St. Petersburg WCT
Defunct tennis tournament
TourWorld Championship Tennis
Founded1974
Abolished1975
Editions2
LocationSt. Petersburg, Florida, U.S
SurfaceHard / outdoor

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 former location until 1971. After the men's event St Petersburg Masters Invitational finished in 1971 the womens event continued as the Virginia Slims Masters St Petersburg. In 1974 the mens tournament was revived as St. Petersburg WCT until 1975 when it was abolished. The womens tournament continued under various brand names and various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was discontinued in 1990. The event was part of the WCT Tour and was played on outdoor hard courts.

History

In 1953 Masters Invitational tournament was established at the St Augustine Tennis Club, St Augustine, Florida 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 St Petersburg Masters Invitational until 1970 when the womens event became known as the Virginia Slims Masters 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 and rebranded as the St. Petersburg WCT from 1974 to 1975 before that was discontinued. In 1981 a Tampa Open men's tournament held in Tampa, Florida through till 1983.

Finals

Singles

For previous winners of this event see St. Petersburg Masters Invitational
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1974Australia John NewcombeSoviet Union Alex Metreveli6–0, 7–6
1975Mexico Raúl RamírezUnited States Roscoe Tanner6–0, 1–6, 6–2

Doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1974Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
United States Clark Graebner
United States Charlie Pasarell
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1975United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Charlie Pasarell
United States Roscoe Tanner
6–4, 6–4
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