# Thunderbird Classic (tennis)

The Thunderbird Classic was a Virginia Slims Circuit affiliated tennis tournament founded in 1952, as a combined men's and women's tournament called the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational. Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation it continued as a joint event until 1970 when it was branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open the men's event was discontinued that year.
In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic and ran annually under a number of name changes until 1980 when it too was discontinued.

## History

The tournament was founded in 1952, as the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships a joint men's and women's tennis tournament played at the Phoenix Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona, United States. In 1953 the word 'championships' was dropped from the tournament title. In 1969 the tournament went open under the brand name the Thunderbird Invitational. In 1970 the tournament was re branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open, and was the final year as a combined event when the men's tournament was discontinued.
In 1971 women's event became part of the Virginia Slims Circuit and was known as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic, that event carried on till 1980 when it was last known as the Thunderbird Classic before it too was abolished. The tournament was originally played on indoor hard courts from 1953 to 1965, then outdoor hard courts from 1966 to 1970. The event was originally played at the end February annually, then moved to mid to late March. It was only in 1970 that its scheduling was moved to October that year, however the women's event carried on with the new dates.

## Finals
### Singles

| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
| Phoenix Thunderbird Invitational ||||
| 1953 | Anita Kanter | Dorothy Bundy Cheney | 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1954 | Beverly Baker Fleitz | Helen Pastall Perez | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1955 | Beverly Baker Fleitz (2) | Pat Canning Todd | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1956 | Beverly Baker Fleitz (3) | Mary Ann Mitchell | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1957 | Louise Brough | Pat Canning Todd | 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1958 | Beverly Baker Fleitz (4) | Louise Brough | 6–2, 3–6, 10–8 |
| 1959 | Vicky Palmer | Barbara Green | 3–6, 6–1, 7–5 |
| 1960 | Karen Hantze | Vicki Palmer | 7–5, 9–7 |
| 1961 | Nancy Richey | Darlene Hard | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation ||||
| 1962 | Nancy Richey (2) | Karen Hantze Susman | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1963 | Nancy Richey (3) | Vicki Palmer | 8–6, 8–6 |
| 1964 | Jane Albert | Mimi Arnold | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1965 | Justina Bricka | Jane Albert | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1966 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Mary-Ann Eisel | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1967 | Nancy Richey (4) | Carol Aucamp | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1968 | Patti Hogan | Tory Ann Fretz | 6–2, 6–4 |
| ↓ Open Era ↓ ||||
| 1969 | Nancy Richey (5) | Patti Hogan | 6–2, 6–0. |
| Phoenix Thunderbird Open ||||
| 1970 | Vicki Berner | Stephanie Tolleson | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic ||||
| 1971 | Billie Jean King (2) | Rosie Casals | 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1972 | Billie Jean King (3) | Margaret Smith Court | 7–6$^{(7–3)}$, 6–3 |
| Virginia Slims of Phoenix ||||
| 1973 | Billie Jean King (4) | Nancy Richey Gunter | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1974 | Virginia Wade | Helen Gourlay | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Thunderbird Classic ||||
| 1975 | Nancy Richey Gunter (6) | Virginia Wade | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| 1976 | Chris Evert | Dianne Fromholtz | 6–1, 7–5 |
| 1977 | Billie Jean King (5) | Wendy Turnbull | 1–6, 6–1, 6–0 |
| 1978 | Martina Navratilova | Tracy Austin | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1979 | Martina Navratilova (2) | Chris Evert | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1980 | Regina Maršíková | Wendy Turnbull | 7–6$^{(10–8)}$, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ |

### Doubles

| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| 1971 | Rosie Casals Billie Jean King | Françoise Dürr Judy Tegart Dalton | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1972 | Rosie Casals (2) Wendy Overton | Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1973 | Kerry Harris Kerry Melville | Rosie Casals Billie Jean King | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1974 | Françoise Dürr Betty Stöve | Mona Schallau Pam Teeguarden | 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 |
| 1975 | Françoise Dürr (2) Betty Stöve (2) | Rosie Casals Martina Navratilova | 6–7, 6–4, 6–0 |
| 1976 | Billie Jean King (2) Betty Stöve (3) | Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1977 | Billie Jean King (3) Martina Navratilova | Helen Gourlay Cawley JoAnne Russell | 6–1, 7–5 |
| 1978 | Tracy Austin Betty Stöve (4) | Martina Navratilova Anne Smith | 6–4, 6–7, 6–2 |
| 1979 | Betty Stöve (5) Wendy Turnbull | Rosie Casals Chris Evert | 6–4, 7–6 |
| 1980 | Pam Shriver Paula Smith | Ann Kiyomura Candy Reynolds | 6–0, 6–4 |