The Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1946 as a combined men's and women's event called the Austin Smith Championships that was part of the ILTF Circuit. The tournament played at the Fort Lauderdale Tennis Club from 1946 to 1974. It was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the United States and played on outdoor clay courts.
History The Austin Smith ChampionshipsUSTA were a combined men's and women's clay court tournament first established in 1946. The event was always played on outdoor clay courts at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. In 1969 the men's tournament continued under its original brand name, whilst the women's event was renamed as the WLOD Invitational. In 1970 the combined event was discontinued as the men's tournament was dropped from the schedule. In 1970 the women's tournament was branded as the WLOD International. In 1971 two versions of the tournament one in January the WLOD Invitational and one in February the Fort Lauderdale Invitation. In 1972 the women's tournament was renamed as the S&H Green Stamp Classic for sponsorship reasons as part of the Virginia Slims Circuit until 1973. In 1974 the last edition the tournament was just branded as the Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale.
Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore1949 Gardnar Mulloy Gardner Larned 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 9–71950 Gardnar Mulloy (2) Herbert Behrens 4–6, 6–4, 5–7, 6–0, 6-31951 Sidney Schwartz Donald Kaiser6–2, 6–4, 6–11952 Gardnar Mulloy (3) Sidney Schwartz6–2, 6–1, 6–21953 Gardnar Mulloy (4) Tony Vincent6–0, 1–6, 6–1, 6–11954 Gardnar Mulloy (5) Lorne Main6–4, 6–3, 6–01955 Eddie Moylan Johann Kupferburger6–2, 6–1, 6–41956 Jerry Moss Allen Quay15–13, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–41957 Reyno Summers Pete Pressinger 4–6, 5–7, 6–2, 6–2, 6–11958 Gardnar Mulloy (6) John W. Frost1–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–41959 John Powless Birger Folke8–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–11960 Don Candy Eduardo Zuleta8–6, 9–7 1961 Gardnar Mulloy (7) Miguel Olvera8–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–31962 Gardnar Mulloy(8) Carlos Fernandes1–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–11963 Ed Rubinoff Thomaz Koch4–6, 11–3, 8–6, 7–5, 6–21964 Eduardo Zuleta Gardnar Mulloy5–7, 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–31965 Frank Froehling Billy Higgins6–4, 6–2, 6–11966 Frank Froehling (2) Mike Belkin6–4, 6–11967 Frank Froehling (3) Jaime Fillol6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–31968 Frank Froehling (4) Pancho Guzmán1–6, 9–11, 6–2 ret. ↓ Open era ↓1969 Pat Cramer Jaime Fillol6–2, 11–91970 Cliff Richey Clark Graebner 6–3, 7–5
Women's singles (incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore1946 Doris Hart Virginia Kovacs 6–0, 6–1 1948 Magda Rurac Laura Lou Jahn 6–0, 6–2 1949 Helen Rihbany Virginia Lee Boyer 6-2 6-1 1950 Laura Lou Jahn Rhoda Hopkins Root 6–8, 6–3, 6–3 1951 Laura Lou Jahn (2) Nancy Morrison 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 1952 Magda Rurac (2) Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen 6–1, 6–3 1953 Doris Hart (2) Alicia Wright6–0, 6–2 1954 Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen (3) Hanna Kozeluhova Sladek4–6, 6–3, 6–4 1955 Karol Fageros Marilyn Stock 6–2, 6–2 1956 Marilyn Stock Lois Miller Osten 6–0, 6–3 1957 Maria Bueno Martha Hernández6–2, 6–1 1958 Maria Bueno (2) Janet Hopps 1–6, 6–4, 6–4 1959 Karol Fageros (2) Marie Martin 6–4, 6–3 1960 Ann Barclay Margaret Babbitt 6–1, 6–1 1961 Mary Habicht Kay Hubbell 1–6, 6–4, 6–0 1962 Margaret Hellyer Stephanie DeFina 6–4, 6–3 1963 Stephanie DeFina Carol Hanks 6–2, 5–7, 10–8 1964 Stephanie DeFina (2) Frances Farrar 6–3, 6–0 1965 Trudy Groenman Ellie Krocke6–4, 6–3 1966 Stephanie DeFina (3) Peachy Kellmeyer 5–7, 7–5, 6–2 1967 Stephanie DeFina (4) Peachy Kellmeyer 6–2, 6–11968 Faye Urban Alice Tym 6–2, 6–1 ↓ Open era ↓1969 Julie Heldman Virginia Wade 6–1, 6–4 1970 Nancy Richey Peaches Bartkowicz 6–3, 6–0 1971WTA Tour Results 1970 to 2007 p.31. Françoise Dürr Billie Jean King 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 1972 Chris Evert Billie Jean King 6–1, 6–0 1973 Chris Evert (2) Virginia Wade 6–1, 6–2 1974 Chris Evert (3) Kerry Reid Walkover
Women's doubles YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1972 Judy Tegart Françoise Dürr Nancy Richey Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–2 1973 Gail Sherriff Virginia Wade Evonne Goolagong Janet Young 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 1974 Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh 6–3, 6–2
Event names Austin Smith Championships (1946–1968) (Combined men's & women's event) Austin Smith Championships (1969–1970) (men's event) WLOD Invitational (1969–1971) (women's event) Fort Lauderdale Invitation (1971 women's event 2nd meeting) S&H Green Stamp Classic (1972–1973) Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale (1974)
See also 1973 Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale
References
External links WTA Results Archive