Virginia Slims of Houston

Virginia Slims of Houston
Defunct tennis tournament
Created 1970
Ended 1995
Event name Virginia Slims of Houston (1970–78, 1983–94)
Avon Championships of Houston (1979–82)
Gallery Furniture Championships (1995)
Tour WTA Tour (1970–95)
Surface Carpet (1970–84)
Clay (1985–95)

The Virginia Slims of Houston is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated tennis tournament played from 1970 to 1995. It was held in Houston, Texas in the United States and played on indoor carpet courts from 1970 to 1984 and on outdoor clay courts from 1985 to 1995.

The event has the distinction of being the first-ever tournament on the professional women's circuit, which would eventually become the WTA Tour. In 1971, the event served as the series Championships of the inaugural Virginia Slims Tour.

Martina Navrátilová was the most successful player at the tournament, winning the singles and doubles competitions six times each, partnering Dutchwomen Betty Stöve and Manon Bollegraf and Americans Janet Newberry, Pam Shriver, Elise Burgin and Kathy Jordan once each for her doubles successes.

Contents

Results

Singles

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1970 Rosemary Casals Judy Dalton 5–7, 6–1, 7–5
1971 Billie Jean King Kerry Reid 6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1972 Not Held
1973 Françoise Durr Rosemary Casals 6–4, 1–6, 6–4
1974 Chris Evert Virginia Wade 6–3, 5–7, 6–1
1975 Chris Evert Margaret Court 6–3, 6–2
1976 Martina Navrátilová Chris Evert 6–3, 6–4
1977 Martina Navrátilová Sue Barker 7–6, 7–5
1978 Martina Navrátilová Billie Jean King 1–6, 6–2, 6–2
1979 Martina Navrátilová Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–2
1980 Billie Jean King Martina Navrátilová 6–1, 6–3
1981 Hana Mandlíková Bettina Bunge 6–4, 6–4
1982 Bettina Bunge Pam Shriver 6–2, 3–6, 6–2
1983 Martina Navrátilová Sylvia Hanika 6–3, 7–6
1984 Hana Mandlíková Manuela Maleeva 6–4, 6–2
1985 Martina Navrátilová Elise Burgin 6–4, 6–1
1986 Chris Evert-Lloyd Kathy Rinaldi 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1987 Chris Evert Martina Navrátilová 3–6, 6–1, 7–6
1988 Chris Evert Martina Navrátilová 6–0, 6–4
1989 Monica Seles Chris Evert 3–6, 6–1, 6–4
1990 Katerina Maleeva Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–1, 1–6, 6–4
1991 Monica Seles Mary Joe Fernández 6–4, 6–3
1992 Monica Seles Zina Garrison 6–1, 6–1
1993 Conchita Martínez Sabine Hack 6–3, 6–2
1994 Sabine Hack Mary Pierce 7–5, 6–4
1995 Steffi Graf Åsa Carlsson 6–1, 6–1

Doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970 Not Held
1971 Rosemary Casals / Billie Jean King Judy Tegart / Françoise Durr 6–3, 1–6, 6–4
1972 Not Held
1973 Mona Schallau / Pam Teeguarden Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1974 Janet Newberry / Wendy Overton Sue Stap / Virginia Wade 4–6, 7–5, 6–2
1975 Françoise Durr / Betty Stöve Evonne Goolagong / Virginia Wade 2–6, 6–3, 7–6
1976 Françoise Durr / Rosemary Casals Chris Evert / Martina Navrátilová 6–0, 7–5
1977 Martina Navrátilová / Betty Stöve Sue Barker / Ann Kiyomura 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1978 Billie Jean King / Martina Navrátilová Greer Stevens / Mona Guerrant 7–6, 4–6, 7–6
1979 Martina Navrátilová / Janet Newberry Pam Shriver / Betty Stöve 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1980 Billie Jean King / Ilana Kloss Betty Stöve / Wendy Turnbull 3–6, 6–1, 6–4
1981 Sue Barker / Ann Kiyomura Regina Maršíková / Mary Lou Piatek 5–7, 6–4, 6–3
1982 Kathy Jordan / Pam Shriver Sue Barker / Sharon Walsh 7–6, 6–2
1983 Martina Navrátilová / Pam Shriver Jo Durie / Barbara Potter 6–4, 6–3
1984 Mima Jaušovec / Anne White Barbara Potter / Sharon Walsh 6–4, 3–6, 7–6
1985 Elise Burgin / Martina Navrátilová Manuela Maleeva / Helena Suková 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
1986 Chris Evert-Lloyd / Wendy Turnbull Elise Burgin / JoAnne Russell 6–2, 6–4
1987 Kathy Jordan / Martina Navrátilová Zina Garrison / Lori McNeil 6–2, 6–4
1988 Katrina Adams / Zina Garrison Lori McNeil / Martina Navrátilová 6–7, 6–2, 6–4
1989 Katrina Adams / Zina Garrison Gigi Fernández / Lori McNeil 6–3, 6–4
1990 Not Completed
1991 Jill Hetherington / Kathy Rinaldi Patty Fendick / Mary Joe Fernández 6–1, 2–6, 6–1
1992 Patty Fendick / Mary Joe Fernández Jill Hetherington / Kathy Rinaldi 7–5, 6–4
1993 Katrina Adams / Manon Bollegraf Eugenia Maniokova / Radka Zrubáková 6–3, 5–7, 7–6
1994 Manon Bollegraf / Martina Navrátilová Katrina Adams / Zina Garrison 6–4, 6–2
1995 Nicole Arendt / Manon Bollegraf Wiltrud Probst / Rene Simpson 6–4, 6–2

References