Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale
Introduction The '''Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale''' is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1946 as a combined men's and women's event called the '''Austin Smith Championships''' that was part of the ILTF Circuit. The tournament played at the Fort Lauderdale Tennis Club from 1946 to 1974.It was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the United States and played on outdoor clay courts.
History The Austin Smith Championships were a combined men's and women's clay court tournament first established in 1946.The event was always played on outdoor clay courts at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. In 1969 the men's tournament continued under its original brand name, whilst the women's event was renamed as the WLOD Invitational. In 1970 the combined event was discontinued as the men's tournament was dropped from the schedule. In 1970 the women's tournament was branded as the WLOD International. In 1971 two versions of the tournament one in January the WLOD Invitational and one in February the Fort Lauderdale Invitation. In 1972 the women's tournament was renamed as the S&H Green Stamp Classic for sponsorship reasons as part of the Virginia Slims Circuit until 1973.In 1974 the last edition the tournament was just branded as the Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale.
Finals ===Men's singles===(incomplete roll)YearChampionsRunners-upScore1949  Gardnar Mulloy Gardner Larned  2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 9–71950  Gardnar Mulloy (2)  Herbert Behrens 4–6, 6–4, 5–7, 6–0, 6-31951    Sidney Schwartz Donald Kaiser6–2, 6–4, 6–11952  Gardnar Mulloy (3)  Sidney Schwartz6–2, 6–1, 6–21953  Gardnar Mulloy (4) Tony Vincent6–0, 1–6, 6–1, 6–11954  Gardnar Mulloy (5) Lorne Main6–4, 6–3, 6–01955  Eddie Moylan  Johann Kupferburger6–2, 6–1, 6–41956  Jerry Moss Allen Quay15–13, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–41957  Reyno Summers  Pete Pressinger 4–6, 5–7, 6–2, 6–2, 6–11958  Gardnar Mulloy (6)  John W. Frost1–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–41959   John Powless Birger Folke8–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–11960  Don Candy Eduardo Zuleta8–6, 9–7 1961  Gardnar Mulloy (7) Miguel Olvera8–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–31962  Gardnar Mulloy(8) Carlos Fernandes1–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–11963   Ed Rubinoff Thomaz Koch4–6, 11–3, 8–6, 7–5, 6–21964  Eduardo Zuleta Gardnar Mulloy5–7, 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–31965  Frank Froehling Billy Higgins6–4, 6–2, 6–11966  Frank Froehling (2) Mike Belkin6–4, 6–11967  Frank Froehling (3) Jaime Fillol6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–31968   Frank Froehling (4) Pancho Guzmán1–6, 9–11, 6–2 ret. ↓  Open era  ↓1969  Pat Cramer Jaime Fillol6–2, 11–91970  Cliff Richey Clark Graebner  6–3, 7–5 '''Men's event discontinued'''===Women's singles===(incomplete roll):''Two editions of the tournament was held in 1971 * in January and ** in February.'' YearChampionsRunners-upScore1946  Doris Hart  Virginia Kovacs  6–0, 6–1 1948 Magda Rurac   Laura Lou Jahn 6–0, 6–2 1949  Helen Rihbany  Virginia Lee Boyer 6-2 6-1 1950  Laura Lou Jahn   Rhoda Hopkins Root 6–8, 6–3, 6–3 1951  Laura Lou Jahn (2)  Nancy Morrison 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 1952  Magda Rurac (2)  Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen  6–1, 6–3 1953  Doris Hart (2) Alicia Wright6–0, 6–2 1954  Laura Lou Jahn Kunnen (3) Hanna Kozeluhova Sladek4–6, 6–3, 6–4 1955 Karol Fageros  Marilyn Stock 6–2, 6–2 1956  Marilyn Stock   Lois Miller Osten 6–0, 6–3 1957 Maria Bueno  Martha Hernández6–2, 6–1 1958  Maria Bueno (2) Janet Hopps 1–6, 6–4, 6–4 1959 Karol Fageros (2) Marie Martin 6–4, 6–3 1960 Ann Barclay  Margaret Babbitt 6–1, 6–1 1961 Mary Habicht  Kay Hubbell 1–6, 6–4, 6–0 1962 Margaret Hellyer Stephanie DeFina 6–4, 6–3 1963  Stephanie DeFina  Carol Hanks 6–2, 5–7, 10–8 1964 Stephanie DeFina (2)  Frances Farrar 6–3, 6–0 1965  Trudy Groenman  Ellie Krocke6–4, 6–3 1966 Stephanie DeFina (3) Peachy Kellmeyer  5–7, 7–5, 6–2 1967 Stephanie DeFina (4) Peachy Kellmeyer 6–2, 6–11968  Faye Urban  Alice Tym  6–2, 6–1 ↓  Open era  ↓1969  Julie Heldman Virginia Wade 6–1, 6–4 1970 *   Nancy Richey  Peaches Bartkowicz   6–3, 6–0 1970 **   Chris Evert  Laurie Fleming  6–2, 6–1 1971  Françoise Dürr   Billie Jean King  6–3, 3–6, 6–3 1972   Chris Evert (2)  Billie Jean King  6–1, 6–0 1973   Chris Evert (3)  Virginia Wade  6–1, 6–2 1974   Chris Evert (4)  Kerry Reid  Walkover===Women's doubles===YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1972   Judy Tegart   Françoise Dürr   Nancy Richey   Virginia Wade  6–3, 6–2 1973   Gail Sherriff   Virginia Wade   Evonne Goolagong   Janet Young  4–6, 6–3, 6–2 1974   Françoise Dürr   Betty Stöve   Patti Hogan   Sharon Walsh  6–3, 6–2
Event names * Austin Smith Championships (1946–1968) (Combined men's & women's event)* Austin Smith Championships (1969–1970) (men's event)* WLOD Invitational (1969–1971) (women's event)* Fort Lauderdale Invitation (1971 women's event 2nd meeting) * S&H Green Stamp Classic  (1972–1973)* Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale (1974)
See also * 1973 Virginia Slims of Fort Lauderdale
References
External links *  WTA Results Archive