Phoenix Thunderbird Open (tennis)

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.

This article is about the men's ILTF Grand Prix Circuit/Phoenix Thunderbird Open. For the women's event, see Thunderbird Classic (tennis).
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit (1952–69)
ILTF Grand Prix Circuit (1970)
Founded1952
Abolished1970
Editions18
LocationPhoenix, United States
VenuePhoenix Country Club
SurfaceHard / indoor (1952–65)
Hard / outdoor (1966–70)

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

Singles

Included:[8]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
Phoenix Thunderbird Championships
1952 Tony Trabert Bob Perry6–1, 6–2, 8–6
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational
1953 Tony Trabert Bob Perry6–1, 6–2, 8–6
1954 Arthur Larsen Tom Brown6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1955 Arthur Larsen (2) Herbert Flam6–4, 6–1
1956 Tom Brown Gardnar Mulloy6–4, 8–6
1957 Alex Olmedo Noel Brown6–3, 6–2
1958 Gilbert Shea Myron Franks7–5, 11–9
1959 Hugh Stewart Tom Brown3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1960 Tom Brown (2) Whitney Reed4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1961 Whitney Reed Jon Douglas6–4, 6–3
Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation
1962 Tut Bartzen Allen Fox6–4,6–4
1963 Charlie Pasarell Allen Fox2–6, 6–3, 6–2
1964 Charlie Pasarell (2) Dennis Ralston6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1965 Chuck McKinley Arthur Ashe8–10, 6–4, 10–8
1966 Arthur Ashe Jim Osborne3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1967 Stan Smith Allen Fox7–5, 6–3
1968 Stan Smith (2) Bob Lutz4–6, 6–2, 6–1
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969 [9] Cliff Richey Manuel Santana6–4, 6–4
Phoenix Thunderbird Open
1970 Stan Smith (3) Jim Osborne6–3, 6–7, 6–1

Doubles
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1970 Dick Crealy
Ray Ruffels		 Jan Kodeš
Charlie Pasarell		7–6, 6–3

See also

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
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