Southern California Open

Mercury Insurance Open 
WTA Tour
Location San Diego, California
 United States
Venue La Costa Resort and Spa
Category WTA Tier I
(2004–2007)
WTA Premier tournaments
(2010–)
Surface Hardcourt / Outdoor
Draw 56S / 32SQ / 16D
Prize Money US$ 700,000

The Southern California Open, currently sponsored by Mercury Insurance and titled the Mercury Insurance Open is a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. It was classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament from 2004 until 2007.

The event was formed in 1984 by Raquel Giscafre as the Ginny of San Diego [1]. Prior to this there had been two previous women's tennis tournaments in San Diego: a Virginia Slims event in 1971 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 the Tier I status only recently, 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 number ones 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).

On September 7, 2009, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced the return of professional women's tennis to San Diego in 2010. The Mercury Insurance Open is slated to begin August 2, 2010. The Mercury Insurance Open replaces the LA Women's Tennis Championships on the WTA Tour calendar. The tournament will be a Premier event with $700,000 in prize money. Although the Mercury Insurance Open is under new management, Raquel Giscafre will stay on as the tournament director.

Sponsor history:

Contents

Past finals

Singles

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1971 Billie Jean King   Rosemary Casals 3–6, 7–5, 6–1
1972-78 Not Held
1979 Tracy Austin Martina Navrátilová 6–4, 6–2
1980 Tracy Austin Wendy Turnbull 6–1, 6–3
1981 Tracy Austin Pam Shriver 6–2, 5–7, 6–2
1982 Tracy Austin Kathy Rinaldi 7–6, 6–3
1983 Not Held
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
1990 Steffi Graf Manuela Maleeva Fragnière 6–3, 6–2
1991 Jennifer Capriati Monica Seles 4–6, 6–1, 7–6 (7–2)
1992 Jennifer Capriati Conchita Martínez 6–3, 6–2
1993 Steffi Graf Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1994 Steffi Graf 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 Venus Williams 6–4, 6–0
2000 Venus Williams Monica Seles 6–0, 6–7 (3–7), 6–2
2001 Venus Williams Monica Seles 6–2, 6–3
2002 Venus Williams Jelena Dokić 6–2, 6–2
2003 Justine Henin Kim Clijsters 3–6, 6–2, 6–3
↓  Tier I tournament  ↓
2004 Lindsay Davenport 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 Patty Schnyder 6–2, 3–6, 6–0
2008-09 Not Held
2010 Svetlana Kuznetsova Agnieszka Radwańska 6–4, 6–7(7), 6–3
2011 Agnieszka Radwańska   Vera Zvonareva   6–3, 6–4

Doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1971 Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King		 Françoise Durr
Judy Tegart Dalton		 6–7, 6–2, 6–3
1972
-
1978		 Not Held
1979 Rosemary Casals
Martina Navrátilová		 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
Paula Smith		 Patrica Medrado
Claudia Monteiro		 6–3, 5–7, 7–6
1983 Not Held
1984 Betsy Nagelsen
Paula Smith		 Terry Holladay
Iwona Kuczyńska		 6–2, 6–4
1985 Candy Reynolds
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
1990 Patty Fendick
Zina Garrison		 Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer		 6–4, 7–6 (7–5)
1991 Jill Hetherington
Kathy Rinaldi		 Gigi Fernández
Nathalie Tauziat		 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1992 Jana Novotná
Larisa Neiland		 Conchita Martínez
Mercedes Paz		 6–1, 6–4
1993 Gigi Fernández
Helena Suková		 Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Smylie		 6–4, 6–3
1994 Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		 Ginger Helgeson
Rachel McQuillan		 6–3, 6–3
1995 Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva		 Alexia Dechaume-Balleret
Sandrine Testud		 6–2, 6–1
1996 Gigi Fernández
Conchita Martínez		 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Larisa Neiland		 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1997 Martina Hingis
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		 Amy Frazier
Kimberly Po		 6–3, 7–5
1998 Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva		 Alexandra Fusai
Nathalie Tauziat		 6–2, 6–1
1999 Lindsay Davenport
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
Rennae Stubbs		 Virginia Ruano Pascual
Paola Suárez		 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
2005 Conchita Martínez
Virginia Ruano Pascual		 Daniela Hantuchová
Ai Sugiyama		 6–7 (7–9), 6–1, 7–5
2006 Cara Black
Rennae Stubbs		 Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Meghann Shaughnessy		 6–2, 6–2
2007 Cara Black
Liezel Huber		 Anna Chakvetadze
Victoria Azarenka		 7–5, 6–3
2008-09 Not Held
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

See also

External links

References and footnotes

  1. ^ "Acura has come a long way, baby, but its run is ending". http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070729-9999-1s29acura.html. Retrieved 2007-08-04. 
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Miami		 Favorite WTA Tier I - II Tournament
1996		 Succeeded by
Indian Wells
San Diego tournaments
1971 NH NH NH NH NH NH NH 1979
1980 1981 1982 NH 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 NH NH
2010 2011
1988–2008 Berlin · 1988–2008 Miami · 1990–2008 Charleston · 1990 Chicago · 1990–2008 Montréal/Toronto · 1990–2008 Rome · 1991–1992 Boca Raton
1993–1995 Philadelphia · 1993–2008 Tokyo · 1993–2007 Zürich · 1997–2008 Indian Wells · 1997–2008 Moscow · 2004–2007 San Diego · 2008 Doha
1988 Eastbourne • New Orleans 1988–1989 Brighton • California • Filderstadt • Dallas • Chicago • Tokyo Indoor • 1988–1990 Houston • 1989 Indian Wells • Zurich • 1989/2004–2008 Cincinnati
1990 Tampa • Newport • 1990–1991 San Diego • 1990–1992 San Antonio • Leipzig • 1991–1992 Barcelona • 1992–1994 Lucerne • Osaka • 1993/2007–2008 Budapest • 1993 Kitzbühel • 1993–1994 Schenectady 1993–1997 Linz • 1993–2008 Oklahoma City/Memphis • Strasbourg • Tokyo Outdoor • Birmingham • Quebec City • 1994–1996 Moscow (Ladies Open)  • 1995 San Juan • 1995/2000–2003 Zagreb/Bol • 1995–1996 Jakarta
1995–1998/2002 Warsaw • 1996 Moscow (Kremlin Cup) • 1996–2004/2008 Luxembourg City • 1996–2008 's-Hertogenbosch • 1997–2003 Madrid • 1997–2008 Gold Coast • 1998 Prague • Boston • 1999 Cairo
1999–2004 Sopot • 1999–2008 Kuala Lumpur/Bali • 2000–2004 Vienna • 2001 Canberra • 2001–2003 Doha • 2001–2008 Bogotá • Acapulco • 2004–2006 Hasselt • 2004–2008 Guangzhou • 2005–2007 Bangkok • Kolkata • 2005–2008 Istanbul • 2006–2008 Bangalore • 2007–2008 Bad Gastein • 2008 Viña del Mar
1988 Rome · Zürich · 1988–1989 Hamburg · Mahwah · Newport · San Antonio · San Diego · Sydney · Tampa · Taipei  · 1988–1993 San Juan/Dorado · 1990 Wichita · 1990–1991 Albuquerque · Nashville
1990–1992 Birmingham · Brisbane · Geneva/Lucerne · Indianapolis · Oklahoma City · Paris · Strasbourg · Tokyo · 1990–1992/1994–1998 Kitzbühel/Styria/Maria Lankowitz · 1990/1994 Singapore/Kallang
1990–2000/2005–2008 Palermo 1990/2007–2008 Barcelona · 1991–1992 Bayonne · 1992–1993 Kuala Lumpur · 1992–1997/2005–2008 Prague/Karlovy Vary · 1992–1994 Taiwan · 1993 Hong Kong · San Marino · Sapporo
1993–1994 Taranto · 1993–1994/1997 Jakarta · 1993/1999–2000 Curitba/Sao Paulo · 1993/1999–2000/2002 Liege/Anvers/Brussels · 1993–2000/2001–2008 Auckland · 1993–2000/2005–2008 Pattaya · 1994 Melbourne
1994–1996/2000–2002 Shanghai/Peking · 1994–1997 Surabaya · 1994–2000/2006–2008 Hobart · 1995 Bournemouth · Nagoya · 1996–1997 Cardiff · 1996–1999 Bol · 1996–2000/2005–2006 Budapest · 1998 Istanbul · Sopot
1998–2000 Bogota · Bratislava · 1999 Prostějov · Vienna · 1999–2000 Warsaw · 1999–2001 Knokke-Zoute · 1999–2003/2005–2008 Estoril · 1999–2008 Tashkent · 2001 Basel · 2001–2002 Porto · Waikoloa · 2002–2003 Sarasota
2002–2008 Espoo/Stockholm · 2003–2005 Hyderabad · 2004–2008 Seoul · 2005 Modena · 2005–2008 Forest Hills · Portoroz · Rabat/Fes · 2006 Canberra
ATP World Tour
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
Stanford · San Diego (2004–2007, 2010–present) · Los Angeles (2004–2009) · Cincinnati (2009–present) · Toronto / Montreal · New Haven · New York