The Eckerd Open is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1953 as a combined men's and women's

clay court A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament. ...

tennis tournament called the Masters Invitational tournament in

St Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabit ...

. 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 1974. After the combined event the

St. Petersburg Masters Invitational The St. Petersburg Masters Invitational was an ILTF Circuit affiliated combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1953 as the Masters Invitational in St Augustine, Florida. In 1954 that event moved to Jacksonville, Florida ...

finished in 1970. The womens event continued under various brand names and various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was abolished in 1990.

History

In 1953 Masters Invitational tournament was established at the St Augustine Tennis Club,

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, where it remained under that brand name until 1965. In 1966 the tournaments name was changed to the

until 1970 when the womens 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 the 1960s and 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 as the

St. Petersburg WCT The St. Petersburg WCT was a men's tennis tournament founded in 1953 as the Masters Invitational in St Augustine, Florida. In 1954 that event moved to Jacksonville, Florida until 1959. In 1960 the event moved to St Petersburg. It remained at the fo ...

from 1974 to 1975 before that was discontinued. In 1981 a

Tampa Open The Tampa Open is a defunct Grand Prix affiliated tennis tournament played from 1981 to 1983. It was held in Tampa, Florida in the United States and played on outdoor hard courts from 1981 to 1982 and on indoor carpet courts in 1983. Finals S ...

men's tournament held in Tampa, Florida through till 1983.

Locations

Played from 1953 to 1990 in various locations in the Tampa Bay Area, Florida in the United States.

from 1953 to 1954, then Jacksonville, Florida from 1955 to 1959, then it was held in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1960 to 1974, Palm Harbor, Florida in 1977, in

Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2020 census, the city had a populat ...

in 1978 and in Tampa, Florida from 1979 to 1990.

Event names

* 1953–1965 Masters Invitational * 1966–1970 St Petersburg Masters Invitational * 1971–1972 Virginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg * 1973 St Petersburg Masters Invitational * 1974 Barnett Bank Masters * 1977–1985 Florida Federal Open * 1986–1990 Eckerd Open

Results

Singles

Doubles

References

WTA Results Archive
{{Virginia Slims tennis tournaments 1971 establishments in Florida 1990 disestablishments in Florida Clay court tennis tournaments Eckerd Open Hard court tennis tournaments in the United States Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1990 Recurring sporting events established in 1971 Sports in Clearwater, Florida Sports competitions in St. Petersburg, Florida Sports competitions in Tampa, Florida WTA Tour