The Bank of the West Classic, currently held on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, is taking place this week. It bills itself as the longest-running women-only tennis tournament on tour, dating back to 1971.
Today, the most prestigious Californian tournament on the WTA Tour calendar, in terms of categorization and ranking points, would probably be the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, a Premier Tournament (a new category introduced this year for what were formerly Tier I and II events). But in terms of history and tradition, the Bank of the West Classic is in a league of its own along with its Southern Californian cousin, the LA Women's Tennis Championships, currently held in Carson.
It began on the Virginia Slims Tour in 1971 as the British Motor Cars Invitation, an indoor event played at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. In 1974, with the merger of the Virginia Slims and USLTA tours, it was renamed the Virginia Slims of California. In 1978, the event was not played as the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships were held at the Coliseum Arena in Oakland, across the bay. The Oakland Coliseum Arena became the permanent home for the event beginning in 1979. For a brief period from 1979 to 1982, it was called the Avon Championships of California, a time which coincided with Avon's sponsorship of the women's tour. The name reverted to the Virginia Slims of California in 1983 and lasted until 1992, when Bank of the West took over.
The event was always played at the beginning of the year, sometime between January and March but in 1990, it moved to November. 1996 was the last year it was held indoors and - for that year alone - at the Henry J Kaiser Arena. 1997 saw its most drastic change yet - it moved to Stanford, changed dates to July and changed surfaces to outdoor hardcourts. These changes have remained in effect to this date.
Martina didn't always have the best of success at this event, which is why I was surprised when I found out from Wikipedia that her five titles there remains a tournament record for most wins. For good measure, she also won the Virginia Slims Championships when it was played in Oakland in 1978. In doubles, she was the champion twice. Here's a look at her 8 wins in Oakland (all singles, unless otherwise noted):
1978: Virginia Slims Championships
def. Evonne Goolagong-Cawley 7-6 6-4
1979: Avon Championships of California
def. Chris Evert 7-5 7-5
1980: Avon Championships of California
def. Goolagong-Cawley 6-1 7-6
1984: Virginia Slims of California (doubles, with Pam Shriver)
def. Rosie Casals & Alycia Moulton 6-2 6-3
1988: Virginia Slims of California (doubles, with Casals)
def. Hana Mandlikova & Jana Novotna 6-4 6-4
1988: Virginia Slims of California
def. Larisa Savchenko 6-1 6-2
1993: Bank of the West Classic
def. Zina Garrison-Jackson 6-2 7-6
Despite the wins, this tournament is probably better known as the venue for a number of Martina's more spectacular "losses". At least that's how I always remember it. Some of those famous defeats in Oakland include - her loss to Hana Mandlikova in the 1984 final, which stopped her 54-straight match-winning streak, just one victory shy of Chris Evert's then record of 55; the only time Kathy Jordan ever beat her in singles was here in 1986, which was one of only 3 matches she lost all year; and then the heartbreaking loss to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the 1994 final, after being up 6-1 4-1 and serving for the match twice. There were other shocking upsets over the years - Terry Holladay in 1976, 17-year-old Claudia Kohde in 1981, Savchenko in 1989 - these are the ones that stick out in my mind.
I think I will have more to say this weekend. I might even try to dig up a few photos...
Today, the most prestigious Californian tournament on the WTA Tour calendar, in terms of categorization and ranking points, would probably be the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, a Premier Tournament (a new category introduced this year for what were formerly Tier I and II events). But in terms of history and tradition, the Bank of the West Classic is in a league of its own along with its Southern Californian cousin, the LA Women's Tennis Championships, currently held in Carson.
It began on the Virginia Slims Tour in 1971 as the British Motor Cars Invitation, an indoor event played at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. In 1974, with the merger of the Virginia Slims and USLTA tours, it was renamed the Virginia Slims of California. In 1978, the event was not played as the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships were held at the Coliseum Arena in Oakland, across the bay. The Oakland Coliseum Arena became the permanent home for the event beginning in 1979. For a brief period from 1979 to 1982, it was called the Avon Championships of California, a time which coincided with Avon's sponsorship of the women's tour. The name reverted to the Virginia Slims of California in 1983 and lasted until 1992, when Bank of the West took over.
The event was always played at the beginning of the year, sometime between January and March but in 1990, it moved to November. 1996 was the last year it was held indoors and - for that year alone - at the Henry J Kaiser Arena. 1997 saw its most drastic change yet - it moved to Stanford, changed dates to July and changed surfaces to outdoor hardcourts. These changes have remained in effect to this date.
Martina didn't always have the best of success at this event, which is why I was surprised when I found out from Wikipedia that her five titles there remains a tournament record for most wins. For good measure, she also won the Virginia Slims Championships when it was played in Oakland in 1978. In doubles, she was the champion twice. Here's a look at her 8 wins in Oakland (all singles, unless otherwise noted):
1978: Virginia Slims Championships
def. Evonne Goolagong-Cawley 7-6 6-4
1979: Avon Championships of California
def. Chris Evert 7-5 7-5
1980: Avon Championships of California
def. Goolagong-Cawley 6-1 7-6
1984: Virginia Slims of California (doubles, with Pam Shriver)
def. Rosie Casals & Alycia Moulton 6-2 6-3
1988: Virginia Slims of California (doubles, with Casals)
def. Hana Mandlikova & Jana Novotna 6-4 6-4
1988: Virginia Slims of California
def. Larisa Savchenko 6-1 6-2
1993: Bank of the West Classic
def. Zina Garrison-Jackson 6-2 7-6
Despite the wins, this tournament is probably better known as the venue for a number of Martina's more spectacular "losses". At least that's how I always remember it. Some of those famous defeats in Oakland include - her loss to Hana Mandlikova in the 1984 final, which stopped her 54-straight match-winning streak, just one victory shy of Chris Evert's then record of 55; the only time Kathy Jordan ever beat her in singles was here in 1986, which was one of only 3 matches she lost all year; and then the heartbreaking loss to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the 1994 final, after being up 6-1 4-1 and serving for the match twice. There were other shocking upsets over the years - Terry Holladay in 1976, 17-year-old Claudia Kohde in 1981, Savchenko in 1989 - these are the ones that stick out in my mind.
I think I will have more to say this weekend. I might even try to dig up a few photos...
