1979 WTA Tour
 Martina Navratilova finished the year as world No. 1 for the second time in her career. She won ten singles tournaments during the season, including a major at the Wimbledon Championships, as well as the Avon Championships. | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 20 November 1978 – 8 January 1980 |
| Edition | 7th |
| Tournaments | 57 |
| Categories | Grand Slam (4) WTA Championships (3) Avon Championships Circuit (11) Colgate Series (32) Non-tour events (5) |
| Achievements (singles) | |
| Most titles |  Martina Navratilova (10) |
| Most finals | Martina Navratilova (17) |
| Prize money leader | Martina Navratilova ($618,698) |
| Points leader | Martina Navratilova (15.748) |
| Awards | |
| Player of the year | Martina Navratilova |
| Doubles team of the year | Billie Jean King Martina Navratilova |
| Most improved player of the year |  Sylvia Hanika |
| Newcomer of the year | Kathy Jordan |
← 1978 1980 → | |
The 1979 WTA Tour consisted of a number of tennis tournaments for female tennis players. It was composed of the newly streamlined version of the Avon Championships Circuit (which was now an 11-week tour of the US) and the remaining world wide Colgate Series Circuit. The year 1979 also saw the creation of the first official ranking system and these rankings were used to determine acceptance into the tournaments.[1][2]
Schedule
This is a calendar of all events which were part of either the Avon Championships circuit or the Colgate Series in the year 1979, with player progression documented from the quarterfinals stage. Also included are the Grand Slam tournaments, the 1979 Avon Championships, the 1979 Federation Cup and a number of events not affiliated with either tour.[1]
- Key
| Grand Slam tournaments |
| Avon/Colgate Series championships |
| Avon Championships Circuit |
| Colgate Series |
| Non-tour events |
| Team events |
November (1978)
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Nov | Colgate International Christchurch, New Zealand Colgate Series (A) Grass – $35,000 – 48S/28D |
 Regina Maršíková6–2, 6–1 |
Sylvia Hanika |
Lea Antonoplis Mimmi Wikstedt |
 Anne Hobbs Naoko Sato Jane Stratton.svg.png){kind=small} Lesley Hunt
|
| Lesley Hunt Sharon Walsh 6–1, 7–5 |
Katja Ebbinghaus Sylvia Hanika
|
December (1978)
January
February
March
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar | Avon Championships of Philadelphia Philadelphia, United States Avon Championships Circuit Carpet (i) – $125,000 – 32S/16D |
Wendy Turnbull 5–7, 6–3, 6–2 |
Virginia Wade |
Rosie Casals Sue Barker |
Terry Holladay Pam Shriver.svg.png){kind=small} Greer Stevens Kathy Teacher
|
 Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve6–4, 6–2 |
Renée Richards Virginia Wade
| ||||
| 12 Mar | Avon Championships of Boston Boston, United States Avon Championships Circuit Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 34S/16D |
Dianne Fromholtz 6–2, 7–6(7–4) |
Sue Barker |
Virginia Wade Wendy Turnbull |
Chris Evert Greer Stevens Kerry Reid Marita Redondo
|
| Kerry Reid Wendy Turnbull 6–4, 6–2 |
Sue Barker Ann Kiyomura
| ||||
| 19 Mar | Avon Championships New York City, United States Season-end championships Carpet (i) – $275,000 – 8S/4D |
Martina Navratilova 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 |
Tracy Austin |
Sue Barker Dianne Fromholtz |
Round robin Greer Stevens Virginia Wade Wendy Turnbull Chris Evert
|
| Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve 7–6(7–1), 7–6(7–3) |
Sue Barker Ann Kiyomura
|
April
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Bridgestone Doubles Championships Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 8D |
Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve 7–5, 7–6(9–7) |
Sue Barker Ann Kiyomura |
Melville / Turnbull Hunt / Walsh |
Acker / Carillo Wade / Newberry Casals / Smith Meyer / Teeguarden
|
| 9 Apr | Family Circle Cup Amelia Island, United States Colgate Series (AAAA) Clay – $150,000 – 30S/16D |
Tracy Austin 7–6(7–3), 7–6(9–7) |
Kerry Reid |
Martina Navratilova Evonne Goolagong Cawley |
.svg.png){kind=small} Mima Jaušovec Lele Forood Betty Stöve Laura duPont
|
| Rosie Casals Martina Navratilova 6–4, 7–5 |
Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve
| ||||
| 30 Apr | Federation Cup Madrid, Spain Clay – 32 teams knockout |
United States 3–0 |
Australia |
Czechoslovakia Soviet Union |
France.svg.png){kind=small} Switzerland Great Britain Netherlands
|
May
June
July
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul | Austrian Open Kitzbühel, Austria Colgate Series Clay – $35,000 – 32S/16D |
Hana Mandlíková 2–6, 7–5, 6–3 |
Sylvia Hanika |
||
| Helena Anliot Dianne Evers 6–0, 6–4 |
.svg.png){kind=small} Virginia Ruzici Elly Vessies
| ||||
| 30 Jul | Wells Fargo Open San Diego, United States Colgate Series (AA) Hard – $75,000 – 32S/16D |
Tracy Austin 6–4, 6–2 |
Martina Navratilova |
Virginia Wade Kathy Jordan |
Anne Smith Kerry Reid Marita Redondo Ann Kiyomura
|
| Rosie Casals Martina Navratilova 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
Ann Kiyomura Betty-Ann Stuart
|
August
September
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep | Toray Sillook Open Tokyo, Japan Colgate Series (AAAA) Hard – $150,000 – 32S |
Billie Jean King 6–4, 7–5 |
Evonne Goolagong Cawley |
Dianne Fromholtz (3rd) Ann Kiyomura (4th) |
Terry Holladay Kerry Reid Wendy Turnbull Betty Stöve
|
| Greater Pittsburgh Open Pittsburgh, United States Colgate Series (A) Hard – $35,000 – 32S/16D |
Sue Barker 6–3, 6–1 |
Renée Richards |
|||
| Sue Barker Candy Reynolds 6–3, 6–2 |
Bunny Bruning Jane Stratton
| ||||
| 24 Sep | Davison's Tennis Classic Atlanta, United States Colgate Series (AAA) Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 32S/16D |
Martina Navratilova 7–6(8–6), 6–4 |
Wendy Turnbull |
Evonne Goolagong Cawley Tracy Austin |
Virginia Wade Marise Kruger Dianne Fromholtz Chris Evert
|
| Betty Stöve Wendy Turnbull 6–2, 6–4 |
Ann Kiyomura Anne Smith
|
October
November
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Filderstadt, West Germany Colgate Series (AAA) Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 32S/16D |
Tracy Austin 6–2, 6–0 |
Martina Navratilova |
Mima Jaušovec Chris Evert |
Kerry Reid Nina Bohm Regina Maršíková Wendy Turnbull
|
| Billie Jean King Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–3 |
Wendy Turnbull Betty Stöve
| ||||
| 19 Nov | Daihatsu Challenge Brighton, Great Britain Colgate Series (AAA) Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/16D |
Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–3 |
Chris Evert |
Billie Jean King Sylvia Hanika |
Ilana Kloss Glynis Coles Virginia Wade Virginia Ruzici
|
| Ann Kiyomura Anne Smith 6–2, 6–1 |
Ilana Kloss Laura duPont
| ||||
| 26 Nov | Toyota Classic Melbourne, Australia Colgate Series (AAA) Grass – $100,000 – 32S/16D |
Hana Mandlíková 6–3, 6–2 |
Wendy Turnbull |
Renee Blount Virginia Ruzici |
Mimmi Wikstedt Dianne Fromholtz Sue Barker Billie Jean King
|
| Wendy Turnbull Billie Jean King 6–3, 6–3 |
Dianne Fromholtz Anne Smith
|
December
.svg.png){kind=small}
January (1980)
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan | Colgate Series Championships Landover, United States Colgate Series championships Carpet (i) – $250,000 |
Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–1 |
Tracy Austin |
Chris Evert Wendy Turnbull |
Round robin Dianne Fromholtz Evonne Goolagong Cawley Regina Maršíková Kerry Reid
|
| Billie Jean King Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–3 |
Rosie Casals Chris Evert
|
Rankings
Below are the 1979 WTA year-end rankings (December 31, 1979) in both singles and doubles competition:
| Singles Year-end Ranking[3] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Player Name | Points | 1978 | Change |
| 1 | Martina Navratilova (USA)
|
15.748 | 1 | 
|
| 2 | Chris Evert (USA)
|
14.111 | 2 |
|
| 3 | Tracy Austin (USA)
|
14.004 | 6 |  3
|
| 4 | Evonne Goolagong Cawley (AUS)
|
11.814 | 3 |  1
|
| 5 | Billie Jean King (USA)
|
8.857 | 5 |
|
| 6 | Dianne Fromholtz (AUS)
|
8.375 | 10 | 4
|
| 7 | Wendy Turnbull (AUS)
|
8.214 | 7 |
|
| 8 | Virginia Wade (GBR)
|
7.959 | 4 | 4
|
| 9 | Kerry Reid (AUS)
|
6.645 | 9 |
|
| 10 | Sue Barker (GBR)
|
6.618 | 24 | 14
|
| 11 | Kathy Jordan (USA)
|
6.555 | NR | NR |
| 12 | Greer Stevens (RSA)
|
6.336 | 17 | 5
|
| 13 | Virginia Ruzici (ROU)
|
6.149 | 12 | 1
|
| 14 | Regina Maršíková (TCH)
|
6.013 | 14 |
|
| 15 | Ann Kiyomura (USA)
|
5.457 | 39 | 24
|
| 16 | Sylvia Hanika (FRG)
|
5.010 | 35 | 19
|
| 17 | Hana Mandlíková (TCH)
|
4.952 | 45 | 28
|
| 18 | Caroline Stoll (USA)
|
4.951 | 26 | 8
|
| 19 | Kathy May (USA)
|
4.768 | 15 | 4
|
| 20 | Mima Jaušovec (YUG)
|
4.270 | 19 | 1
|
Colgate Series
Points system
The tournaments of the Colgate Series were divided into four categories – AAAA, AAA, AA and A – based on prize money. Points were allocated based on these groups and the finishing position of a player in a tournament.[4] The points allocation – with doubles points listed in brackets – was:
Prize money at least $150,000
|
Prize money at least $100,000
|
Prize money at least $75,000
|
Prize money at least $35,000
|
Avon Championships Circuit
Points standing
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prize money
Combined prize money for singles and doubles events.
| No | Player Name | Prize money |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martina Navratilova (USA)
|
$271,500 |
| 2 | Tracy Austin (USA)
|
$123,250 |
| 3 | Chris Evert (USA)
|
$115,875 |
| 4 | Wendy Turnbull (AUS)
|
$103,425 |
| 5 | Dianne Fromholtz (AUS)
|
$93,250 |
| 6 | Sue Barker (GBR)
|
$84,775 |
| 7 | Greer Stevens (RSA)
|
$73,050 |
| 8 | Virginia Wade (GBR)
|
$70,500 |
| 9 | Rosemary Casals (USA)
|
$55,425 |
| 10 | Betty Stöve (NED)
|
$45,100 |
See also
References
- ^ a b "WTA Tour Finals" (PDF). www.wtatennis.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
- ^ "About the WTA". www.wtatennis.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
- ^ "Womens International Computer Rankings" (PDF). Women's Tennis Association (WTA). 31 December 1979.
- ^ John Barrett, ed. (1980). World of Tennis 1980 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 137, 140. ISBN 9780362020120. OCLC 237184610.