The 1981 Avon Championships World Championship Series was the 9th season since the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced on January 4, 1981, and concluded on December 19, 1981, after 36 events. The Avon Championships World Championship Series was the elite tour for professional women's tennis organised by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The year is divided into two sponsors with the first three months sponsored by Avon Series and the latter part by Toyota Series. It included the four Grand Slam tournaments and a series of other events. ITF tournaments were not part of the tour, although they awarded points for the WTA World Ranking.
![]() Chris Evert-Lloyd finished the year as world No. 1 for the fifth time in her career. She won eight singles tournaments during the season, including a major at the Wimbledon Championships. She also finished runner-up at another major, the Australian Open. | |
Details | |
---|---|
Duration | 12 January – 20 December 1981 |
Edition | 9th |
Tournaments | 47 |
Categories | Grand Slam (4) WTA Championships (3) Avon Championships (10) Toyota Series (26) |
Achievements (singles) | |
Most tournament titles | ![]() |
Most tournament finals | ![]() |
Prize money leader | ![]() |
Points leader | ![]() |
Awards | |
Player of the year | ![]() |
Doubles team of the year | ![]() ![]() |
Most improved player of the year | ![]() |
Newcomer of the year | ![]() |
← 1980 1982 → |
Schedule
editThe table below shows the 1981 WTA Tour schedule.
- Key
Grand Slam tournaments |
WTA championships |
Avon Championships Circuit |
Toyota Series |
Team events |
January
editFebruary
editMarch
editApril
editMay
editJune
editJuly
editWeek | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 Jul | Austrian Open Kitzbühel, Austria Toyota Series (Category 1) Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles |
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 7–5, 7–6 |
Sylvia Hanika | Regina Maršíková Virginia Ruzici |
Patricia Medrado Yvonne Vermaak Lena Sandin Marjorie Blackwood |
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Eva Pfaff 6–4, 6–3 |
Elizabeth Little Yvonne Vermaak | ||||
27 Jul | Wells Fargo Open San Diego, United States Toyota Series (Category 4) Hard – $125,000- 32S/16D Singles – Doubles |
Tracy Austin 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 |
Pam Shriver | Kathy Jordan Kate Latham |
Candy Reynolds Mary Lou Piatek Bettina Bunge Yvonne Vermaak |
Kathy Jordan Candy Reynolds 6–1, 2–6, 6–4 |
Rosie Casals Pam Shriver |
August
editSeptember
editWeek | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 Sep | Toray Sillook Open Tokyo, Japan Toyota Series (Category 3) Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 32S Singles |
Ann Kiyomura 6–4, 7–5 |
Bettina Bunge | Mima Jaušovec Kathleen Horvath |
Sharon Walsh Candy Reynolds Anne Hobbs Leslie Allen |
21 Sep | Toyota Tennis Classic Atlanta, United States Toyota Series (Category 2) Hard – $75,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles |
Tracy Austin 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Mary Lou Piatek | Laura duPont Susan Mascarin |
Beth Norton Wendy White Rosie Casals Sharon Walsh |
Laura duPont Betsy Nagelsen 6–4, 7–5 |
Rosie Casals Candy Reynolds | ||||
28 Sep | U.S. Women's Indoor Championships Bloomington, United States Toyota Series (Category 4) Carpet (i) – $125,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles |
Martina Navratilova 6–0, 6–2 |
Tracy Austin | Candy Reynolds Wendy Turnbull |
Sharon Walsh Julie Harrington Anne Smith Barbara Potter |
Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 6–3, 7–6 |
Rosie Casals Wendy Turnbull |
October
editNovember
editDecember
editWeek | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 Dec | Toyota Series Championships East Rutherford, United States WTA championships Hard (i) – $300,000 – 12S/6D Singles – Doubles |
Tracy Austin 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
Martina Navratilova | Pam Shriver Chris Evert-Lloyd |
Round robin Mima Jaušovec Andrea Jaeger Hana Mandlíková Tracy Austin |
Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 6–3, 6–4 |
Rosie Casals Wendy Turnbull |
Toyota Series
editPoints system
editThe 31 Toyota Series tournaments were divided into eight point categories. The highest points were allocated to the Grand Slam tournaments; French Open, the Wimbledon Championships, the US Open and the Australian Open. Points were allocated based on these categories and the finishing position of a player in a tournament.[1] The points allocation, with doubles points listed in brackets, is as follows:
Category | Grand Slam $300,000+ |
7 $200,000+ |
6 $175,000+ |
5 $150,000+ |
4 $125,000+ |
3 $100,000+ |
2 $75,000+ |
1 $50,000+ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 250 (125) | 200 (105) | 175 (88) | 150 (75) | 125 (62) | 100 (50) | 75 (38) | 50 (25) |
Runner-up | 200 (100) | 160 (90) | 140 (73) | 120 (60) | 95 (47) | 70 (35) | 50 (25) | 30 (15) |
Semifinalist | 160 (80) | 130 (70) | 110 (57) | 90 (45) | 70 (35) | 50 (25) | 35 (17) | 20 (10) |
Quarterfinalist | 120 (60) | 100 (50) | 80 (40) | 60 (30) | 40 (20) | 25 (12) | 20 (8) | 10 (5) |
Fourth round | 80 (40) | 65 (35) | 50 (25) | 35 (17) | 25 (12) | 15 (8) | 10 (5) | 5 (3) |
Third round | 40 (30) | 30 (22) | 25 (15) | 20 (9) | 15 (5) | 5 (3) | 3 (1) | – (–) |
Second round | 15 (10) | 10 (8) | 10 (5) | 7 (2) | 5 (–) | – (–) | – (–) | – (–) |
Rankings
editBelow are the 1981 WTA year-end rankings (December 31, 1981) in both singles and doubles competition:
Singles Year-end Ranking[2] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No | Player Name | Points | 1980 | Change |
1 | Chris Evert (USA) | 17.542 | 1 | |
2 | Tracy Austin (USA) | 16.486 | 2 | |
3 | Martina Navratilova (USA) | 15.710 | 3 | |
4 | Andrea Jaeger (USA) | 13.107 | 7 | 3 |
5 | Hana Mandlíková (TCH) | 11.234 | 4 | 1 |
6 | Sylvia Hanika (FRG) | 9.620 | 14 | 8 |
7 | Pam Shriver (USA) | 9.594 | 9 | 2 |
8 | Wendy Turnbull (AUS) | 8.262 | 8 | |
9 | Bettina Bunge (FRG) | 7.932 | 19 | 10 |
10 | Barbara Potter (USA) | 7.921 | 25 | 15 |
11 | Mima Jaušovec (YUG) | 7.823 | 17 | 6 |
12 | Virginia Ruzici (ROU) | 7.399 | 11 | 1 |
13 | Regina Maršíková (TCH) | 6.567 | 18 | 5 |
14 | Sue Barker (GBR) | 6.405 | 16 | 2 |
15 | Kathy Jordan (USA) | 5.957 | 13 | 2 |
16 | Anne Smith (USA) | 5.728 | 24 | 8 |
17 | Mary Lou Piatek (USA) | 5.199 | 23 | 6 |
18 | Sandy Collins (USA) | 5.050 | 36 | 18 |
19 | Leslie Allen (USA) | 5.034 | 54 | 35 |
20 | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (FRG) | 4.846 | 78 | 58 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ John Barrett, ed. (1982). Slazengers World of Tennis 1982 : The Official Yearbook of the International Tennis Federation (14th ed.). London: Queen Anne Press. p. 137. ISBN 9780356085968.
- ^ "Womens International Computer Rankings" (PDF). Women's Tennis Association (WTA). 31 December 1981.