedule.
Key Grand Slam tournamentsYear-end championships Category 4 events Category 3 events Category 2 events Category 1+ and 1 events Team events
January WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists3 Jan Virginia Slims of Washington Washington, United StatesCategory 3Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–1, 6–1 Sylvia Hanika Mary Lou Piatek Andrea Jaeger Helena Suková Barbara Potter4–6, 7–5, 6–3 10 Jan Virginia Slims of Houston Houston, United StatesCategory 3Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D/32Q Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–3, 7–6(7–5) Sylvia Hanika Tracy Austin Eva Pfaff Bettina Bunge Anne Smith 6–4, 6–3 24 Jan Avon Cup Marco Island, United StatesCategory 2Clay – $100,000 – 56S/28D Singles – Doubles Andrea Jaeger6–1, 6–3 Hana Mandlíková Andrea Temesvári Michelle Casati Dianne Balestrat Virginia Ruzici 7–5, 6–4 31 Jan Murjani Cup Palm Beach Gardens, United StatesCategory 3Clay – $150,000 – 56S/32D Singles – Doubles Chris Evert-Lloyd6–3, 6–3 Andrea Jaeger Wendy Turnbull Hana Mandlíková Andrea Temesvári Iva Budařová 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
February WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists7 Feb Virginia Slims of Indianapolis Indianapolis, United StatesGinny Circuit – Category 1+Hard (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D/64Q Singles – Doubles Anne Hobbs6–4, 6–7, 6–4 Ginny Purdy Yvonne Vermaak Iva Budařová Candy Reynolds Christiane Jolissaint 5–7, 6–4, 7–5 14 Feb Virginia Slims of Chicago Chicago, United StatesCategory 3 Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–2 Andrea Jaeger Pam Shriver Tracy Austin Marcella Mesker Bettina Bunge Wendy Turnbull Eva Pfaff6–1, 6–2 Virginia Slims of Pennsylvania Hershey, United StatesGinny Circuit – Category 1+ Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Carling Bassett 2–6, 6–0, 6–4 Sandy Collins Anne White Julie Harrington Catrin Jexell Beverly Mould Peanut Louie Lea Antonoplis7–6, 4–6, 7–5 21 Feb Ridgewood Open Ridgewood, United StatesGinny Circuit – Category 1+ Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Alycia Moulton 6–4, 6–2 Catrin Jexell Laura Arraya Marcella Mesker Corinne Vanier Susan Leo Lena Sandin Petra Delhees6–3, 6–4 Virginia Slims of California Oakland, United StatesCategory 3 Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Bettina Bunge 6–3, 6–3 Sylvia Hanika Andrea Temesvári Wendy Turnbull Tracy Austin Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Anne Smith Pam Shriver6–4, 4–6, 6–4 28 Feb Congoleum Classic Palm Springs, United StatesCategory 1 Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Yvonne Vermaak 6–3, 7–5 Carling Bassett Kathy Jordan Michelle Torres Hana Mandlíková Kathy Rinaldi Wendy White Sylvia Hanika6–2, 6–4 Virginia Slims of Nashville Nashville, United StatesGinny Circuit – Category 1+Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Kathleen Horvath6–4, 6–3 Marcela Skuherská Sherry Acker Patricia Hy Iva Budařová Vicki Nelson Dunbar 6–4, 7–6
March WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists7 Mar Virginia Slims of Dallas Dallas, United StatesCategory 3Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–4, 6–0 Chris Evert-Lloyd Bettina Bunge Pam Shriver Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull 6–3, 6–2 Pittsburgh Open Pittsburgh, United StatesGinny Circuit – Category 1+Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Ginny Purdy6–2, 7–5 Cláudia Monteiro Betsy Nagelsen Amy Holton Pilar Vásquez Gretchen Magers Beth Norton Candy Reynolds 6–3, 6–2 14 Mar Virginia Slims of Boston Boston, United StatesCategory 3Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Wendy Turnbull4–6, 3–6, 6–4 Sylvia Hanika Billie Jean King Tracy Austin Kathleen Horvath Wendy White 6–1, 6–2 21 Mar Virginia Slims Championships New York City, United StatesCarpet (i) – $350,000 – 16S/6D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–2, 6–0 Chris Evert-Lloyd Billie Jean King Sylvia Hanika Pam Shriver Tracy Austin 7–5, 6–2 28 Mar Bridgestone Doubles Championships Tokyo, JapanCarpet (i) – $150,000 – 8DDoubles Billie Jean King Sharon Walsh 6–1, 6–1 Kathy Jordan Anne Smith Kiyomura / Smith Allen / Jaušovec Antonoplis / Jordan Hobbs / Leo Medrado / Monteiro Casals / Turnbull
April WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists4 Apr Family Circle Cup Hilton Head Island, United StatesCategory 4Clay – $200,000 – 56S/32D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova5–7, 6–1, 6–0 Tracy Austin Bettina Bunge Andrea Jaeger Andrea Temesvári Sylvia Hanika 7–5, 6–2 11 Apr Murjani WTA Championships Amelia Island, United StatesCategory 4 Clay – $250,000 – 56S/32D Singles – Doubles Chris Evert-Lloyd6–3, 2–6, 7–5 Carling Bassett Hana Mandlíková Kathy Rinaldi Sylvia Hanika Michelle Casati 6–4, 6–2 18 Apr United Airlines Tournament of Champions Orlando, United StatesCategory 4 Clay – $200,000 – 22S/8D Singles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–1, 7–5 Andrea Jaeger Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King 6–3, 1–6, 7–6(11–9) 25 Apr Virginia Slims of Atlanta Atlanta, United StatesCategory 3 Hard – $150,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Pam Shriver6–2, 6–0 Kathy Jordan Anne White Wendy Turnbull Lele Forood Kim Steinmetz 6–3, 7–6
May WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists2 May Italian Open Perugia, ItalyCategory 3Clay – $150,000 – 56S/32D Singles – Doubles Andrea Temesvári6–1, 6–0 Bonnie Gadusek Kathleen Horvath Kathy Rinaldi Christiane Jolissaint Jo Durie 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 9 May Swiss Open Lugano, SwitzerlandCategory 2Clay – $100,000 – 64S/32D The singles event was cancelled after the third round due to rain. 6–2, 3–6, 7–5 16 May German Open West Berlin, West GermanyCategory 3Clay – $150,000 – 56S/29D Chris Evert-Lloyd6–4, 7–6(7–3) Kathleen Horvath Helena Suková Andrea Jaeger Pam Casale Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 7–6(7–2) Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Eva Pfaff23 May French Open Paris, FranceGrand Slam Clay – $625,000 – 128S/64Q/64D/48X Singles – Doubles – Mixed doubles Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–1, 6–2 Mima Jaušovec Jo Durie Andrea Jaeger Kathleen Horvath Tracy Austin Gretchen Magers Hana Mandlíková 5–7, 7–5, 6–3 Kathy Jordan Anne Smith 6–2, 6–3 Leslie Allen Charles Buzz Strode
June WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists6 Jun Edgbaston Cup Birmingham, Great BritainCategory 2 Grass – $100,000 – 56S/32D Singles – Doubles Billie Jean King6–3, 7–5 Alycia Moulton Anne White Zina Garrison Elizabeth Sayers Yvonne Vermaak 5–7, 6–4, 7–5 13 Jun BMW Championships Eastbourne, Great BritainCategory 3 Grass – $150,000 – 64S/32DSingles – Doubles Martina Navratilova6–1, 6–1 Wendy Turnbull Zina Garrison Tracy Austin Jo Durie Bettina Bunge 6–1, 6–0 20 Jun Wimbledon Championships London, Great Britain Grand SlamGrass – $670,000 – 128S/64Q/56D/56X Singles – Doubles – Mixed doubles Martina Navratilova 6–0, 6–3 Andrea Jaeger Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King Jennifer Mundel-Reinbold Virginia Wade Barbara Potter Kathy Jordan 6–2, 6–2 Rosie Casals Wendy Turnbull 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–5), 7–5 Billie Jean King Steve Denton
July WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists4 Jul Fila European Cup Hittfeld Hamburg, West GermanyCategory 2 Clay – $100,000 – 32S/16D Andrea Temesvári6–4, 6–2 Eva Pfaff Petra Huber Ivanna Madruga-Osses Beth Herr Laura Arraya Petra Jauch-Delhees Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Bettina Bunge Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 7–5, 6–4 Ivanna Madruga-Osses Catherine Tanvier11 Jul Virginia Slims Hall of Fame Classic Newport, United StatesCategory 2 Grass – $100,000 – 32S/16D/16QSingles – Doubles Alycia Moulton6–3, 6–2 Kim Shaefer Pam Shriver Terry Holladay Louise Allen Sherry Acker Tina Mochizuki Anna-Maria Fernandez Barbara Potter Pam Shriver 6–3, 6–1 Barbara Jordan Elizabeth Sayers18 Jul Federation Cup Zürich, SwitzerlandTeam eventClay 2–1
August