The Virginia Slims of Nashville is a defunct WTA Tour tennis tournament first founded in 1971 as the Virginia Slims of Chattanooga and first played in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The tournament ran annually with breaks, name changes and court surface changes until 1991 when it was last played in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States.
History In February 1971 the Virginia Slims of Chattanooga event was founded, that event was played on indoor hard courts at the Manker Patten Tennis Center for one edition only.
In 1973 the event was revived at Nashville, Tennessee under a different official name the Nashville Classic its sponsored name was the Commercial Union Bank Classic, and was played on outdoor red clay courts at the Centennial Park Tennis Center when it was discontinued again.
In 1981 after a break of eight years professional tour tennis returned to Nashville with the staging of the Avon Futures of Nashville tournament that was played at the Westside Racquet Club,Bakersfield Californian Newspaper Archive February 22, 1981 Page 31. part of the Westside Athletic Club complex on outdoor green clay courts.
In 1982 it was rebranded as the Avon Futures of Tennessee and was part of the Avon Futures Circuit.
In 1983 the event was moved to the Maryland Farms Racquet Club,Avon Futures, Panama City News Herald Newspaper Archives. February 21, 1982 Page 46. in Brentwood, Tennessee
Also in 1983 the Ginny Satellite Circuit, replaced the Avon Futures Circuit, the previous event was then renamed as the Ginny of Nashville and was played indoors on hard Lykold courts until 1984 when it was stopped again.
In 1988 the event was revived as the Virginia Slims of Nashville as part of the Virginia Slims World Championship Series, and was played again at the Maryland Farms Racquet Club in Brentwood, Tennessee until 1989 as part of that circuit. In 1990 it be became a WTA Tour event until 1991.RESULTS PLUS – New York Times
Finals
Singles YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1971 Billie Jean King Ann Haydon Jones 6–4, 6–1 1973 Margaret Court Billie Jean King 6–3, 4–6, 6–21974–1980 Not held 1981 Susan Leo Kim Sands 7–6, 6–3 1982 Eva Pfaff Leigh-Anne Thompson 6–3, 7–5 1983 Kathleen Horvath Marcela Skuherská 6–4, 6–3 1984 Escanaba Daily Press NewspaperArchive January 9, 1984 Page 11. Jenny Klitch Pam Teeguarden 6–2, 6–11985–1987 Not held 1988 Susan Sloane Beverly Bowes 6–3, 6–2 1989 Leila Meskhi Helen Kelesi 6–2, 6–3 1990 Natalia Medvedeva Susan Sloane 6–3, 7–6(7–3) 1991 Sabine Appelmans Katrina Adams 6–2, 6–4
Doubles YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1973 Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve Karen Krantzcke Janet Newberry 6–4, 6–7, 6–1 1974–1982 Not held 1983 Rosalyn Fairbank Candy Reynolds Alycia Moulton Paula Smith 6–4, 7–6 1984 Sherry Acker Candy Reynolds Mary Lou Piatek Paula Smith 5–7, 7–6, 7–6 1985–1987 Not held 1988 Jenny Byrne Janine Tremelling Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank 7–5, 6–7(1–7), 6–4 1989 Manon Bollegraf Meredith McGrath Natalia Medvedeva Leila Meskhi 1–6, 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–4) 1990 Kathy Jordan Larisa Savchenko Brenda Schultz Caroline Vis 6–1, 6–2 1991 Sandy Collins Elna Reinach Yayuk Basuki Caroline Vis 5–7, 6–4, 7–6(9–7)
Event names Virginia Slims of Chattanooga (1971) Commercial Union Bank Classic (1973) Avon Futures of Nashville (1981) Avon Futures of Tennessee (1982) Ginny of Nashville (1983–84) Virginia Slims of Nashville (1988–91)
References
External links WTA Results Archive