U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships

U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameU.S. Open Clay Courts
TourGrand Prix (1971–1972)
WTA Tour (1973–1986)
Founded1912
Abolished1986
Editions55
LocationVarious
United States
SurfaceClay

The U.S. Open Clay Courts, known formally as the U.S. Clay Court Championships, was a national tennis championship for women that was sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association. The first edition was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1912, two years after the first men's championships, and was won by May Sutton.[1][2] The final edition was held in 1986 and won by Steffi Graf. The tournament was not held in 1913, 1924–1939 and 1942. The doubles event was first held in 1914.[2]

Nancy Richey and Chris Evert won more singles titles (6) at this tournament than any other woman. Linda Tuero holds the record for runners-up in singles (3).

Locations

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  • 1912: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • 1913: Not held
  • 1914: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati Tennis Club)
  • 1915: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Athletic Association)
  • 1916: Cleveland, Ohio (Lakewood Tennis Club)
  • 1917: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati Tennis Club)
  • 1918–19: Chicago, Illinois (South Side Tennis Club)
  • 1920: Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Tennis Club)
  • 1921–23: Buffalo, New York (Park Club)
  • 1924–39: Not held
  • 1940–41: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club)
  • 1942: Not held
  • 1943–44: Detroit, Michigan (Detroit Tennis Club)
  • 1947: Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake Tennis Club)
  • 1948–54: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club)
  • 1955: Atlanta, Georgia (Bryan M. Grant, Jr. Tennis Center)
  • 1956–65: River Forest, Illinois (River Forest Tennis Club)
  • 1966–68: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Town Club)
  • 1969–86: Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis Racquet Club)

Finals

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Singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1912 United States May Sutton United States Mary Browne 6–4, 6–2
1913 Not held
1914 United States Mary Browne United States Louise Riddell Williams 6–1, 3–6, 6–2
1915 Norway Molla Bjurstedt United States Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman 3–6, 6–1, 6–3
1916 Norway Molla Bjurstedt United States Martha Guthrie 8–6, 6–3
1917 United States Ruth Sanders United States W. E. Ellis 6–1, 6–3
1918 United States Carrie Neely United States Adelaide Yager 6–4, 6–2
1919 United States Corinne Gould United States Carrie Neely 6–4, 6–2
1920 United States Marion Zinderstein United States Corinne Gould 6–0, 6–1
1921 United States Ann Sheafe Cole United States Anna Godfrey 6–0, 6–3
1922 Canada Lois Moyes Bickle United States Leslie Bancroft 3–6, 6–1, 7–5
1923 United States Mayme McDonald United States Lilian Scharman 7–5, 1–6, 6–4
1924 –
1939
Not held
1940 United States Alice Marble United States Gracyn Wheeler 7–5, 6–0
1941 United States Pauline Betz United States Mary Arnold 6–3, 6–1
1942 Not held
1943 United States Pauline Betz United States Nancy Corbett 6–1, 6–0
1944 United States Dorothy Bundy United States Mary Arnold 7–5, 6–4
1945 United States Sarah Palfrey Cooke United States Pauline Betz 6–3, 7–5
1946 United States Barbara Krase United States Virginia Kovacs 10–8, 6–4
1947 United States Mary Arnold Prentiss United States Dorothy Head 6–1, 6–1
1948 Romania Magda Rurac United States Dorothy Head 6–2, 6–0
1949 Romania Magda Rurac United States Beverly Baker 2–6, 9–7, 6–3
1950 United States Doris Hart United States Shirley Fry 6–1, 6–3
1951 United States Dorothy Head United States Patricia Canning Todd 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1952 United States Anita Kanter United States Lucille Davidson 6–4, 6–3
1953 United States Maureen Connolly United States Althea Gibson 6–4, 6–4
1954 United States Maureen Connolly United States Doris Hart 6–3, 6–1
1955 United States Dorothy Head Knode United States Barbara Breit 6–4, 6–3
1956 United States Shirley Fry United States Althea Gibson 7–5, 6–1
1957 United States Althea Gibson United States Darlene Hard 6–2, 6–3
1958 United States Dorothy Head Knode[3] United States Karol Fageros 6–3, 6–8, 6–2
1959 United States Sally Moore South Africa Sandra Reynolds 6–2, 2–6, 6–3
1960 United States Dorothy Head Knode United States Gwyneth Thomas 6–3, 6–4
1961 West Germany Edda Buding United States Karen Hantze 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1962 United States Donna Floyd United States Carole Caldwell 6–3, 6–1
1963 United States Nancy Richey United States Victoria Palmer 6–1, 6–1
1964 United States Nancy Richey United States Carole Caldwell Graebner 6–2, 6–1
1965 United States Nancy Richey United States Julie Heldman 5–7, 6–3, 9–7
1966 United States Nancy Richey United States Stephanie DeFina 6–2, 6–2
1967 United States Nancy Richey United States Rosemary Casals 6–2, 6–3
1968 United States Nancy Richey United States Linda Tuero 6–3, 6–3
1969 France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau United States Linda Tuero 6–2, 6–2
1970 United States Linda Tuero France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau 7–5, 6–1
1971 United States Billie Jean King United States Linda Tuero 6–4, 7–5
1972 United States Chris Evert Australia Evonne Goolagong 7–6(5–2), 6–1
1973 United States Chris Evert United Kingdom Veronica Burton 6–4, 6–3
1974 United States Chris Evert France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau 6–0, 6–0
1975 United States Chris Evert Australia Dianne Fromholtz 6–3, 6–4
1976 United States Kathy May South Africa Brigitte Cuypers 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
1977 United States Laura DuPont United States Nancy Richey 6–4, 6–3
1978 United States Dana Gilbert Argentina Viviana González 6–2, 6–3
1979 United States Chris Evert Australia Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6–4, 6–3
1980 United States Chris Evert United States Andrea Jaeger 6–4, 6–3
1981 United States Andrea Jaeger Romania Virginia Ruzici 6–1, 6–0
1982 Romania Virginia Ruzici Czechoslovakia Helena Suková 6–2, 6–0
1983 Hungary Andrea Temesvári United States Zina Garrison 6–2, 6–2
1984 Bulgaria Manuela Maleeva United States Lisa Bonder 6–4, 6–3
1985 Hungary Andrea Temesvári United States Zina Garrison 7–6, 6–3
1986 West Germany Steffi Graf Argentina Gabriela Sabatini 2–6, 7–6, 6–4

Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1944 United States Pauline Betz
United States Doris Hart
1945 United States Pauline Betz
United States Doris Hart
1946 United States Shirley Fry
United States Mary Arnold Prentiss
United States Virginia Kovacs
United States Barbara Scofield
6–4, 6–1
1947 United States Gussie Moran
United States Mary Arnold Prentiss
United States Shirley Fry
United States Barbara Krase
6–4, 6–4
1948 Not held
1949 Not held
1950 United States Shirley Fry
United States Doris Hart
United States Beverly Baker
Romania Magda Rurac
2–6, 6–4, 6–4
1951 Romania Magda Rurac
United States Patricia Canning Todd
United States Dorothy Head
United States Anita Kanter
1952 United States Lucille Davidson
United States Doris Popple
United States Anita Kanter
United States Joan Merciadas
7–5, 6–4
1953 United States Anita Kanter
Australia Thelma Coyne Long
United States Maureen Connolly
United States Julia Sampson
6–3, 6–0
1954 United States Maureen Connolly
United States Doris Hart
United States Althea Gibson
United States Ethel Norton
6–3, 6–2
1955 United States Dorothy Head Knode
United States Janet Hopps
United States Pat Shaffer
United States Barbara Breit
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1956 United States Shirley Fry
United States Dorothy Head Knode
Mexico Martha Hernández
Mexico Yola Ramírez
6–2, 6–2
1957 United States Althea Gibson
United States Darlene Hard
United States Karol Fageros
United States Jeanne Arth
6–3, 6–0
1958 United States Karol Fageros
United States Dorothy Head Knode
1959 South Africa Sandra Reynolds
South Africa Renée Schuurman
United States Jeanne Arth
United States Janet Hopps
1960 United States Darlene Hard
United States Billie Jean Moffitt
United States Justina Bricka
United States Carol Hanks
6–3, 6–4
1961 United States Justina Bricka
United States Carol Hanks
1962 United States Darlene Hard
United States Susan Behlmar
1963 Brazil Maria Bueno
United States Darlene Hard
1964 United States Carole Graebner
United States Nancy Richey
1965 United States Carole Graebner
United States Nancy Richey
1966 Australia Karen Krantzcke
Australia Kerry Melville
South Africa Esmé Emmanuel
South Africa Maryna Godwin
1–6, 6–4, 6–4
1967 Australia Karen Krantzcke
Australia Kerry Melville
1968 United States Nancy Richey
United States Valerie Ziegenfuss
1969 Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey
France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau
United States Emilie Burrer
United States Linda Tuero
6–0, 10–8
1970 United States Rosemary Casals
France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau
Australia Helen Gourlay
South Africa Patricia Walkden
6–2, 6–2
1971 Australia Judy Tegart Dalton
United States Billie Jean King
United States Julie Heldman
United States Linda Tuero
6–1, 6–2
1972 Australia Evonne Goolagong
Australia Lesley Hunt
Australia Margaret Smith Court
United States Pam Teeguarden
6–2, 6–1
1973 United States Patti Hogan
United States Sharon Walsh
Uruguay Fiorella Bonicelli
Colombia María-Isabel Fernández
6–4, 6–4
1974 France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau
United States Julie Heldman
United States Chris Evert
United States Jeanne Evert
6–3, 6–1
1975 Uruguay Fiorella Bonicelli
Colombia María-Isabel Fernández
France Gail Sherriff Chanfreau
United States Julie Heldman
3–6, 7–5, 6–3
1976 South Africa Linky Boshoff
South Africa Ilana Kloss
United States Laura DuPont
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–2, 6–3
1977 South Africa Linky Boshoff
South Africa Ilana Kloss
United States Mary Carillo
United States Wendy Overton
5–7, 7–5, 6–3
1978 Sweden Helena Anliot
Denmark Helle Sparre-Viragh
United States Barbara Hallquist
United States Sheila McInerney
6–3, 6–1
1979 United States Kathy Jordan
United States Anne Smith
United States Penny Johnson
United States Paula Smith
6–1, 6–0
1980 United States Anne Smith
United States Paula Smith
Romania Virginia Ruzici
Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová
6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1981 United States JoAnne Russell
Romania Virginia Ruzici
United Kingdom Sue Barker
United States Paula Smith
6–2, 6–2
1982 Argentina Ivanna Madruga
France Catherine Tanvier
United States JoAnne Russell
Romania Virginia Ruzici
7–5, 7–6
1983 United States Kathleen Horvath
Romania Virginia Ruzici
United States Gigi Fernández
United States Beth Herr
4–6, 7–6, 6–2
1984 South Africa Beverly Mould
United States Paula Smith
United States Elise Burgin
United States JoAnne Russell
6–2, 7–5
1985 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva
Bulgaria Manuela Maleeva
United States Penny Barg
United States Paula Smith
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1986 West Germany Steffi Graf
Argentina Gabriela Sabatini
United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
6–2, 6–0

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Norris Williams New Tennis Champ". The Pittsburgh Press. Jul 2, 1912.
  2. ^ a b Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 337, 338. ISBN 9780047960420.
  3. ^ "Knode, Tut Give Foes Lessons". The Miami News. Jul 20, 1958.
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