Southern California Open

The Southern California Open was a WTA 125K series affiliated professional women's tennis tournament held at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.

This article is about the tournament known as the Acura Classic from 2000 to 2007. For the tournament known as the Acura Classic from 1995 to 1999, see LA Women's Tennis Championships.
Mercury Insurance Open
Tournament information
Founded1971
LocationCarlsbad, California
United States
VenueLa Costa Resort and Spa
CategoryWTA Tier I
(2004–2007)
WTA Premier tournaments
(2010–2013)
WTA 125K series
(2015)
SurfaceHardcourt / Outdoor
Draw32S / 16SQ / 16D
Prize money$125,000

History

The event was formed in 1984 by Raquel Giscafré as the Ginny of San Diego.[1][2] Prior to this there had been two previous women's tennis tournaments in San Diego: a Virginia Slims event in 1971 and the Wells Fargo Open, which ran from 1979 to 1982. Giscafre's former doubles partner, Jane Stratton, attained co-ownership of the tournament from 1986 until the event's cessation. The tournament has had various principal sponsors throughout its history, and has been played under the headings of the Great American Bank Classic, the Mazda Classic and the Toshiba Classic. The tournament was known for its strong player fields, location in the hills and atmosphere.

Although the tournament achieved Tier-I status only in 2004, it became a draw to the heavyweights in women's tennis since its inception in the 1980s, being a crucial warm-up tournament leading to the US Open. Past champions of the tournament include former world number ones Steffi Graf, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, and Maria Sharapova. Six players won the tournament more than once, four of them consecutively. Graf holds the record for most wins (4); Venus Williams holds the record for most consecutive titles (3).

The tournament was suspended after the 2007 edition. On September 7, 2009, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced the return of professional women's tennis to San Diego in 2010, under the sponsorship of Mercury Insurance. The Mercury Insurance Open was renamed the Southern California Open starting in 2013.

In 2014, the event was relocated to Tokyo, Japan.[3]

The tournament became the Carlsbad Classic in 2015, hosted by the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California, from November 23–29.[4] As a WTA 125K Series event, the Carlsbad Classic[5] featured a 32-player singles main draw, an 8-player qualifying draw, and an 8-team doubles draw with $125,000 in prize money. It was the first WTA tournament held during Thanksgiving week.

Sponsor history:

  • Virginia Slims of San Diego: 1971, 1985–1988
  • Wells Fargo Open: 1979–1982
  • Ginny of San Diego: 1984
  • Great American Bank Classic: 1989–1990
  • Mazda Classic: 1991–1993
  • Toshiba Classic; 1994–1998
  • TIG Classic: 1999
  • Acura Classic: 2000–2007
  • Mercury Insurance Open: 2010–2012
  • Southern California Open: 2013
  • GoMacro: 2015

Past finals

Singles

Prior tournaments in San Diego area
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1971 Billie Jean King Rosemary Casals3–6, 7–5, 6–1
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1979 Tracy Austin Martina Navratilova6–4, 6–2
1980 Tracy Austin (2) Wendy Turnbull6–1, 6–3
1981 Tracy Austin (3) Pam Shriver6–2, 5–7, 6–2
1982 Tracy Austin (4) Kathy Rinaldi7–6, 6–3

Subsequent and current organized event
Year Champion Runner-up Score
1984 Debbie Spence Betsy Nagelsen6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–4
1985 Annabel Croft Wendy Turnbull6–0, 7–6(7–5)
1986 Melissa Gurney Stephanie Rehe6–2, 6–4
1987 Raffaella Reggi Anne Minter6–0, 6–4
1988 Stephanie Rehe Ann Grossman6–1, 6–1
1989 Steffi Graf Zina Garrison6–4, 7–5
1990 Steffi Graf (2) Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière6–3, 6–2
1991 Jennifer Capriati Monica Seles4–6, 6–1, 7–6(7–2)
1992 Jennifer Capriati (2) Conchita Martínez6–3, 6–2
1993 Steffi Graf (3) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1994 Steffi Graf (4) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario6–2, 6–1
1995 Conchita Martínez Lisa Raymond6–2, 6–0
1996 Kimiko Date Arantxa Sánchez Vicario3–6, 6–3, 6–0
1997 Martina Hingis Monica Seles7–6(7–4), 6–4
1998 Lindsay Davenport Mary Pierce6–3, 6–1
1999 Martina Hingis (2) Venus Williams6–4, 6–0
2000 Venus Williams Monica Seles6–0, 6–7(3–7), 6–2
2001 Venus Williams (2) Monica Seles6–2, 6–3
2002 Venus Williams (3) Jelena Dokić6–2, 6–2
2003 Justine Henin Kim Clijsters3–6, 6–2, 6–3
↓  Tier I tournament  ↓
2004 Lindsay Davenport (2) Anastasia Myskina6–1, 6–1
2005 Mary Pierce Ai Sugiyama6–0, 6–3
2006 Maria Sharapova Kim Clijsters7–5, 7–5
2007 Maria Sharapova (2) Patty Schnyder6–2, 3–6, 6–0
2008–2009Not Held
2010 Svetlana Kuznetsova Agnieszka Radwańska6–4, 6–7(7–9), 6–3
2011 Agnieszka Radwańska Vera Zvonareva6–3, 6–4
2012 Dominika Cibulková Marion Bartoli6–1, 7–5
2013 Samantha Stosur Victoria Azarenka6–2, 6–3
2014Not held
↓  WTA 125K tournament  ↓
2015 Yanina Wickmayer Nicole Gibbs6–3, 7–6(7–4)

Doubles

Prior
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1971 Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King		 Françoise Dürr
Judy Tegart Dalton		6–7, 6–2, 6–3
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1979 Rosemary Casals (2)
Martina Navratilova		 Betty Ann Grubb Stuart
Ann Kiyomura		3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1980 Tracy Austin
Ann Kiyomura		 Rosemary Casals
Wendy Turnbull		3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1981 Kathy Jordan
Candy Reynolds		 Rosemary Casals
Pam Shriver		6–1, 2–6, 6–4
1982 Kathy Jordan (2)
Paula Smith		 Patricia Medrado
Cláudia Monteiro		6–3, 5–7, 7–6

Subsequent & current
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1984 Betsy Nagelsen
Paula Smith (2)		 Terry Holladay
Iwona Kuczyńska		6–2, 6–4
1985 Candy Reynolds (2)
Wendy Turnbull		 Rosalyn Fairbank
Susan Leo		6–4, 6–0
1986 Beth Herr
Alycia Moulton		 Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank		5–7, 6–2, 6–4
1987 Jana Novotná
Catherine Suire		 Elise Burgin
Sharon Walsh		6–3, 6–4
1988 Patty Fendick
Jill Hetherington		 Betsy Nagelsen
Dinky Van Rensburg		7–6(12–10), 6–4
1989 Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank		 Gretchen Magers
Robin White		4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1990 Patty Fendick (2)
Zina Garrison		 Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer		6–4, 7–6(7–5)
1991 Jill Hetherington (2)
Kathy Rinaldi		 Gigi Fernández
Nathalie Tauziat		6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1992 Jana Novotná (2)
Larisa Neiland		 Conchita Martínez
Mercedes Paz		6–1, 6–4
1993 Gigi Fernández
Helena Suková		 Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Smylie		6–4, 6–3
1994 Jana Novotná (2)
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		 Ginger Helgeson
Rachel McQuillan		6–3, 6–3
1995 Gigi Fernández (2)
Natasha Zvereva		 Alexia Dechaume-Balleret
Sandrine Testud		6–2, 6–1
1996 Gigi Fernández (3)
Conchita Martínez		 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Larisa Neiland		4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1997 Martina Hingis
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (2)		 Amy Frazier
Kimberly Po		6–3, 7–5
1998 Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva (2)		 Alexandra Fusai
Nathalie Tauziat		6–2, 6–1
1999 Lindsay Davenport (2)
Corina Morariu		 Serena Williams
Venus Williams		6–4, 6–1
2000 Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs		 Lindsay Davenport
Anna Kournikova		4–6, 6–3, 7–6(8–6)
2001 Cara Black
Elena Likhovtseva		 Martina Hingis
Anna Kournikova		6–4, 1–6, 6–4
2002 Elena Dementieva
Janette Husárová		 Daniela Hantuchová
Ai Sugiyama		6–2, 6–4
2003 Kim Clijsters
Ai Sugiyama		 Lindsay Davenport
Lisa Raymond		6–4, 7–5
↓  Tier I tournament  ↓
2004 Cara Black (2)
Rennae Stubbs (2)		 Virginia Ruano Pascual
Paola Suárez		4–6, 6–1, 6–4
2005 Conchita Martínez (2)
Virginia Ruano Pascual		 Daniela Hantuchová
Ai Sugiyama		6–7(7–9), 6–1, 7–5
2006 Cara Black (3)
Rennae Stubbs (3)		 Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Meghann Shaughnessy		6–2, 6–2
2007 Cara Black (4)
Liezel Huber		 Anna Chakvetadze
Victoria Azarenka		7–5, 6–3
2008–2009Not Held
2010 Maria Kirilenko
Zheng Jie		 Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs		6–4, 6–4
2011 Kvĕta Peschke
Katarina Srebotnik		 Raquel Kops-Jones
Abigail Spears		6–0, 6–2
2012 Raquel Kops-Jones
Abigail Spears		 Vania King
Nadia Petrova		6–2, 6–4
2013 Raquel Kops-Jones (2)
Abigail Spears (2)		 Chan Hao-ching
Janette Husárová		6–4, 6–1
2014Not held
2015 Gabriela Cé
Verónica Cepede Royg		 Oksana Kalashnikova
Tatjana Maria		1–6, 6–4, [10–8]

See also

References and footnotes
  1. "Acura has come a long way, baby, but its run is ending". Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  2. Keith Kattan Raising Big Smiling Tennis Kids: A Complete Roadmap for Every Parent and Coach 2006 Page 208 "players-turned-entrepreneurs like Jane Stratton and Raquel Giscafré, who run a prestigious WTA tournament in San Diego "
  3. "Carlsbad WTA tournament moves to Tokyo". tennis.com. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  4. "Carlsbad Classic". Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  5. "Carlsbad Classic Tennis Homepage". Retrieved 29 October 2015.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Miami		 Favorite WTA Tier I – II Tournament
1996		 Succeeded by
Indian Wells
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