The Eckerd Open is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1953 as a combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament called the Masters Invitational tournament in St Augustine, Florida. 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 1974. After the combined event the St. Petersburg Masters Invitational finished in 1970. The women's event continued under various brand names and various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was abolished in 1990.
History 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, where it remained under that brand name until 1965. In 1966 the tournament's 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 South Florida-Caribbean Circuit which was a major feature of the international tennis scene in the 1960s and 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 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.
Locations 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 1974, Palm Harbor, Florida in 1977, in Clearwater, Florida in 1978 and in Tampa, Florida from 1979 to 1990.
Event names 1953–1965 Masters Invitational 1966–1970 St Petersburg Masters Invitational 1971–1972 Virginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg 1973 St Petersburg Masters Invitational 1974 Barnett Bank Masters 1977–1985 Florida Federal Open 1986–1990 Eckerd Open
Results Singles For previous winners of this event see St. Petersburg Masters InvitationalYearChampionRunner-upScoreVirginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg1971 Chris Evert Julie Heldman 6–1, 6–21972 Nancy Gunter Chris Evert 6–3, 6–4St Petersburg Masters Invitational1973 Chris Evert Evonne Goolagong 6–2, 0–6, 6–4Barnett Bank Masters1974 Chris Evert Kerry Reid 6–0, 6–11975/1976Not heldFlorida Federal Open1977 Virginia Ruzici Laura duPont 6–4, 4–6, 6–21978 Virginia Wade Anna-Maria Fernandez 6–4, 7–6(7–1)1979 Evonne Goolagong Cawley Virginia Wade 6–0, 6–31980 Andrea Jaeger Tracy Austin Walkover1981 Martina Navratilova Bettina Bunge 5–7, 6–2, 6–01982 Chris Evert-Lloyd Andrea Jaeger 3–6, 6–1, 6–41983 Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 6–3, 6–21984 Michelle Torres Carling Bassett 6–1, 7–61985 Stephanie Rehe Gabriela Sabatini 6–4, 6–7, 7–5Eckerd Open1986 Lori McNeil Zina Garrison 2–6, 7–5, 6–21987 Chris Evert-Lloyd Kate Gompert 6–3, 6–21988 Chris Evert Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7–6, 6–41989 Conchita Martínez Gabriela Sabatini 6–3, 6–21990 Monica Seles Katerina Maleeva 6–1, 6–0
Doubles YearChampionRunner-upScoreVirginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg1971 Françoise Dürr Ann Haydon-Jones Judy Tegart Julie Heldman 7–6, 3–6, 6–31972 Karen Krantzcke Wendy Overton Judy Tegart Françoise Dürr 7–5, 6–4St Petersburg Masters Invitational1973 Chris Evert Jeanne Evert Evonne Goolagong Janet Young 6–2, 7–6Barnett Bank Masters1974 Olga Morozova Betty Stöve Chris Evert Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 6–21975/1976Not heldFlorida Federal Open1977 Delina Ann Boshoff Ilana Kloss Brigitte Cuypers Marise Kruger 6–7, 6–2, 6–21978 Martina Navratilova Anne Smith Kerry Reid Wendy Turnbull 7–6(7–4), 6–31979 Virginia Ruzici Anne Smith Ilana Kloss Betty Ann Grubb Stuart 7–5, 4–6, 7–51980 Rosemary Casals Candy Reynolds Anne Smith Paula Smith 7–6, 7–51981 Rosemary Casals Wendy Turnbull Martina Navratilova Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 6–41982 Ann Kiyomura Paula Smith Mary-Lou Piatek Wendy White 6–2, 6–41983 Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver Bonnie Gadusek Wendy White 6–0, 6–11984 Carling Bassett Elizabeth Sayers Mary-Lou Piatek Wendy White 6–4, 6–31985 Carling Bassett Gabriela Sabatini Lisa Bonder Laura Arraya 6–0, 6–0Eckerd Open1986 Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank Gigi Fernández Kim Sands 7–5, 6–21987 Chris Evert-Lloyd Wendy Turnbull Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank 6–4, 6–31988 Terry Phelps Raffaella Reggi Cammy MacGregor Cynthia MacGregor 6–2, 6–41989 Brenda Schultz Andrea Temesvári Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank 7–6, 6–41990 Mercedes Paz Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Sandra Cecchini Laura Gildemeister 6–2, 6–0
See also St. Petersburg WCT (for history of the men's tournament) Tampa Open – men's tournament (1981–1983) held in Tampa, Florida
External links WTA Results Archive