St. Petersburg Masters Invitational

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St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameMasters Invitational (1953–65)
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational (1966–71)
Tour ILTF Circuit (1953–1971)
Founded1953;71 years ago (1953)
Abolished1971;53 years ago (1971)
Location Tampa Bay Area, Florida, U.S.
Surface Clay (1953–1971)

The St. Petersburg Masters Invitational [1] was an ILTF Circuit affiliated combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1953 as the Masters Invitational in St Augustine, Florida. [2] In 1954 that event moved to Jacksonville, Florida until 1959. In 1960 the event moved to St Petersburg. It remained at the former location until 1971. After the men's event St Petersburg Masters Invitational was discontinued in 1971 the women's event continued as the Virginia Slims Masters St Petersburg. In 1974 the men's tournament was revived as St. Petersburg WCT until 1975 when it was abolished. the women's tournament continued under various brand names and at various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was discontinued in 1990.

Contents

History

In 1953 Masters Invitational tournament was established at the St Augustine Tennis Club, St Augustine, Florida and played on outdoor clay courts. In 1954 the Masters event was moved to Jacksonville, Florida through till 1959. In 1959 it changed location to St Petersburg, Florida, [3] where it remained under that brand name until 1965. In 1966 the tournaments name was changed to the St Petersburg Masters Invitational until 1970 when the women's event became known as the Virginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg, the men's tournament continued under the same name until 1971 when it was discontinued. The tournament was part Florida–Caribbean Circuit which was a major feature of the international tennis scene in from the 1950s to early 1970s.

The women's event continued under brand name VS Masters of St Petersburg until 1973 when it was rebranded as the St Petersburg Masters Invitational in 1974 a new sponsor was found and the event became known as the Barnett Bank Masters until 1974 when it was discontinued. In 1977 the tournament was revived as the Florida Federal Open until 1985, and in 1986 becoming the Eckerd Open until it was abolished. The tournament was played on outdoor clay courts from 1953 to 1974 and from 1987 to 1990. It was played on outdoor hard courts from 1977 to 1986.

The holding of men's tournaments in the Tampa Bay Area were not as consistent as the women's event in 1974 the former St Petersburg Masters Invitational was revived and rebranded as the St. Petersburg WCT from 1974 to 1975 before that was discontinued. In 1981 a Tampa Open men's tournament held in Tampa, Florida through till 1983.

Finals

Men's singles

Results included: [4] [5]

Masters Invitational
YearChampionRunner-upScore
1953 [6] Flag of the United States.svg Art Larsen Flag of the United States.svg Gardnar Mulloy 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1954 Flag of the United States.svg Art Larsen (2) Flag of Denmark.svg Kurt Nielsen 6–2, 6–1, 6–3
1955 Flag of the United States.svg Art Larsen (3) Flag of the United States.svg Herb Flam 7–5, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1956 Flag of the United States.svg Vic Seixas Flag of the United States.svg Art Larsen 6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1957 Flag of the United States.svg Vic Seixas (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mervyn Rose 7–5, 6–1, 7–9, 9–7
1958 Flag of Chile.svg Luis Ayala Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mervyn Rose6–3, 1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1959 Flag of Mexico.svg Mario Llamas Flag of Mexico.svg Francisco Contreras 6–3, 6–4
1960 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Neale Fraser Flag of Australia (converted).svg Roy Emerson6–4, 6–0, 9–7
1961 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Roy Emerson Flag of Chile.svg Luis Ayala 6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1962 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Roy Emerson (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rod Laver 6–2, 6–4, 6–1
1963 Flag of Spain.svg Manuel Santana Flag of Australia (converted).svg Roy Emerson 6–4, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–3
1964 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Roy Emerson (3) Flag of the United States.svg Frank Froehling 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1965 Flag of India.svg Ramanathan Krishnan Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Belkin 4–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
St Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Niki Pilić Flag of the United States.svg Cliff Richey 9–7, 7–5, 8–6
1967 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Fox Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Niki Pilić 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Open era
1968 [7] Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Belkin Flag of Chile.svg Jaime Fillol 2–6, 6–0, 7–5, 6–4
1969 [8] Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Željko Franulović Flag of Chile.svg Jaime Fillol 6–4, 6–3
1970 [9] Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jan Kodeš Flag of Mexico.svg Joaquín Loyo-Mayoo 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1971 [10] Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Belkin (2) Flag of Germany.svg Harald Elschenbroich 7–5, 7–6, 6–1
For continuation of the men's event see St. Petersburg WCT

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Masters Invitational
YearChampionRunner-upScore
1953 Flag of the United States.svg Doris Hart Flag of the United States.svg Shirley Fry 6–3, 6–3
1959 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Christiane Mercelis Flag of Australia (converted).svg Marie Toomey Martin 6–3, 6–4
1960 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon Flag of the United States.svg Donna Floyd 6–1, 6–3
1961 Flag of Hungary.svg Suzy Körmöczy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon 6–2, 6–0
1962 Flag of Brazil.svg Maria Bueno Flag of the United States.svg Darlene Hard 6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1963 Flag of Brazil.svg Maria Bueno (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lesley Turner 6–2, 11–9
1964 Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Richey Flag of the United States.svg Judy Alvarez 6–3, 6–4
1965 Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Richey (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Margaret Smith 6–3, 6–2
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966 Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Richey (3) Flag of the Netherlands.svg Betty Stöve 6–2, 6–2
1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon-Jones (2) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jan Lehane O'Neill 6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968 [11] Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Richey (4) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lesley Turner Bowrey 7–5, 6–0
1969 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kerry Melville Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lesley Turner Bowrey 6–4, 6–3
1970 Flag of the United States.svg Nancy Richey (5) Flag of the United States.svg Judy Alvarez 6–0, 6–2
For continuation of the women's event see Virginia Slims Masters St Petersburg

Locations

Played from 1953 to 1990 in various locations in the Tampa Bay Area, Florida in the United States. St Augustine, Florida from 1953 to 1954, then Jacksonville, Florida from 1955 to 1959, then it was held in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1960 to 1975

Event names

Tournament records

See also

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References

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  5. "Tournament – St. Petersburg Masters Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
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  7. ATP Tour
  8. ATP Tour
  9. ATP Tour
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