St. Petersburg Masters Invitational

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.

St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameMasters Invitational (1953–65)
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational (1966–71)
TourILTF Circuit (1953–1971)
Founded1953 (1953)
Abolished1971 (1971)
LocationTampa Bay Area, Florida, U.S.
SurfaceClay (1953–1971)

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
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1953[6] Art Larsen Gardnar Mulloy6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1954 Art Larsen (2) Kurt Nielsen6–2, 6–1, 6–3
1955 Art Larsen (3) Herb Flam7–5, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1956 Vic Seixas Art Larsen6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1957 Vic Seixas (2) Mervyn Rose7–5, 6–1, 7–9, 9–7
1958 Luis Ayala Mervyn Rose6–3, 1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1959 Mario Llamas Francisco Contreras6–3, 6–4
1960 Neale Fraser Roy Emerson6–4, 6–0, 9–7
1961 Roy Emerson Luis Ayala6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1962 Roy Emerson (2) Rod Laver6–2, 6–4, 6–1
1963 Manuel Santana Roy Emerson6–4, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–3
1964 Roy Emerson (3) Frank Froehling6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1965 Ramanathan Krishnan Mike Belkin4–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
St Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966 Niki Pilić Cliff Richey9–7, 7–5, 8–6
1967 Allen Fox Niki Pilić6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Open era
1968[7] Mike Belkin Jaime Fillol2–6, 6–0, 7–5, 6–4
1969[8] Željko Franulović Jaime Fillol6–4, 6–3
1970[9] Jan Kodeš Joaquín Loyo-Mayoo6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1971[10] Mike Belkin (2) Harald Elschenbroich7–5, 7–6, 6–1
For continuation of the men's event see St. Petersburg WCT

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Masters Invitational
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1953 Doris Hart Shirley Fry6–3, 6–3
1959 Christiane Mercelis Marie Toomey Martin6–3, 6–4
1960 Ann Haydon Donna Floyd6–1, 6–3
1961 Suzy Körmöczy Ann Haydon6–2, 6–0
1962 Maria Bueno Darlene Hard6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1963 Maria Bueno (2) Lesley Turner6–2, 11–9
1964 Nancy Richey Judy Alvarez6–3, 6–4
1965 Nancy Richey (2) Margaret Smith6–3, 6–2
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966 Nancy Richey (3) Betty Stöve6–2, 6–2
1967 Ann Haydon-Jones (2) Jan Lehane O'Neill6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968[11] Nancy Richey (4) Lesley Turner Bowrey7–5, 6–0
1969 Kerry Melville Lesley Turner Bowrey6–4, 6–3
1970 Nancy Richey (5) Judy Alvarez6–0, 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
  • 1953–1965 Masters Invitational
  • 1966–1971 St Petersburg Masters Invitational
  • 1975–1976 St. Petersburg WCT

Tournament records

See also

References
  1. "Tennis". St Louis Sporting News. St. Louis, Missouri: Newspaper Archives. April 27, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  2. "Sports in Brief by the Associated Press". Biloxi Daily. Biloxi, Mississippi: Newspaper Archives. March 10, 1953. p. 13. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. "Tournament: St Petersburg – Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  4. "Tournament – Masters Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  5. "Tournament – St. Petersburg Masters Invitation". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  6. Sports in Brief by the Associated Press. Biloxi Daily. Biloxi, Mississippi: Newspaper Archives. March 10, 1953. p. 13.
  7. ATP Tour
  8. ATP Tour
  9. ATP Tour
  10. ATP Tour
  11. Tennis, St Louis Sporting News. St. Louis, Missouri: Newspaper Archives. April 27, 1968. p. 8.
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