Phoenix Thunderbird Open (tennis)

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Phoenix Thunderbird Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour ILTF World Circuit (1952–69)
ILTF Grand Prix Circuit (1970)
Founded1952
Abolished1970
Editions18
Location Phoenix, United States
Venue Phoenix Country Club
Surface Hard / indoor (1952–65)
Hard / outdoor (1966–70)

The Phoenix Thunderbird Open [1] was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1952 as Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational. [2] Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational it continued as a joint event until 1970 when the men's event was discontinued. [3] In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic that event continued until 1980.

Contents

The tournament was part of the ILTF North America Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1952 to 1969. In 1970 it became ILTF Grand Prix Circuit for that year only.

History

The tournament was founded in 1952, [4] 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 tournaments title becoming the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational. In 1969 the tournament went open under the brand name the Thunderbird Invitational. [5] In 1970 the tournament was re branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open, [6] 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 its scheduling was moved to October that year, however the women's event carried on with the new dates.

The current successor tennis event for men played at the same venue is the Arizona Tennis Classic. [7]

Finals

Stan Smith in 2009, won 3 T.Bird singles titles. Stan Smith 2009 US Open 01.jpg
Stan Smith in 2009, won 3 T.Bird singles titles.

Singles

Included: [8]

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
Phoenix Thunderbird Championships
1952 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Trabert Flag of the United States.svg Bob Perry 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational
1953 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Trabert Flag of the United States.svg Bob Perry 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
1954 Flag of the United States.svg Arthur Larsen Flag of the United States.svg Tom Brown 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1955 Flag of the United States.svg Arthur Larsen (2) Flag of the United States.svg Herbert Flam 6–4, 6–1
1956 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Brown Flag of the United States.svg Gardnar Mulloy 6–4, 8–6
1957 Flag of Peru.svg Alex Olmedo Flag of the United States.svg Noel Brown 6–3, 6–2
1958 Flag of the United States.svg Gilbert Shea Flag of the United States.svg Myron Franks 7–5, 11–9
1959 Flag of the United States.svg Hugh Stewart Flag of the United States.svg Tom Brown 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1960 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Brown (2) Flag of the United States.svg Whitney Reed 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1961 Flag of the United States.svg Whitney Reed Flag of the United States.svg Jon Douglas 6–4, 6–3
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation
1962 Flag of the United States.svg Tut Bartzen Flag of the United States.svg Allen Fox 6–4,6–4
1963 Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Pasarell Flag of the United States.svg Allen Fox 2–6, 6–3, 6–2
1964 Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Pasarell (2) Flag of the United States.svg Dennis Ralston 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1965 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck McKinley Flag of the United States.svg Arthur Ashe 8–10, 6–4, 10–8
1966 Flag of the United States.svg Arthur Ashe Flag of the United States.svg Jim Osborne 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1967 Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith Flag of the United States.svg Allen Fox 7–5, 6–3
1968 Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith (2) Flag of the United States.svg Bob Lutz 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
   Open Era   
1969 [9] Flag of the United States.svg Cliff Richey Flag of Spain.svg Manuel Santana 6–4, 6–4
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
1970 Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith (3) Flag of the United States.svg Jim Osborne 6–3, 6–7, 6–1

Doubles

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
1970 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Crealy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ray Ruffels
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jan Kodeš
Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Pasarell
7–6, 6–3

See also

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References

  1. Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). "US Tournaments". World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 243. ISBN   978-0-362-00091-7.
  2. "USLTA Tournaments: Arizona". American Lawn Tennis. New York City: Rea Publications. 1952. p. 20.
  3. Archives, Tennis (2017). "Thunderbird Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  4. "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.
  5. "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.
  6. World of Tennis 1971
  7. "Phoenix: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. Archives, Tennis (2017). "Thunderbird Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  9. The Arizona Republic (1969)

Sources