St. Petersburg Masters Invitational

The St. Petersburg Masters Invitational[1] was a 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 mens 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]United States Art LarsenUnited States Gardnar Mulloy6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1954United States Art Larsen (2)Denmark Kurt Nielsen6–2, 6–1, 6–3
1955United States Art Larsen (3)United States Herb Flam7–5, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1956United States Vic SeixasUnited States Art Larsen6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1957United States Vic Seixas (2)Australia Mervyn Rose7–5, 6–1, 7–9, 9–7
1958Chile Luis AyalaAustralia Mervyn Rose6–3, 1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1959Mexico Mario LlamasMexico Francisco Contreras6–3, 6–4
1960Australia Neale FraserAustralia Roy Emerson6–4, 6–0, 9–7
1961Australia Roy EmersonChile Luis Ayala6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1962Australia Roy Emerson (2)Australia Rod Laver6–2, 6–4, 6–1
1963Spain Manuel SantanaAustralia Roy Emerson6–4, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–3
1964Australia Roy Emerson (3)United States Frank Froehling6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1965India Ramanathan KrishnanCanada Mike Belkin4–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
St Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki PilićUnited States Cliff Richey9–7, 7–5, 8–6
1967United States Allen FoxSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Open era
1968[7]Canada Mike BelkinChile Jaime Fillol2–6, 6–0, 7–5, 6–4
1969[8]Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko FranulovićChile Jaime Fillol6–4, 6–3
1970[9]Czechoslovakia Jan KodešMexico Joaquín Loyo-Mayoo6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1971[10]Canada Mike Belkin (2)West Germany Harald Elschenbroich7–5, 7–6, 6–1
For continuation of the mens event see St. Petersburg WCT

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Masters Invitational
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1953United States Doris HartUnited States Shirley Fry6–3, 6–3
1959Belgium Christiane MercelisAustralia Marie Toomey Martin6–3, 6–4
1960United Kingdom Ann HaydonUnited States Donna Floyd6–1, 6–3
1961Hungary Suzy KörmöczyUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon6–2, 6–0
1962Brazil Maria BuenoUnited States Darlene Hard6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1963Brazil Maria Bueno (2)Australia Lesley Turner6–2, 11–9
1964United States Nancy RicheyUnited States Judy Alvarez6–3, 6–4
1965United States Nancy Richey (2)Australia Margaret Smith6–3, 6–2
St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
1966United States Nancy Richey (3)Netherlands Betty Stöve6–2, 6–2
1967United Kingdom Ann Haydon-Jones (2)Australia Jan Lehane O'Neill6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968[11]United States Nancy Richey (4)Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey7–5, 6–0
1969Australia Kerry MelvilleAustralia Lesley Turner Bowrey6–4, 6–3
1970United States Nancy Richey (5)United States 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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