The 1973 Virginia Slims of Akron, also known as the Akron Tennis Open, was a women's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the University of Akron Memorial Hall in Akron, Ohio in the United States that was part of the 1973 Women's Grand Prix Circuit (B class). It was the inaugural edition of the tournament and was held from March 19 through March 25, 1973.

Chris Evert Christine Marie Evert (born December 21, 1954), known as Chris Evert Lloyd from 1979 to 1987, is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. Evert won 18 major singles titles, including a record seven French Open titles and a joint-record ...

won the singles title and the accompanying $6,000 first-prize money.

Start of Evert – Navratilova rivalry

In the first round of the tournament Chris Evert played and won against

Martina Navratilova Martina Navratilova ( cs, Martina Navrátilová ; ; born October 18, 1956) is a Czech–American, former professional tennis player. Widely considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, Navratilova won 18 major singles titles, 31 maj ...

in straight sets, 7–6^(5–1), 6–3, after Navartilova had failed to serve out the first set at 6–5 and 30–0. It was their first encounter on the professional tour and the start of their rivalry which would comprise 80 matches and last until 1988.

Finals

Singles

defeated

Olga Morozova Olga Vasilyevna Morozova ( rus, link=no, Ольга Васильевна Морозова, , ˈolʲɡə mɐˈrozəvə, a=Ru-Olga_Morozova.ogg; born 22 February 1949) is a retired tennis player who competed for the Soviet Union. She was the run ...

6–3, 6–4 * It was Evert's 2nd singles title of the year and the 13th of her career.

Doubles

Patti Hogan /

Sharon Walsh Sharon Walsh-Arnold (née Walsh; born February 24, 1952) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. Walsh enjoyed a long career, playing her first Grand Slam singles event in 1969 and her last Grand Slam doubles match in 1990 ...

defeated

Patricia Bostrom Patricia Lynn Bostrom (born November 25, 1951) is an American former professional tennis player. She is better known as Trish Bostrom and after tennis became a lawyer in Washington. Bostrom grew up in West Seattle and attended the University of W ...

Michèle Gurdal Michèle Gurdal (born 30 November 1952) is a Belgian professional tennis player who was most prominent in the 1970s. She represented Belgium in the Federation Cup every year between 1972 and 1980. Gurdal won one singles title on the WTA Tour, t ...

7–5, 6–4

References

{{1973 WTA Tour

Virginia Slims of Akron The Virginia Slims of Akron, also known during the first two editions as the Akron Tennis Open, is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament played from 1973 to 1976. It was held in Akron, Ohio in the United States and played on i ...

Tennis tournaments in Ohio