Thunderbird Classic (tennis)

The Thunderbird Classic was a Virginia Slims Circuit affiliated tennis tournament founded in 1952,[1] as a combined men's and women's tournament called the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational.[2] Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation it continued as a joint event until 1970 when it was branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open the men's event was discontinued that year.

This article is about the Virginia Slims Circuit/Thunderbird Classic. For the men's event, see Phoenix Thunderbird Open (tennis).
Thunderbird Classic
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameVirginia Slims Thunderbird Classic (1971–72)
Virginia Slims of Phoenix (1973–74)
Thunderbird Classic (1975–80)
TourILTF World Circuit (1952–71)
Virginia Slims Circuit(1972–80)
Founded1952
Abolished1980
LocationPhoenix, United States
VenuePhoenix Country Club
SurfaceHard / indoor (1952–65)
Hard / outdoor (1966–70)

In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic and ran annually under a number of name changes until 1980 when it too was discontinued.

History

The tournament was founded in 1952,[3] as the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships a joint men's and women's tennis tournament played at the Phoenix Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona, United States. In 1953 the word 'championships' was dropped from the tournament title. In 1969 the tournament went open under the brand name the Thunderbird Invitational.[4] In 1970 the tournament was re branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open,[5] and was the final year as a combined event when the men's tournament was discontinued.

In 1971 women's event became part of the Virginia Slims Circuit and was known as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic, that event carried on till 1980 when it was last known as the Thunderbird Classic before it too was abolished. The tournament was originally played on indoor hard courts from 1953 to 1965, then outdoor hard courts from 1966 to 1970. The event was originally played at the end February annually, then moved to mid to late March. It was only in 1970 that it's scheduling was moved to October that year, however the women's event carried on with the new dates.

Finals

Singles
Billie Jean King seen here in 1978, won the last of her 4 Phoenix titles in 1977.
Year Winners Runners-up Score
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation
1967United States Nancy RicheyUnited States Carol Aucamp6–1, 6–4
1968United States Patti HoganUnited States Tory Ann Fretz6–2, 6–4
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969[6]United States Nancy Richey (2)United States Patti Hogan6–2, 6–0.
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
1970Canada Vicki BernerUnited States Stephanie Tolleson6–3, 6–2
Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic
1971United States Billie Jean KingUnited States Rosie Casals7–5, 6–1
1972United States Billie Jean King (2)Australia Margaret Smith Court7–6(7–3), 6–3
Virginia Slims of Phoenix
1973United States Billie Jean King (3)United States Nancy Richey Gunter6–1, 6–3
1974United Kingdom Virginia WadeAustralia Helen Gourlay6–1, 6–2
Thunderbird Classic
1975United States Nancy Richey Gunter (3)United Kingdom Virginia Wade4–6, 7–5, 6–4
1976United States Chris EvertAustralia Dianne Fromholtz6–1, 7–5
1977United States Billie Jean King (4)Australia Wendy Turnbull1–6, 6–1, 6–0
1978United States Martina NavratilovaUnited States Tracy Austin6–4, 6–2
1979United States Martina Navratilova (2)United States Chris Evert6–1, 6–3
1980Czechoslovakia Regina MaršíkováAustralia Wendy Turnbull7–6(10–8), 7–6(7–3)

Doubles
Betty Stove seen here in 1973, won 5 Phoenix doubles titles.
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1971United States Rosie Casals
United States Billie Jean King		France Françoise Dürr
Australia Judy Tegart Dalton		6–3, 6–2
1972United States Rosie Casals (2)
United States Wendy Overton		France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve		6–4, 6–3
1973Australia Kerry Harris
Australia Kerry Melville		United States Rosie Casals
United States Billie Jean King		6–4, 6–4
1974France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve		United States Mona Schallau
United States Pam Teeguarden		6–3, 5–7, 6–3
1975France Françoise Dürr (2)
Netherlands Betty Stöve (2)		United States Rosie Casals
Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova		6–7, 6–4, 6–0
1976United States Billie Jean King (2)
Netherlands Betty Stöve (3)		South Africa Linky Boshoff
South Africa Ilana Kloss		6–2, 6–1
1977United States Billie Jean King (3)
United States Martina Navratilova		Australia Helen Gourlay Cawley
United States JoAnne Russell		6–1, 7–5
1978United States Tracy Austin
Netherlands Betty Stöve (4)		United States Martina Navratilova
United States Anne Smith		6–4, 6–7, 6–2
1979Netherlands Betty Stöve (5)
Australia Wendy Turnbull		United States Rosie Casals
United States Chris Evert		6–4, 7–6
1980United States Pam Shriver
United States Paula Smith		United States Ann Kiyomura
United States Candy Reynolds		6–0, 6–4

See also

References
  1. "T-Bird Tennis Titles Taken by Richey's". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 24 Mar 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  2. "USLTA Tournaments: Arizona". American Lawn Tennis. New York City: Rea Publications. 1952. p. 20.
  3. "T-Bird Tennis Titles Taken by Richey's". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 24 Mar 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  4. "Spanish ace heads T-Bird tennis tourney". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 16 Mar 1969. p. 75. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  5. World of Tennis 1971
  6. "T-Bird Tennis Titles Taken by Richey's". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona: The Wikipedia Library - newspapers.com. 24 Mar 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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