1979 Italian Open (tennis)

1979 Italian Open
Date 21 - 27 May (M)
7 – 13 May (W)
Edition 36th
Draw 64MS/32WS/32MD/16WD
Prize money $175,000 (M)
$100,000 (W)
Surface Clay / outdoor
Location Rome, Italy
Venue Foro Italico
Champions
Men's Singles
United States Vitas Gerulaitis [1]
Women's Singles
United States Tracy Austin
Men's Doubles
United States Peter Fleming / Czechoslovakia Tomáš Šmíd [2]
Women's Doubles
Netherlands Betty Stöve / Australia Wendy Turnbull

The 1979 Italian Open was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament that was played on outdoor clay courts at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. It was the 36th edition of the tournament. The men's tournament was part of the 1979 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix while the women's tournament, held separately for the first time, was part of the Colgate Series (Category AAA). The women's event was played from 7 May through 13 May 1979 while the men's event was organized from 21 May through 27 May 1979. After a final that lasted five hours and nine minutes second-seeded Vitas Gerulaitis won the men's singles title, his second Italian Open title after 1977, and the accompanying $28,000 first-prize money.[3] The women's singles title was won by third-seeded Tracy Austin. In the semifinal Austin defeated compatriot Chris Evert-Lloyd which ended Evert-Lloyd's record 125-match winning streak on clay that had started in August 1973.[4][5]

Winners

Men's Singles

United States Vitas Gerulaitis defeated Argentina Guillermo Vilas 6–7, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4, 6–2

Women's Singles

United States Tracy Austin defeated West Germany Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 1–6, 6–3

Men's Doubles

United States Peter Fleming / Czechoslovakia Tomáš Šmíd defeated Argentina José Luis Clerc / Romania Ilie Năstase 4–6, 6–1, 7–5

Women's Doubles

Netherlands Betty Stöve / Australia Wendy Turnbull defeated Australia Evonne Goolagong / Australia Kerry Reid 6–3, 6–4

References

  1. ↑ "ATP – 1979 Rome Men's Singles draw". ATP.
  2. ↑ "ATP – 1979 Rome Men's Doubles draw". ATP.
  3. ↑ "Gerulaitis Outlasts Vilas at Rome". The Palm Beach Post. 28 May 1979. p. D3.
  4. ↑ "Lloyd streak was one of top feats in tennis". Lawrence Journal-World. AP. 20 May 1979. p. 6B.
  5. ↑ John Barrett, ed. (1980). World of Tennis 1980 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 88–89, 144–145. ISBN 9780362020120. OCLC 237184610.
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