The 1969 ILTF Women's Tennis Circuit was the 56th season since the formation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation in 1913, and the 95th season since the first women's tournaments were held in 1876.
Also known as the World Tennis Circuit or simply the ILTF Circuit consisted of a worldwide series of 291 tennis tournaments played across 6 continental tennis circuits and administered by the ILTF and its associate members.
The circuit began on 1 January 1969 in East London, South Africa and ended on 28 December 1969 in Paris, France.
Summary of season From 1888 until 1912 Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), grew in status and influence to become the de facto international tennis governing body before the proper International Lawn Tennis Federation commenced operations. Despite the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) forming in 1881 a good seven years before the LTA, it was the British body that set laws, settled disputes and organized the increasingly complicated tournament calendar before the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) formed in March, 1913.Lake. p.343.
After the formation of the ILTF the world tennis circuit going forward was a highly organised and structured network of national and international tournaments. Most tennis tournaments were usually mixed events for men and women, and the women's international tennis circuit certainly up to 1923 was composed mainly of tournaments on the British and European Circuits.Someren p.35. After the USNLTA joined the ILTF this would later change with more and more tournaments being staged globally. Women tennis players on the world circuit up to the open era were funded by their national associations enabling them to travel and take part in international tournaments.Someren p.31.
The 1969 ILTF women's tennis circuit began on 1 January with the Border Championships, East London, South Africa. In the four most important tournaments of the year Margaret Court defeated the defending champion Billie Jean King in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the Australian Open. It was her eighth Australian Open title and her fourteenth major title overall. In Paris French Open at Roland Garros. Margaret Court defeated Ann Jones in the final to win the women's singles tennis title. It was her third French Open title, her second major title of the year, and her fifteenth major overall.
In early summer in London, England at the Wimbledon Championships Britain's Ann Haydon Jones defeated the three-time defending American champion Billie Jean King in the final, to win the ladies' singles tennis title. It was her first Wimbledon title, and her third and last Grand Slam singles title overall. In New York the final Grand Slam tournament of the year is played at the US Open Australia's Margaret Court defeated Nancy Richey in the final, to win the women's singles tennis title. It was her third major singles title of the year, her third US Open singles title and her sixteenth singles major title overall. The circuit ended on 28 December 1969 at the Michel Bivort Cup tournament, Paris, France that was played indoors.The Tennis Base
Schedule This is a calendar of all official events that were administered by the International Lawn Tennis Federation in the year 1969, with player progression documented from the quarterfinals stage where sources permit. The table also includes Grand Slam events, and tournaments on the African, Asian, Australasia, Central American & Caribbean, European, and South American ILTF regional circuits, as part of the annual world tennis circuit.New York Daily News. 27 Aug 1970. p.349. Team events such as the Federation Cup and Wightman Cup are included.
Key Grand Slam eventsAfrican Circuit.The Scotsman (Feb 1970) p.20.Asian Circuit.Australasia Circuit.Central American/Caribbean Circuit.European Circuit.North American Circuit.South American Circuit.Team & Games events
January EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalist Quarter finalist1 Jan. Border ChampionshipsEast London, South AfricaHardSingles - Doubles Virginia Wade6–1, 3–6, 6–1 Winnie Shaw All-India Hard Court Championships Visakhapatnam, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Alice Tym6–0, 6–1 Karin Peshwaria Royal South Yarra ChampionshipsSouth Yarra, AustraliaGrassSingles - Doubles Val Bermingham3–6, 6–1, 6–4 Kerry Wilkinson Asian Championships Calcutta South Club Calcutta, IndiaGrassSingles - Doubles Nirupama Vasant6–1, 3–6, 6–3 Alice Tym 4 Jan. Eastern Province ChampionshipsEast London, South AfricaHardSingles - Doubles Pat Walkden6–4, 6–2 Virginia Wade Kathy Harter Winnie Shaw Maryna Godwin Brenda Kirk Vicky Rogers Nell Truman North Island Open ChampionshipsHamilton, New ZealandGrassSingles - Doubles Sue Blackwood3–6, 6–1, 6–4 Pam Rogan Elaine Stephan Beverly Vercoe Margaret O' Carroll Elizabeth Odgers 5 Jan.Tasmanian Open Domain Tennis Center Hobart, AustraliaGrassSingles - Doubles Kerry Melville6–3, 6–3 Rosie Casals Lesley Turner Bowrey Karen Krantzcke Evonne Goolagong Helen Gourlay Kerry Harris Billie Jean King Western Australian OpenRoyal King's Park TC Perth, AustraliaGrass – $4,773Singles - Doubles Margaret Court7–5, 6–1 Lesley Hunt Francoise Durr Ann Haydon Jones Anne Coleman Pam Hatt Judy Tegart Kerryl Treasure Manly Seaside ChampionshipsManly LTC Manly, AustraliaGrassSingles - Doubles Gail Chanfreau6–0, 6–0 Lany Kaligis Norma Marsh Frances Luff All-India Hard Court ChampionshipsMadras, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Alice Tym4–6, 6–1, 6–3 Judith Dibar Sriya Gunaratne Nirupama Vasant 11 Jan. Mallorca International Palma, SpainClaySingles - Doubles Ana María Estalella6–3, 6–3 Ingrid Loeys Orange Free State ChampionshipsBloemfontein, South AfricaHardSingles - Doubles Pat Walkden6–4, 10–8 Virginia Wade Anita van Deventer Winnie Shaw Corinne Molesworth Vicky Rogers Nell Truman 12 Jan.Victorian Open Melbourne, AustraliaGrass – $12,120Singles - Doubles Margaret Court6–1, 6–4 Kerry Harris Karen Krantzcke Kerry Melville Lesley Turner Bowrey Gail Chanfreau Helen Gourlay Lesley Hunt New Zealand ChampionshipsAuckland, New ZealandGrassSingles - Doubles Beverly Vercoe3–6, 6–1, 6–4 Shirley Collins Jill Bloxham Patsy Stevens Sue Blackwood Robyn Legge Marilyn Pride Pam Rogan South Florida Open Championships West Palm Beach TC West Palm Beach, United StatesClaySingles - Doubles Stephanie DeFina 6–1, 6–2 Anna Maria Cavadini Martha Cochran Pilar Herrero Karol Gagliano Indian National ChampionshipsNew Delhi, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Judith Dibar6–2, 6–1 Alice Tym Chere Surendra Nirupama Vasant 18 Jan. Western Province ChampionshipsCape Town, South AfricaHardSingles - Doubles Virginia Wade6–4, 6–1 Pat Walkden Annette Du Plooy Winnie Shaw Marianne Brummer Maryna Godwin Vicky Rogers Nell Truman 19 Jan.AMPOL New South Wales OpenSydney, AustraliaGrass – $27,750Singles - Doubles Margaret Court6–1, 6–2 Rosie Casals Billie Jean King Kerry Melville Lesley Turner Bowrey Ann Haydon Jones Judy Tegart Karen Krantzcke Northern India and Punjab State ChampionshipsAmritsar, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Judith Dibar6–1, 5–7, 7–5 Alice Tym Karin Peshawaria Rita Peshawaria French Covered Court ChampionshipsStade de CoubertinParis, FranceWood (i)Singles - Doubles Betty Stöve6–3, 6–3 Janine Lieffrig Ingrid Loeys Judith Salomé Jacqueline Berson Nicole Cazaux Rosie Darmon Marijke Schaar Florida State Open ChampionshipsOrlando, United StatesClaySingles - Doubles Stephanie DeFina 6–3, 6–3 Wendy Overton Judy Alvarez Chris Koutras Ana Maria Cavadini Dorte Ekner Karol Gagliano Mona Schallau March of Dimes OpenSan Diego, United StatesHardSingles - Doubles Janet Newberry6–2, 6–1 Mary Struthers Maricaye ChristensonKristien Kemmer 26 Jan.Austin Smith ChampionshipsFort Lauderdale, United StatesClaySingles - Doubles Stephanie DeFina6–3, 7–5 Mary-Ann Eisel Chris Evert Suzana Petersen Denise Conill Jane Hancock Bunny Smith Ann Lentz Danish Indoor ChampionshipsCopenhagen, DenmarkWood (i)Singles - Doubles Mari Ann Bloch Jorgensen? Milly Vagn Nielsen West German Indoor ChampionshipsCologne, West GermanyWood (i)Singles - Doubles Christina Sandberg6–3, 2–6, 8–6 Christine Truman Janes Margareta Strandberg Joyce Williams Heide Orth Alena Palmeova Betty Stöve Almut Sturm 27 Jan.North Shore ChampionshipsForrest Hill, New ZealandGrassSingles - Doubles Kimiyo Hatanaka5–7, 6–0, 7–5 Sei-Rei Cho Reiko Miyagi Cecily Mckillop Margaret O' Carroll Pam Rogan Tup Singer Beverly Vercoe Australian OpenMilton CourtsBrisbane, AustraliaGrassSingles - Doubles Margaret Court 6–4, 6–1 Billie Jean King Ann Haydon Jones Kerry Melville Rosie Casals Helen Gourlay Lesley Hunt Karen Krantzcke Margaret Court Judy Dalton 6–4, 6–4 Rosie Casals Billie Jean King 28 Jan.Central India ChampionshipsNew Delhi, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Alice Tym6–4, 6–3 Judith Dibar Karin Peshawaria Eva Lundquist
February EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalist Quarter finalist2 Feb.New Zealand Open Stanley St CourtsAuckland, New ZealandGrass - $10,000Singles - Doubles Ann Haydon Jones6–1, 6–1 Karen Krantzcke Gail Sherriff Chanfreau Billie Jean King Ruia Morrison-Davy Helen Gourlay Kimiyo Hatanaka Beverley Vercoe Scandinavian Open IndoorHelsinki, FinlandWood (i)Singles - Doubles Christina Sandberg8–6, 3–6, 6–4 Christine Truman Janes Birgitta Lindström Joyce Williams Kirsten Robsahm Gudrun Johnson Rosin Margareta Strandberg Rajasthan State Championshipsround robin eventJaipur, IndiaClaySingles - Doubles Alice Tym Eva Lundqvist 3–6, 6–3, 7–7rain abandoned playdivided title Judith Dibar (3rd) Indu Sood (4th) City of Miami ChampionshipsMiami, United StatesClaySingles - Doubles Stephanie DeFina 6–1, 6–2 Suzana Petersen Sherry Bedingfield Karol Gagliano Carol Eckert Carol Ford Annette Paluska Bunny Smith 8 Feb. Los Angeles Metropolitan ChampionshipsLos Angeles, United StatesHardSingles - Doubles Faye Urban 8–6, 6–3 Betty Ann Grubb Pat Cody Marilyn Joseph Barbara Grubb Withney Grant Evelyn Houseman Tina Watanabe 9 Feb.Polish Indoor ChampionshipsGdańsk, PolandWood (i)Singles - Doubles Danuta Rylska6–1, 6–3 Barbara Kralówna 10 Feb.USSR All-Union ChampionshipsMoscow, Soviet UnionCarpet (i)Singles - Doubles Olga Morozova6–2, 4–6, 6–3 Galina Baksheeva Tiiu Kivi Anna Ivanova Rauza Islanova Lilia Karpova T Taranova Zaiga Yansone 16 Feb.Moscow Open Championshipsround robin eventMoscow, Soviet UnionCarpet (i)Singles - Doubles Olga Morozova6–1, 4–6, 6–4 Marina Chuvirina Rauza Islanova (3rd) Maria Kull (4th) Y Bantle Yevgenyia Izopaitis Yekaterina Kruchkova Y Slepchenko New South Wales Hard Court Championships Cowra, AustraliaClaySingles - Doubles Evonne Goolagong6–4, 6–2 Wendy Gilchrist Patricia Coleman Margaret Starr Patricia Edwards Helen Sheedy 18 Feb.New England Indoor ChampionshipsPioneer Valley Indoor Tennis CentreAgawam, United StatesUniturf (i)Singles - Doubles Mary-Ann Eisel 7–5, 6–2 Esmé Emmanuel Stephanie De Fina Kristy Pigeon Betty Ann Grubb Patti Hogan Ceci Martinez Astrid Suurbeck 22 Feb.Moscow International Indoor ChampionshipsMoscow, Soviet UnionCarpet (i)Singles - Doubles Olga Morozova6–2, 4–6, 6–3 Betty Stöve Marina Chuvirina Winnie Shaw Ada Bakker Galina Baksheeva Lilia Karpova Tiiu Kivi 23 Feb.United States Indoor ChampionshipsWinchester CenterWinchester, United StatesNeoturf (i)Singles - Doubles Mary-Ann Eisel 6–3, 4–6, 6–2 Stephanie DeFina Cecilia Martinez Tory Ann Fretz Marilyn Aschner Peaches Bartkowicz Esmé Emmanuel Kristy Pigeon 26 Feb. Oakland Invitational Pro ChampionshipsChabot College Tennis CentreHayward, United StatesCarpet (i) - $18,000 Singles - Doubles Billie Jean King6–2, 6–2 Ann Haydon Jones Rosie Casals Francoise Durr Althea Gibson-Darben 28 Feb. Portland ProsMemorial Coliseum Portland, United StatesCarpet (i) - $12,000 Singles - Doubles Billie Jean King6–2, 6–2 Ann Haydon Jones Rosie Casals Althea Gibson-Darben
March