| 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series | |
| Duration: | 3 January 1983 – 4 March 1984 |
| Edition: | 11th |
| Tournaments: | 64 |
| Categories: | Grand Slam (4) WTA Championships (2) Category 4 Category 3 Category 2 Category 1+ Category 1 |
| Most Tournament Titles: |  Martina Navratilova (18) |
| Most Tournament Finals: | Martina Navratilova (19) |
| Prize Money Leader: | Martina Navratilova ($1,456,030) |
| Points Leader: | Martina Navratilova (19.606) |
| Most Improved Player Of The Year: |  Andrea Temesvári |
| Newcomer Of The Year: |  Carling Bassett |
| Previous: | 1982 |
| Next: | 1984 |
The 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the 11th season since the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced on January 3, 1983, and concluded on March 4, 1984, after 64 events.[1]
The Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the elite tour for professional women's tennis organised by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). It was the first unified global women's circuit in the Open Era and featured tournaments that had previously been part of the Toyota Series and the Avon Series.[2] The circuit consisted of 48 tournaments in nine countries, including the four Grand Slam tournaments, and culminated in the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships played in February 1984. ITF tournaments were not part of the tour, although they awarded points for the WTA World Ranking.
Martina Navratilova was the most successful player in both singles and doubles across the season. She won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in singles, with Chris Evert-Lloyd winning the French Open. In doubles, Navratilova again won all the Grand Slams apart from the French Open, which was collected by Rosalyn Fairbank and Candy Reynolds; Pam Shriver was her partner in all the Grand Slam events. Navratilova won a total of 29 titles in the course of the year and only suffered one defeat in singles, against Kathy Horvath at the French Open.[3] This led to her beginning and ending the year as the WTA number 1. Shriver was her closest challenger with 16 titles, including 14 in doubles events. Players from the United States won 74 of the 125 titles awarded in singles, doubles and mixed doubles; players from Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands and Switzerland each won a solitary title.
Avon, who had been the sponsors of the January to March U.S. winter circuit of the WTA Tour since 1978, announced in 1982 that they would be trimming back their sponsorship of the tour.[4] [5] Toyota, who sponsored the international tour for the remaining nine months of the season, also withdrew their support.[6] The 1983 season saw Virginia Slims returning to sponsor a unified worldwide tour after an absence of four years. The company sponsored events between 1970 and 1978 but withdrew their support following disagreements with the organisers of the WTA Tour, the Women's Tennis Association. However the company decided to associate themselves with the women's tennis circuit again in 1983. The tour was therefore known as the Virginia Slims World Championship Series, with 18 events including the US Open held in the United States and a further 12 events in six other countries incorporated under the Virginia Slims brand in a merged season.[2]
World number-one singles player Martina Navratilova, who had won 90 out of 93 matches the previous year, began the 1983 season in great form, winning successive titles in Washington and Houston, defeating Sylvia Hanika in the final on both occasions. The third best player in the world, Andrea Jaeger, won the tournament at Marco Island in Florida; Chris Evert-Lloyd, the world number two, took the title at Palm Beach, also in Florida.
The table below shows the 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series schedule.
| Grand Slam tournaments | |
| Year-end championships | |
| Category 4 events | |
| Category 3 events | |
| Category 2 events | |
| Category 1+ and 1 events | |
| Team events |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–1 | Helena Suková Barbara Potter | |||
4–6, 7–5, 6–3 | |||||
| 10 Jan | Martina Navratilova 6–3, 7–6(7–5) | Bettina Bunge Anne Smith | |||
6–4, 6–3 | |||||
| 24 Jan | Andrea Jaeger 6–1, 6–3 |  Dianne Balestrat Virginia Ruzici | |||
7–5, 6–4 | |||||
| 31 Jan | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–3, 6–3 | Andrea Temesvári Iva Budařová | |||
6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb |  Anne Hobbs6–4, 6–7, 6–4 | Yvonne Vermaak Iva Budařová | Candy Reynolds Christiane Jolissaint | ||
5–7, 6–4, 7–5 | |||||
| 14 Feb | Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–2 | Andrea Jaeger | Pam Shriver Tracy Austin | Marcella Mesker Bettina Bunge Wendy Turnbull Eva Pfaff | |
6–1, 6–2 | |||||
| Carling Bassett 2–6, 6–0, 6–4 | Anne White Julie Harrington |  Catrin JexellBeverly Mould Peanut Louie Lea Antonoplis | |||
7–6, 4–6, 7–5 | |||||
| 21 Feb | Alycia Moulton 6–4, 6–2 |  Laura ArrayaMarcella Mesker |  Corinne Vanier Susan Leo Lena Sandin Petra Delhees | ||
6–3, 6–4 | |||||
| Bettina Bunge 6–3, 6–3 | Andrea Temesvári Wendy Turnbull | Tracy Austin Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Anne Smith Pam Shriver | |||
6–4, 4–6, 6–4 | |||||
| 28 Feb | Yvonne Vermaak 6–3, 7–5 | Kathy Jordan Michelle Torres | Hana Mandlíková Kathy Rinaldi Wendy White Sylvia Hanika | ||
6–2, 6–4 | |||||
| Kathleen Horvath 6–4, 6–3 | Iva Budařová Vicki Nelson Dunbar | ||||
6–4, 7–6 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–0 | Bettina Bunge Pam Shriver | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | |||
6–3, 6–2 | ||||||
| Ginny Purdy 6–2, 7–5 | Betsy Nagelsen Amy Holton | Pilar Vásquez Gretchen Magers Beth Norton Candy Reynolds | ||||
6–3, 6–2 | ||||||
| 14 Mar | Wendy Turnbull 4–6, 3–6, 6–4 | Billie Jean King Tracy Austin | Kathleen Horvath Wendy White | |||
6–1, 6–2 | ||||||
| 21 Mar | Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–0 | Billie Jean King Sylvia Hanika | Pam Shriver Tracy Austin | |||
7–5, 6–2 | ||||||
| 28 Mar | Bridgestone Doubles Championships Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 8D Doubles | Billie Jean King Sharon Walsh 6–1, 6–1 | Kiyomura / Smith Allen / Jaušovec | Antonoplis / Jordan Hobbs / Leo Medrado / Monteiro Casals / Turnbull |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr | Martina Navratilova 5–7, 6–1, 6–0 | Bettina Bunge Andrea Jaeger | Andrea Temesvári Sylvia Hanika | ||
7–5, 6–2 | |||||
| 11 Apr | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–3, 2–6, 7–5 | Hana Mandlíková Kathy Rinaldi | Sylvia Hanika Michelle Casati | ||
6–4, 6–2 | |||||
| 18 Apr | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 7–5 | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King | ||
6–3, 1–6, 7–6(11–9) | |||||
| 25 Apr | Pam Shriver 6–2, 6–0 | Anne White Wendy Turnbull | Lele Forood Kim Steinmetz | ||
6–3, 7–6 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May | Andrea Temesvári 6–1, 6–0 | Kathleen Horvath Kathy Rinaldi | Christiane Jolissaint Jo Durie | ||
6–3, 2–6, 6–1 | |||||
| 9 May | The singles event was cancelled after the third round due to rain.[7] | ||||
6–2, 3–6, 7–5 | |||||
| 16 May | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–4, 7–6(7–3) | Helena Suková Andrea Jaeger | Pam Casale Sylvia Hanika | ||
6–4, 7–6(7–2) | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch | ||||
| 23 May | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–1, 6–2 | Jo Durie Andrea Jaeger | Kathleen Horvath Tracy Austin Gretchen Magers Hana Mandlíková | ||
| 5–7, 7–5, 6–3 | Kathy Jordan Anne Smith | ||||
| 6–2, 6–3 | Leslie Allen Charles Buzz Strode | ||||
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun | Billie Jean King 6–3, 7–5 | Anne White Zina Garrison | Elizabeth Sayers Yvonne Vermaak | ||
5–7, 6–4, 7–5 | |||||
| 13 Jun | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–1 | Zina Garrison Tracy Austin | Jo Durie Bettina Bunge | ||
6–1, 6–0 | |||||
| 20 Jun | Martina Navratilova 6–0, 6–3 | Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King | Jennifer Mundel-Reinbold Virginia Wade Barbara Potter Kathy Jordan | ||
| 6–2, 6–2 | Rosie Casals Wendy Turnbull | ||||
| 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–5), 7–5 | Billie Jean King Steve Denton |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jul | Andrea Temesvári 6–4, 6–2 |  Petra Huber Ivanna Madruga-Osses | Beth Herr Laura Arraya | ||
7–5, 6–4 | |||||
| 11 Jul | Alycia Moulton 6–3, 6–2 | Pam Shriver Terry Holladay | Louise Allen Sherry Acker | ||
6–3, 6–1 | |||||
| Catherine Tanvier 6–4, 7–5 | Steffi Graf Ivanna Madruga-Osses | Pilar Vásquez Pat Medrado Renáta Tomanová Marie Pinterová | |||
6–1, 6–2 | Ivanna Madruga-Osses Emilse Raponi | ||||
| 18 Jul | Federation Cup Zürich, Switzerland Team event Clay | 2–1 | | | |
| Pascale Paradis 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 | Lena Sandin Dana Gilbert | Nathalie Phan-Thanh Sue Barker | |||
2–6, 6–4, 7–6 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Andrea Temesvári 6–2, 6–2 | Virginia Ruzici Kathy Rinaldi | Kathleen Horvath Bonnie Gadusek | ||
7–5, 6–4 | |||||
| 8 Aug | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–3 | Pam Shriver Kate Latham | Wendy White Alycia Moulton | ||
6–1, 6–0 | |||||
| 15 Aug | Martina Navratilova 6–4, 4–6, 6–1 | Hana Mandlíková Elise Burgin | Kathleen Horvath Andrea Jaeger | ||
6–4, 5–7, 7–5 | |||||
| 22 Aug | Jo Durie 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 | Barbara Potter Camille Benjamin | Helena Suková Iva Budařová | ||
4–6, 7–5, 6–3 | |||||
| 29 Aug | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–3 | Pam Shriver Jo Durie | Sylvia Hanika Andrea Jaeger Ivanna Madruga-Osses Hana Mandlíková | ||
| 6–7, 6–1, 6–3 | Rosalyn Fairbank Candy Reynolds | ||||
| 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 | Barbara Potter Ferdi Taygan |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep | Queen's Grand Prix Tokyo, Japan Category 3 Carpet (i) – $175,000 – 28S Singles | | Leigh-Anne Thompson Vicki Nelson Dunbar | ||
| Yvonne Vermaak 6–2, 0–6, 7–5 | Paula Smith Lilian Drescher | Sara Gomer Kate Latham Elizabeth Minter Cláudia Monteiro | |||
| 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 | |||||
| 19 Sep | Rosalyn Fairbank 6–4, 5–7, 6–4 | Barbara Potter Wendy White | Mary Lou Piatek Kim Sands Bobbie Gadusek Camille Benjamin | ||
| 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 6–1 | |||||
| Elizabeth Sayers 6–3, 6–1 | Sue Barker Barbara Gerken | Molly Van Nostrand Maeve Quinlan Lori McNeil Chris O'Neil | |||
| 7–5, 7–6 | |||||
| 26 Sep | Kim Shaefer 6–4, 6–3 | Wendy Turnbull Pam Shriver | Carling Bassett Rosalyn Fairbank Zina Garrison Leslie Allen | ||
| 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 | |||||
| Jennifer Mundel-Reinbold 6–4, 6–1 | Lori McNeil Pilar Vásquez | Lea Antonoplis Ann Henricksson Debbie Spence Lena Sandin | |||
| 6–4, 6–3 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Octr | Virginia Ruzici 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 | Barbara Potter Wendy Turnbull Hana Mandlíková Sylvia Hanika | |||
| 6–4, 6–1 | |||||
| 10 Oct | Lisa Bonder 6–1, 6–3 |  Etsuko Inoue Micki Schillig | Shelley Solomon Kumiko Okamoto Masako Yanagi Tina Mochizuki | ||
| 5–7, 7–6, 6–3 | |||||
| Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–2 | Zina Garrison Kathy Rinaldi | Bonnie Gadusek Debbie Spence Elise Burgin  Raffaella Reggi | |||
| 6–0, 6–1 | |||||
| 17 Oct | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–1, 6–1 | Andrea Temesvári Pam Shriver | Catherine Tanvier Marie-Christine Calleja Ann Kiyomura Sue Barker | ||
| 7–5, 6–4 | |||||
| Etsuko Inoue 7–5, 6–2 | Myriam Schropp Betsy Nagelsen | Masako Yanagi Emiko Okagawa Tina Mochizuki Kathy O'Brien | |||
| 6–3, 7–5 | |||||
| 24 Oct | Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–2 | Eva Pfaff Virginia Ruzici | Jo Durie Andrea Temesvári Catrin Jexell Helena Suková | ||
| 6–2, 6–1 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov | Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–0, 6–4 | Anne Smith Pam Casale | Michelle Torres Kim Sands Beth Herr Kathy Rinaldi | ||
| 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 | |||||
| Kathleen Horvath 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–1) | Yvonne Vermaak Sandy Collins | Anne Hobbs Julie Harrington Ginny Purdy Elizabeth Sayers | |||
| 14 Nov | Pam Shriver 6–4, 7–5 | Jo Durie Hana Mandlíková | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Catherine Suire Eva Pfaff Rosalyn Fairbank | ||
| 6–3, 6–4 | |||||
| 21 Nov | Jo Durie 6–3, 7–5 | Elizabeth Sayers Helena Suková | Gigi Fernández Sophie Amiach Rosalyn Fairbank Eva Pfaff | ||
| 6–4, 6–3 | Hana Mandlíková Helena Suková | ||||
| 28 Nov | Martina Navratilova 6–2, 7–6(7–5) | Pam Shriver Zina Garrison | Jo Durie Carling Bassett Wendy Turnbull Sylvia Hanika | ||
| 6–4, 6–7(2–7), 6–2 | Anne Hobbs Wendy Turnbull |
No events were held this month
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan | Jenny Klitch 6–2, 6–1 | Nathalie Herreman Lucia Romanov | |||
5–7, 7–6, 7–6 | |||||
| Hana Mandlíková 6–1, 6–1 | Lisa Bonder Kathleen Horvath | ||||
6–1, 6–7(7–9), 6–2 | |||||
| 9 Jan | Hana Mandlíková 7–6(8–6), 3–6, 6–4 | Zina Garrison Eva Pfaff | |||
6–2, 6–3 | |||||
| Catarina Lindqvist 6–4, 6–0 | Kathrin Keil Laura Arraya | ||||
6–1, 6–3 | |||||
| 16 Jan | Mary Lou Piatek 6–1, 6–1 | Natasha Reva | |||
6–2, 6–3 | |||||
| 23 Jan | Bonnie Gadusek 3–6, 6–0, 6–4 | Zina Garrison Ivanna Madruga-Osses | |||
6–2, 6–3 | |||||
| Andrea Leand 0–6, 6–2, 6–4 | Catherine Suire Marcella Mesker | ||||
6–2, 6–3 | |||||
| 30 Jan | Hana Mandlíková 6–4, 6–2 | Andrea Jaeger Zina Garrison | |||
6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–4) | |||||
| JoAnne Russell 7–6, 6–2 | Corrinne Vanier Beverly Mould Sandra Cecchini Nancy Yeargin | ||||
6–4, 6–7, 7–5 |
| Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb | Pam Shriver 7–6(7–4), 2–6, 6–3 | Bonnie Gadusek Carling Bassett | |||
5–7, 6–3, 6–3 | |||||
| 20 Feb | Martina Navratilova 6–2, 7–6 | Pam Casale Jo Durie | |||
5–7, 6–3, 6–3 | |||||
| 27 Feb | Martina Navratilova 6–3, 7–5, 6–1 | Pam Shriver Barbara Potter | Carling Bassett Hana Mandlíková | ||
6–3, 6–1 |
Below are the 1983 WTA year-end rankings (December 5, 1983) in singles competition:
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Virginia Slims ranking points distribution.
| bgcolor=#efefef colspan="2" | Category | width=40 bgcolor=lime | W | width=40 bgcolor=#D8BFD8 | F | width=40 bgcolor=#FFFF00 | SF | width=40 bgcolor=#ffebcd | QF | width=40 bgcolor=#afeeee | R16 | width=40 bgcolor=#afeeee | R32 | width=40 bgcolor=#afeeee | R64 | width=40 bgcolor=#afeeee | R128 |
| Grand Slam | Singles | 400 | 250 | 200 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 | 15 | ||||||||
| Doubles | 150 | 120 | 90 | 75 | 50 | 32 | 15 | – | |||||||||
| VS Championships | Singles | 400 | 250 | 200 | 150 | 100 | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Category 4 | Singles | 250 | 150 | 130 | 100 | 65 | 30 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||
| Doubles | 115 | 90 | 70 | 50 | 35 | 22 | 8 | – | |||||||||
| Category 3 | Singles | 200 | 110 | 90 | 60 | 35 | 20 | 10 | 5 | ||||||||
| Doubles | 80 | 60 | 45 | 30 | 17 | 8 | – | ||||||||||
| Category 2 | Singles | 100 | 70 | 50 | 25 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 2 | ||||||||
| Doubles | 60 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 4 | – | – | |||||||||
| Category 1+ | Singles | 85 | 65 | 45 | 23 | 13 | 5 | – | – | ||||||||
| Doubles | 45 | 35 | 25 | 16 | 8 | – | – | – | |||||||||
| Category 1 | Singles | 75 | 50 | 30 | 15 | 8 | – | – | – | ||||||||
| Doubles | 38 | 28 | 17 | 8 | 4 | – | – | – |
These tables present the number of singles (S), doubles (D), and mixed doubles (X) titles won by each player and each nation during the season, within all the tournament categories of the 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series: the Grand Slam tournaments, the Year-end championships and regular events. The players/nations are sorted by:
| Total titles | Country | Grand Slam tournaments | Year-end championships | Regular tournaments | All titles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles | Doubles | Mixed | Singles | Doubles | Singles | Doubles | Singles | Doubles | Mixed | |||||
| 74 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 34 | 34 | 39 | 1 | ||||
| 12 | South Africa | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||
| 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | ||||||||
| 10 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 4 | Germany | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| 3 | Hungary | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Romania | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Brazil | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
The following players won their first title in singles (S), doubles (D) or mixed doubles (X):
Lori McNeil – Bakersfield (D) Bonnie Gadusek – Deerfield Beach (D) Sandy Collins – Kansas (D) Kyle Copeland – Bakersfield (D)
Chris O'Neil – Kitzbühel (D) Catherine Tanvier – Filderstadt (S) Pascale Paradis – Kitzbühel (S) Kim Shaefer – Hartford (S) Ginny Purdy – Pittsburgh (S) Etsuko Inoue – Japan Open (S) Jo Durie – Mahwah (S) Anne Hobbs – Indianapolis (S) Elizabeth Sayers – Ridgewood (D), US Open (X) Barbara Jordan – French Open (X) Andrea Temesvári – Perugia (S) Kathleen Horvath – Nashville (S) Alycia Moulton – Ridgewood (S) Pam Whytcross – Kitzbühel (D) Chris O'Neil – Borden Classic (D)The following players mounted a successful title defence in singles (S), doubles (D) or mixed doubles (X):
Martina Navratilova – Washington (S), Chicago (S,D), Dallas (S,D), New York Masters (D), Hilton Head (S,D), Orlando (S), Eastbourne (S,D), Wimbledon (S, D), Montreal (S), Stuttgart (S, D), Australian Open (D) Chris Evert-Lloyd – Palm Beach (S), Amelia Island (S), Deerfield Beach (S) Billie Jean King (S) Lisa Bonder – Borden Classic (S) Pam Shriver – Houston (D), Chicago (D), Dallas (D), New York Masters (D), Eastbourne (D), Wimbledon (D), Brighton (D), Australian Open (D) Sharon Walsh – New Jersey (D) Candy Reynolds – Richmond (D)The following are notable players who announced their retirement from women's tennis in 1983.
Anne Smith[10] Billie Jean King Evonne Goolagong