The Better Buzz Coffee San Diego Open is an annual professional tennis tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Womens Circuit, held in San Diego, California, at the Barnes Tennis Center. Since 2025, it is an ATP Challenger 100 event when the WTA 500 event was cancelled. Since 2026 it is also an ITF W100 tournament.
ATP tournament history The San Diego Open was an ATP 250 tournament from 2021 until 2022. In August 2021, after the cancellation of the Asia Swing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Barnes Tennis Center was allocated a two-year 250 tournament license. Prior to that, it was exclusively a WTA event which was last held as a WTA Challenger in 2015 in Carlsbad, California. Billie Jean King accepted the role of honorary tournament chairperson. Daniel Vallverdú took on the position of managing director. Ryan Redondo was named the tournament director.
In 2022, with the Asia swing still cancelled due to COVID, Vallverdú again instigated the collaboration between the ATP and the San Diego Barnes Tennis Centre which was then allocated a second one year 250 tournament license to be held post US Open 17–25 September. Vallverdú again took on the position of Managing Director.
With the ATP Tour returning to China in 2023, the tournament's men's event ceased. In its place an ATP Challenger Tour 100 event was introduced in 2025 as the Better Buzz Coffee Roasters San Diego Open,at the same location in San Diego. WTA tournament history This event was founded in 1971 as the Southern California Open, its official name. That year there had been two previous women's tennis tournaments in San Diego: a Virginia Slims of San Diego (sponsored name) aka the Southern California Open event, and the Wells Fargo Open, which ran from 1979 to 1982. Giscafre's former doubles partner, Jane Stratton, attained co-ownership of the tournament from 1986 until the event's cessation. The tournament has had various principal sponsors throughout its history, and has been played under the headings of the Great American Bank Classic, the Mazda Classic and the Toshiba Classic. The tournament was known for its strong player fields, location in the hills and atmosphere.
Although the tournament achieved Tier-I status only in 2004, it became a draw to the heavyweights in women's tennis since its inception in the 1980s, being a crucial warm-up tournament leading to the US Open. Past champions of the tournament include former world No.-1s Steffi Graf, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, and Maria Sharapova. Six players won the tournament more than once, four of them consecutively. Graf holds the record for most wins (4); Venus Williams holds the record for most consecutive titles (3).
The tournament's purse doubled to $200,000 in 1989, when the sponsor changed to San Diego–based Great American Bank from Virginia Slims, a cigarette brand owned by Philip Morris. The tournament moved from the San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club to the La Costa Resort and Spa in 1991, when the sponsor was changed to Mazda from Great American, which was in financial decline. On September 7, 2009, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced the return of professional women's tennis to San Diego in 2010, under the sponsorship of Mercury Insurance. The Mercury Insurance Open was renamed the Southern California Open starting in 2013.
In 2014, the event was relocated to Tokyo, Japan.
In 2015, the tournament became the Carlsbad Classic, hosted by the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California, from November 23–29. As a WTA Challenger event, the Carlsbad Classic featured a 32-player singles main draw, an 8-player qualifying draw, and an 8-team doubles draw with $125,000 in prize money. It was the first WTA tournament held during Thanksgiving week.
The tournament returned to the WTA Tour as a WTA 500 event in 2022 for three editions at the Barnes Tennis Center. It was cancelled in 2025 and replaced by the Mérida Open on the WTA Tour. Starting in 2026, the tournament returned to the professional women's tennis tour, now as an ITF W100 event. Official name Southern California Open (San Diego) (1971–2013).
Sponsored names Virginia Slims of San Diego: 1971, 1985–1988 Wells Fargo Open: 1979–1982 Ginny of San Diego: 1984 Great American Bank Classic: 1989–1990 Mazda Classic: 1991–1993 Toshiba Classic; 1994–1998 TIG Classic: 1999 Acura Classic: 2000–2007 Mercury Insurance Open: 2010–2012 Southern California Open: 2013 Carlsbad Classic: 2015 Cymbiotika: 2023–2024 Better Buzz coffee roasters: 2026
Past finals Men's singles YearChampionRunner-upScore 2021 Casper Ruud Cameron Norrie 6–0, 6–2 2022 Brandon Nakashima Marcos Giron 6–4, 6–4 2023–24 not held ↓ ATP Challenger Tour ↓ 2025 Eliot Spizzirri Mackenzie McDonald 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 2026 Zachary Svajda Sebastian Korda 6–4, 7–6(7–5)
Women's singles Prior tournaments in San Diego area YearChampionRunner-upScore 1971 Billie Jean King Rosemary Casals 3–6, 7–5, 6–1
YearChampionRunner-upScore 1979 Tracy Austin Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–2 1980 Tracy Austin (2) Wendy Turnbull 6–1, 6–3 1981 Tracy Austin (3) Pam Shriver 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 1982 Tracy Austin (4) Kathy Rinaldi 7–6, 6–3
Subsequent and current organized event YearChampionRunner-upScore 1984 Debbie Spence Betsy Nagelsen 6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–4 1985 Annabel Croft Wendy Turnbull 6–0, 7–6(7–5) 1986 Melissa Gurney Stephanie Rehe 6–2, 6–4 1987 Raffaella Reggi Anne Minter 6–0, 6–4 1988 Stephanie Rehe Ann Grossman 6–1, 6–1 1989 Steffi Graf Zina Garrison 6–4, 7–5↓ Tier III tournament ↓ 1990 Steffi Graf (2) Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière 6–3, 6–2 1991 Jennifer Capriati Monica Seles 4–6, 6–1, 7–6(7–2) 1992 Jennifer Capriati (2) Conchita Martínez 6–3, 6–2↓ Tier II tournament ↓ 1993 Steffi Graf (3) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–4, 4–6, 6–1 1994 Steffi Graf (4) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–2, 6–1 1995 Conchita Martínez Lisa Raymond 6–2, 6–0 1996 Kimiko Date Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 3–6, 6–3, 6–0 1997 Martina Hingis Monica Seles 7–6(7–4), 6–4 1998 Lindsay Davenport Mary Pierce 6–3, 6–1 1999 Martina Hingis (2) Venus Williams 6–4, 6–0 2000 Venus Williams Monica Seles 6–0, 6–7(3–7), 6–2 2001 Venus Williams (2) Monica Seles 6–2, 6–3 2002 Venus Williams (3) Jelena Dokić 6–2, 6–2 2003 Justine Henin Kim Clijsters 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 ↓ Tier I tournament ↓ 2004 Lindsay Davenport (2) Anastasia Myskina 6–1, 6–1 2005 Mary Pierce Ai Sugiyama 6–0, 6–3 2006 Maria Sharapova Kim Clijsters 7–5, 7–5 2007 Maria Sharapova (2) Patty Schnyder 6–2, 3–6, 6–02008–2009 not held ↓ Premier tournament ↓ 2010 Svetlana Kuznetsova Agnieszka Radwańska 6–4, 6–7(7–9), 6–3 2011 Agnieszka Radwańska Vera Zvonareva 6–3, 6–4 2012 Dominika Cibulková Marion Bartoli 6–1, 7–5 2013 Samantha Stosur Victoria Azarenka 6–2, 6–3 2014 not held ↓ WTA 125 tournament ↓ 2015 Yanina Wickmayer Nicole Gibbs 6–3, 7–6(7–4) 2016–21 not held ↓ WTA 500 tournament ↓ 2022 Iga Świątek Donna Vekić 6–3, 3–6, 6–0 2023 Barbora Krejčíková Sofia Kenin 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 2024 Katie Boulter Marta Kostyuk 5–7, 6–2, 6–2 2025 not held ↓ ITF W100 tournament ↓ 2026 Elvina Kalieva Elizabeth Mandlik 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
Men's doubles YearChampionsRunners-upScore 2021 Joe Salisbury Neal Skupski John Peers Filip Polášek 7–6(7–2), 3–6, [10–5] 2022 Nathaniel Lammons Jackson Withrow Jason Kubler Luke Saville 7–6(7–5), 6–2 2023–24 not held ↓ ATP Challenger Tour ↓ 2025 Eliot Spizzirri Tyler Zink Juan José Bianchi Noah Zamora 6–7(3–7), 7–6(7–4), [10–8] 2026 Trey Hilderbrand Mac Kiger Garrett Johns Karl Poling 6–3, 6–4
Women's doubles Prior
YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1971 Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King Françoise Dürr Judy Tegart Dalton 6–7, 6–2, 6–3
YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1979 Rosemary Casals (2) Martina Navratilova Betty Ann Grubb Stuart Ann Kiyomura 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 1980 Tracy Austin Ann Kiyomura Rosemary Casals Wendy Turnbull 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 1981 Kathy Jordan Candy Reynolds Rosemary Casals Pam Shriver 6–1, 2–6, 6–4 1982 Kathy Jordan (2) Paula Smith Patricia Medrado Cláudia Monteiro 6–3, 5–7, 7–6
Subsequent & current YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1984 Betsy Nagelsen Paula Smith (2) Terry Holladay Iwona Kuczyńska 6–2, 6–4 1985 Candy Reynolds (2) Wendy Turnbull Rosalyn Fairbank Susan Leo 6–4, 6–0 1986 Beth Herr Alycia Moulton Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 1987 Jana Novotná Catherine Suire Elise Burgin Sharon Walsh 6–3, 6–4 1988 Patty Fendick Jill Hetherington Betsy Nagelsen Dinky Van Rensburg 7–6(12–10), 6–4 1989 Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank Gretchen Magers Robin White 4–6, 6–3, 6–3↓ Tier III tournament ↓ 1990 Patty Fendick (2) Zina Garrison Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer 6–4, 7–6(7–5) 1991 Jill Hetherington (2) Kathy Rinaldi Gigi Fernández Nathalie Tauziat 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 1992 Jana Novotná (2) Larisa Neiland Conchita Martínez Mercedes Paz 6–1, 6–4↓ Tier II tournament ↓ 1993 Gigi Fernández Helena Suková Pam Shriver Elizabeth Smylie 6–4, 6–3 1994 Jana Novotná (2) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Ginger Helgeson Rachel McQuillan 6–3, 6–3 1995 Gigi Fernández (2) Natasha Zvereva Alexia Dechaume-Balleret Sandrine Testud 6–2, 6–1 1996 Gigi Fernández (3) Conchita Martínez Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Larisa Neiland 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 1997 Martina Hingis Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (2) Amy Frazier Kimberly Po 6–3, 7–5 1998 Lindsay Davenport Natasha Zvereva (2) Alexandra Fusai Nathalie Tauziat 6–2, 6–1 1999 Lindsay Davenport (2) Corina Morariu Serena Williams Venus Williams 6–4, 6–1 2000 Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs Lindsay Davenport Anna Kournikova 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(8–6) 2001 Cara Black Elena Likhovtseva Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 2002 Elena Dementieva Janette Husárová Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama 6–2, 6–4 2003 Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond 6–4, 7–5 ↓ Tier I tournament ↓ 2004 Cara Black (2) Rennae Stubbs (2) Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez 4–6, 6–1, 6–4 2005 Conchita Martínez (2) Virginia Ruano Pascual Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama 6–7(7–9), 6–1, 7–5 2006 Cara Black (3) Rennae Stubbs (3) Anna-Lena Grönefeld Meghann Shaughnessy 6–2, 6–2 2007 Cara Black (4) Liezel Huber Anna Chakvetadze Victoria Azarenka 7–5, 6–32008–2009 not held ↓ Premier tournament ↓ 2010 Maria Kirilenko Zheng Jie Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs 6–4, 6–4 2011 Kvĕta Peschke Katarina Srebotnik Raquel Kops-Jones Abigail Spears 6–0, 6–2 2012 Raquel Kops-Jones Abigail Spears Vania King Nadia Petrova 6–2, 6–4 2013 Raquel Kops-Jones (2) Abigail Spears (2) Chan Hao-ching Janette Husárová 6–4, 6–1 2025 not held ↓ WTA 125 tournament ↓ 2015 Gabriela Cé Verónica Cepede Royg Oksana Kalashnikova Tatjana Maria 1–6, 6–4, [10–8] 2016–2021 not held ↓ WTA 500 tournament ↓2022 Coco Gauff Jessica Pegula Gabriela Dabrowski Giuliana Olmos 1–6, 7–5, [10–4]2023 Barbora Krejčíková Kateřina Siniaková Danielle Collins CoCo Vandeweghe 6–1, 6–42024 Nicole Melichar-Martinez Ellen Perez Desirae Krawczyk Jessica Pegula 6–1, 6–2 2025 not held ↓ ITF W100 tournament ↓2026 Kayla Cross Alana Smith Catherine Harrison Dalayna Hewitt 6–2, 6–3
References
External links San Diego Overview ATP Tour Tennis Official WTA website Old Official ATP website