The U.S. Open Clay Courts, known formally as the U.S. Clay Court Championships, was a national tennis championship for women that was sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association. The first edition was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1912, two years after the first men's championships, and was won by May Sutton. The final edition was held in 1986 and won by Steffi Graf. The tournament was not held in 1913, 1924–1939 and 1942. The doubles event was first held in 1914.

Nancy Richey and Chris Evert won more singles titles (6) at this tournament than any other woman. Linda Tuero holds the record for runners-up in singles (3).

Locations 1912: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1913: Not held 1914: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati Tennis Club) 1915: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Athletic Association) 1916: Cleveland, Ohio (Lakewood Tennis Club) 1917: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati Tennis Club) 1918–19: Chicago, Illinois (South Side Tennis Club) 1920: Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Tennis Club) 1921–23: Buffalo, New York (Park Club) 1924–39: Not held 1940–41: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club) 1942: Not held 1943–44: Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Tennis Club) 1947: Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake Tennis Club) 1948–54: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club) 1955: Atlanta, Georgia (Bryan M. Grant, Jr. Tennis Center) 1956–65: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club) 1966–68: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Town Club) 1969–86: Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Racquet Club)

Finals

Singles YearChampionsRunners-upScore1912 May Sutton Mary Browne 6–4, 6–21913Not held 1914 Mary Browne Louise Riddell Williams 6–1, 3–6, 6–21915 Molla Bjurstedt Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman 3–6, 6–1, 6–31916 Molla Bjurstedt Martha Guthrie 8–6, 6–31917 Ruth Sanders W. E. Ellis 6–1, 6–31918 Carrie Neely Adelaide Yager 6–4, 6–21919 Corinne Gould Carrie Neely 6–4, 6–21920 Marion Zinderstein Corinne Gould 6–0, 6–11921 Ann Sheafe Cole Anna Godfrey 6–0, 6–31922 Lois Moyes Bickle Leslie Bancroft 3–6, 6–1, 7–51923 Mayme McDonald Lilian Scharman 7–5, 1–6, 6–41924 –1939 Not held1940 Alice Marble Gracyn Wheeler 7–5, 6–01941 Pauline Betz Mary Arnold 6–3, 6–11942Not held 1943 Pauline Betz Nancy Corbett 6–1, 6–01944 Dorothy Bundy Mary Arnold 7–5, 6–41945 Sarah Palfrey Cooke Pauline Betz 6–3, 7–51946 Barbara Krase Virginia Kovacs 10–8, 6–41947 Mary Arnold Prentiss Dorothy Head 6–1, 6–11948 Magda Rurac Dorothy Head 6–2, 6–01949 Magda Rurac Beverly Baker 2–6, 9–7, 6–31950 Doris Hart Shirley Fry 6–1, 6–31951 Dorothy Head Patricia Canning Todd 4–6, 6–2, 6–21952 Anita Kanter Lucille Davidson 6–4, 6–31953 Maureen Connolly Althea Gibson 6–4, 6–41954 Maureen Connolly Doris Hart 6–3, 6–11955 Dorothy Head Knode Barbara Breit 6–4, 6–31956 Shirley Fry Althea Gibson 7–5, 6–11957 Althea Gibson Darlene Hard 6–2, 6–31958 Dorothy Head Knode Karol Fageros 6–3, 6–8, 6–21959 Sally Moore Sandra Reynolds 6–2, 2–6, 6–31960 Dorothy Head Knode Gwyneth Thomas 6–3, 6–41961 Edda Buding Karen Hantze 6–4, 2–6, 6–41962 Donna Floyd Carole Caldwell 6–3, 6–11963 Nancy Richey Victoria Palmer 6–1, 6–11964 Nancy Richey Carole Caldwell Graebner 6–2, 6–11965 Nancy Richey Julie Heldman 5–7, 6–3, 9–71966 Nancy Richey Stephanie DeFina 6–2, 6–21967 Nancy Richey Rosemary Casals 6–2, 6–31968 Nancy Richey Linda Tuero 6–3, 6–31969 Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Linda Tuero 6–2, 6–21970 Linda Tuero Gail Sherriff Chanfreau 7–5, 6–11971 Billie Jean King Linda Tuero 6–4, 7–51972 Chris Evert Evonne Goolagong 7–6(5–2), 6–11973 Chris Evert Veronica Burton 6–4, 6–31974 Chris Evert Gail Sherriff Chanfreau 6–0, 6–01975 Chris Evert Dianne Fromholtz 6–3, 6–41976 Kathy May Brigitte Cuypers 6–4, 4–6, 6–21977 Laura DuPont Nancy Richey 6–4, 6–31978 Dana Gilbert Viviana González 6–2, 6–31979 Chris Evert Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6–4, 6–31980 Chris Evert Andrea Jaeger 6–4, 6–31981 Andrea Jaeger Virginia Ruzici 6–1, 6–01982 Virginia Ruzici Helena Suková 6–2, 6–01983 Andrea Temesvári Zina Garrison 6–2, 6–21984 Manuela Maleeva Lisa Bonder 6–4, 6–31985 Andrea Temesvári Zina Garrison 7–6, 6–31986 Steffi Graf Gabriela Sabatini 2–6, 7–6, 6–4

Doubles YearChampionsRunners-upScore1944 Pauline Betz Doris Hart 1945 Pauline Betz Doris Hart 1946 Shirley Fry Mary Arnold Prentiss Virginia Kovacs Barbara Scofield 6–4, 6–11947 Gussie Moran Mary Arnold Prentiss Shirley Fry Barbara Krase 6–4, 6–41948 Not held 1949 Not held 1950 Shirley Fry Doris Hart Beverly Baker Magda Rurac 2–6, 6–4, 6–41951 Magda Rurac Patricia Canning Todd Dorothy Head Anita Kanter 1952 Lucille Davidson Doris Popple Anita Kanter Joan Merciadas 7–5, 6–41953 Anita Kanter Thelma Coyne Long Maureen Connolly Julia Sampson 6–3, 6–01954 Maureen Connolly Doris Hart Althea Gibson Ethel Norton 6–3, 6–21955 Dorothy Head Knode Janet Hopps Pat Shaffer Barbara Breit 6–2, 3–6, 6–31956 Shirley Fry Dorothy Head Knode Martha Hernández Yola Ramírez 6–2, 6–21957 Althea Gibson Darlene Hard Karol Fageros Jeanne Arth 6–3, 6–01958 Karol Fageros Dorothy Head Knode 1959 Sandra Reynolds Renée Schuurman Jeanne Arth Janet Hopps 1960 Darlene Hard Billie Jean Moffitt Justina Bricka Carol Hanks 6–3, 6–41961 Justina Bricka Carol Hanks 1962 Darlene Hard Susan Behlmar 1963 Maria Bueno Darlene Hard 1964 Carole Graebner Nancy Richey 1965 Carole Graebner Nancy Richey 1966 Karen Krantzcke Kerry Melville Esmé Emmanuel Maryna Godwin 1–6, 6–4, 6–41967 Karen Krantzcke Kerry Melville 1968 Nancy Richey Valerie Ziegenfuss 1969 Lesley Turner Bowrey Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Emilie Burrer Linda Tuero 6–0, 10–81970 Rosemary Casals Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Helen Gourlay Patricia Walkden 6–2, 6–21971 Judy Tegart Dalton Billie Jean King Julie Heldman Linda Tuero 6–1, 6–21972 Evonne Goolagong Lesley Hunt Margaret Smith Court Pam Teeguarden 6–2, 6–11973 Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh Fiorella Bonicelli María-Isabel Fernández 6–4, 6–41974 Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Julie Heldman Chris Evert Jeanne Evert 6–3, 6–11975 Fiorella Bonicelli María-Isabel Fernández Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Julie Heldman 3–6, 7–5, 6–31976 Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss Laura DuPont Wendy Turnbull 6–2, 6–31977 Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss Mary Carillo Wendy Overton 5–7, 7–5, 6–31978 Helena Anliot Helle Sparre-Viragh Barbara Hallquist Sheila McInerney 6–3, 6–11979 Kathy Jordan Anne Smith Penny Johnson Paula Smith 6–1, 6–01980 Anne Smith Paula Smith Virginia Ruzici Renáta Tomanová 6–4, 3–6, 6–41981 JoAnne Russell Virginia Ruzici Sue Barker Paula Smith 6–2, 6–21982 Ivanna Madruga Catherine Tanvier JoAnne Russell Virginia Ruzici 7–5, 7–61983 Kathleen Horvath Virginia Ruzici Gigi Fernández Beth Herr 4–6, 7–6, 6–21984 Beverly Mould Paula Smith Elise Burgin JoAnne Russell 6–2, 7–51985 Katerina Maleeva Manuela Maleeva Penny Barg Paula Smith 3–6, 6–3, 6–41986 Steffi Graf Gabriela Sabatini Gigi Fernández Robin White 6–2, 6–0

See also U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships U.S. Women's Indoor Championships

References

External links WTA Tour history