Virginia Slims of Houston

Virginia Slims of Houston
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameVirginia Slims of Houston (1970–78, 1983–94)
Avon Championships of Houston (1979–82)
Gallery Furniture Championships (1995)
TourWTA Tour (1970–95)
Founded1970
Abolished1995
SurfaceCarpet (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 Navratilova 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.

Finals

Singles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970 Rosemary Casals Judy Dalton 5–7, 6–1, 7–5
1971 Billie Jean King Kerry Melville 6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1972 Not Held
1973 Françoise Dürr 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 Navratilova Chris Evert 6–3, 6–4
1977 Martina Navratilova Sue Barker 7–6(5–3), 7–5
1978 Martina Navratilova Billie Jean King 1–6, 6–2, 6–2
1979 Martina Navratilova Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–2
1980 Billie Jean King Martina Navratilova 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 Navratilova Sylvia Hanika 6–3, 7–6
1984 Hana Mandlíková Manuela Maleeva 6–4, 6–2
1985 Martina Navratilova Elise Burgin 6–4, 6–1
1986 Chris Evert-Lloyd Kathy Rinaldi 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1987 Chris Evert Martina Navratilova 3–6, 6–1, 7–6
1988 Chris Evert Martina Navratilova 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 Dalton
Françoise Dürr
6–3, 1–6, 6–4
1972 Not Held
1973 Mona Schallau
Pam Teeguarden
Françoise Dürr
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 Dürr
Betty Stöve
Evonne Goolagong
Virginia Wade
2–6, 6–3, 7–6
1976 Françoise Dürr
Rosemary Casals
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
6–0, 7–5
1977 Martina Navratilova
Betty Stöve
Sue Barker
Ann Kiyomura
4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1978 Billie Jean King
Martina Navratilova
Greer Stevens
Mona Guerrant
7–6(5–4), 4–6, 7–6(5–4)
1979 Martina Navratilova
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 Navratilova
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 Navratilova
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 Navratilova
Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
6–2, 6–4
1988 Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
Martina Navratilova
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
Gigi Fernández
Jill Hetherington
Kathy Rinaldi
7–5, 6–4
1993 Katrina Adams
Manon Bollegraf
Eugenia Maniokova
Radka Zrubáková
6–3, 5–7, 7–6(9–7)
1994 Manon Bollegraf
Martina Navratilova
Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
6–4, 6–2
1995 Nicole Arendt
Manon Bollegraf
Wiltrud Probst
Rene Simpson
6–4, 6–2

References