The 1976 WTA Tour consisted of a number of tennis tournaments for female tennis players. It was composed of the newly streamlined version of the Virginia Slims Circuit, was now an 11-week tour of the United States, and the Woman's International Grand Prix. The 1976 tour was the first full season using the official ranking system and these rankings were used to determine acceptance into the tournaments.[1][2]

1976 WTA Tour
Chris Evert finished the year as world No. 1 for the second time in her career. She won twelve singles tournaments during the season, including two majors at the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open.
Details
Duration26 December 1975–2 December 1976
Edition4th
Tournaments38
CategoriesGrand Slam (4)
Virginia Slims championships
Virginia Slims Circuit (10)
Women's International Grand Prix (10)
Non-tour events (12)
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesUnited States Chris Evert (12)
Most tournament finalsUnited States Chris Evert (16)
Prize money leaderUnited States Chris Evert ($343,165)
Points leaderUnited States Chris Evert (16.990)
1975
1977

Schedule

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This is a calendar of all events which were part of either the Virginia Slims circuit or the Women's International Grand Prix in the year 1976, with player progression documented from the quarterfinals stage. Also included are the Grand Slam tournaments, the 1976 Virginia Slims Championships, the 1976 Federation Cup and a number of events not affiliated with either tour.[1]

Key
Grand Slam tournaments
Virginia Slims Championships
Virginia Slims Circuit
Women's International Grand Prix
Non-tour events
Team events

January

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
26 Dec Australian Open
Melbourne, Australia
Grand Slam
Grass – 56S/24D
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 6–2
  Renáta Tomanová   Helen Gourlay Cawley
  Elisabeth Ekblom
  Lesley Bowrey
  Heidi Eisterlehner
  Helga Masthoff
  Christine Matison
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
  Helen Gourlay Cawley
8–1
  Lesley Turner Bowrey
  Renáta Tomanová
5 Jan L‟Eggs World Series
Austin, United States
Non-tour event
– hard – 32S/8D
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–3, 7–6
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley   Virginia Wade
  Martina Navratilova
12 Jan Virginia Slims of Houston
Houston, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/12D
SinglesDoubles
  Martina Navratilova
6–3, 6–4
  Chris Evert   Rosie Casals
  Nancy Gunter
  Sue Barker
  Olga Morozova
  Marcie Louie
  Renáta Tomanová
  Françoise Dürr
  Rosie Casals
6–0, 7–5
  Martina Navratilova
  Chris Evert
19 Jan Virginia Slims of Washington
Washington, United States
Virginia Slims
$75,000 – carpet (i)– 32S/8D
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–2, 6–1
  Virginia Wade   Sue Barker
  Terry Holladay
  Mima Jaušovec
  Olga Morozova
  Lesley Hunt
  Natasha Chmyreva
  Olga Morozova
  Virginia Wade
7–6, 6–2
  Wendy Overton
  Mona Guerrant
26 Jan Virginia Slims of Chicago
Chicago, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/10D
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
3–6, 6–4, 6–2
  Virginia Wade   Martina Navratilova
  Nancy Gunter
  Cynthia Doerner
  Olga Morozova
  Natasha Chmyreva
  Wendy Overton
  Olga Morozova
  Virginia Wade
6–7(4–5), 6–4, 6–4
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
  Martina Navratilova

February

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
3 Feb Virginia Slims of Akron
Akron, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–2, 3–6, 6–2
  Virginia Wade   Rosie Casals
  Olga Morozova
  Iris Riedel
  Nancy Gunter
  Mima Jaušovec
  Sue Barker
  Brigitte Cuypers
  Mona Guerrant
6–4, 7–6(5–4)
  Glynis Coles
  Florența Mihai
17 Feb Virginia Slims of Detroit
Detroit, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–4, 6–2
  Rosie Casals   Terry Holladay
  Marita Redondo
  Elly Appel-Vessies
  Marcie Louie
  Betty Stöve
  Ann Kiyomura
  Mona Guerrant
  Ann Kiyomura
6–3, 6–4
  Chris Evert
  Betty Stöve
24 Feb Virginia Slims of Sarasota
Sarasota, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–3, 6–0
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley   Martina Navratilova
  Rosie Casals
  Carrie Meyer
  Mona Guerrant
  Mima Jaušovec
  Lesley Hunt
  Martina Navratilova
  Betty Stöve
6–1, 6–0
  Mona Guerrant
  Ann Kiyomura

March

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Mar Virginia Slims of San Francisco
San Francisco, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/8D
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
7–5, 7–6(5–2)
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley   Terry Holladay
  Marita Redondo
  Rosie Casals
  Martina Navratilova
  Virginia Wade
  Nancy Gunter
  Billie Jean King
  Betty Stöve
6–4, 6–1
  Rosie Casals
  Françoise Dürr
15 Mar Virginia Slims of Dallas
Dallas, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/10D
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–1, 6–1
  Martina Navratilova   Kerry Reid
  Marita Redondo
  Greer Stevens
  Betty Stöve
  Carrie Meyer
  Natasha Chmyreva
  Mona Guerrant
  Ann Kiyomura
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
  Greer Stevens
  Marita Redondo
22 Mar Virginia Slims of Boston
Boston, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/12D
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–2, 6–0
  Virginia Wade   Rosie Casals
  Dianne Fromholtz
  Kerry Reid
  Lesley Hunt
  Natasha Chmyreva
  Mima Jaušovec
  Mona Guerrant
  Ann Kiyomura
3–6, 6–1, 7–5
  Rosie Casals
  Françoise Dürr
29 Mar Virginia Slims of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States
Virginia Slims
Carpet (i) – $75,000 – 32S/11D
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 7–6(5–3)
  Chris Evert   Virginia Wade
  Sue Barker
  Dianne Fromholtz
  Olga Morozova
  Kerry Reid
  Rosie Casals
  Billie Jean King
  Betty Stöve
7–6(5–4), 6–4
  Rosie Casals
  Françoise Dürr

April

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
12 April Virginia Slims Championships
Los Angeles, United States
Year-end championships
Carpet (i) – $150,000 – 16S (8RR)
SinglesDoubles
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 5–7, 6–3
  Chris Evert   Rosie Casals (3rd)
  Martina Navratilova (4th)
  Sue Barker (5th)
  Marita Redondo (6th)
  Virginia Wade (7th)
  Françoise Dürr (8th)
Monte Carlo Open
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Non-tour event
Clay
SinglesDoubles
  Helga Masthoff
6–4, 6–2
  Fiorella Bonicelli
  Katja Ebbinghaus
  Helga Masthoff
6–3, 7–5
  Rosie Darmon
  Gail Sherriff Chanfreau
19 April Bridgestone Doubles Championships
Tokyo, Japan
Women's International Grand Prix
$100,000 – Carpet (i) – 7D
Doubles
  Billie Jean King
  Betty Stöve
6–3, 6–2
  Mona Guerrant
  Ann Kiyomura
  Evert /   Navrátilová
  Morozova /   Wade
/
  Coles /   Mihai
  Sieler /   Hunt
  Casals /   Dürr
26 April Family Circle Cup
Amelia Island, United States
Women's International Grand Prix
Clay – $110,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–2, 6–2
  Kerry Reid   Mary Struthers
  Sue Barker
  Betty Stöve
  Lesley Hunt
  Ilana Kloss
  Nancy Gunter
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
6–3, 6–2
  Kathy Kuykendall
  Valerie Ziegenfuss
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
10 May Coca-Cola British Hard Court
Championships

Bournemouth, Great Britain
Non-tour event
Clay
SinglesDoubles
  Helga Niessen Masthoff
5–7, 6–3, 6–3
  Sue Barker   Gail Lovera
  Linky Boshoff
  Linda Mottram
  Belinda Thompson
  Glynis Coles
  Wendy Turnbull
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
6–3, 6–2
  Lesley Charles
  Sue Mappin
17 May German Open
Hamburg, West Germany
Women's International Grand Prix
$30,000 – clay
SinglesDoubles
  Sue Barker
6–3, 6–1
  Renáta Tomanová   Virginia Ruzici
  Mima Jaušovec
  Iris Riedel
  Helga Niessen Masthoff
  Glynis Coles
  Regina Maršíková
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
4–6, 7–5, 6–1
  Laura duPont
  Wendy Turnbull
24 May Italian Open
Rome, Italy
Women's International Grand Prix
$30,000 – clay
SinglesDoubles
  Mima Jaušovec
6–1, 6–3
  Lesley Hunt   Regina Maršíková
  Florența Mihai
  Sue Barker
  Linky Boshoff
  Gail Lovera
  Beth Norton
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
6–1, 6–2
  Virginia Ruzici
  Mariana Simionescu
31 May
7 June
French Open
Paris, France
Grand Slam
Clay (red) – 64S/22D/24X
SinglesDoublesMixed doubles
  Sue Barker
6–2, 0–6, 6–2
  Renáta Tomanová   Florența Mihai
  Virginia Ruzici
  Helga Niessen Masthoff
  Kathy Kuykendall
  Miloslava Holubová
  Regina Maršíková
  Fiorella Bonicelli
  Gail Lovera
6–3, 6–2
  Kathleen Harter
  Helga Niessen Masthoff
  Ilana Kloss
  Kim Warwick
5–7, 7–6, 6–2
  Linky Boshoff
  Colin Dowdeswell

June

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
14 Jun Colgate International
Eastbourne, Great Britain
Women's International Grand Prix
$25,000 – grass
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
8–6, 6–3
  Virginia Wade   Olga Morozova
  Martina Navratilova
  Betty Stöve
  Rosie Casals
  Betsy Nagelsen
  Mona Guerrant
  Chris Evert /   Martina Navratilova
vs
  Olga Morozova /   Virginia Wade
6–1, 1–1 not finished due to rain
21 Jun
28 Jun
Wimbledon Championships
London, Great Britain
Grand Slam
Grass – 96S/48D/64X
SinglesDoublesMixed doubles
  Chris Evert
6–3, 4–6, 8–6
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley   Martina Navratilova
  Virginia Wade
  Olga Morozova
  Sue Barker
  Kerry Reid
  Rosie Casals
  Chris Evert
  Martina Navratilova
6–1, 3–6, 7–5
  Billie Jean King
  Betty Stöve
  Françoise Dürr
  Tony Roche
6–3, 2–6, 7–5
  Rosie Casals
  Dick Stockton

July

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
5 Jul Swiss Open
Gstaad, Switzerland
Non-tour event
Clay
SinglesDoubles
  Michele Gurdal
4-6, 6–2, 6–3
  Gail Chanfreau
  Betsy Nagelsen
  Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 6–4
  Brigitte Cuypers
  Annette DuPlooy
Swedish Open
Båstad, Sweden
Non-tour event
Clay
SinglesDoubles
  Renáta Tomanová
6–3, 6–2
  Helena Anliot
  Isabel Fernández de Soto
  Mimmi Wikstedt
6–1, 7–6
  Lesley Hunt
  Renáta Tomanová
12 Jul Head Open
Kitzbühel, Austria
Non-tour event
Clay
SinglesDoubles
  Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 5–7, 6–2
  Virginia Ruzici
  Helena Anliot
  Mimmi Wikstedt
6–4, 2–6, 7–5
  Katja Ebbinghaus
  Heidi Eisterlehner

August

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
9 Aug US Clay Court Championships
Indianapolis, United States
Women's International Grand Prix
$35,000 – clay
SinglesDoubles
  Kathy May
6–4, 4–6, 6–2
  Brigitte Cuypers   Fiorella Bonicelli
  Helga Niessen Masthoff
  Lesley Hunt
  Laura duPont
  Mary Struthers
  Linky Boshoff
  Fiorella Bonicelli
  Isabel Fernández de Soto
3–6, 7–5, 6–3
  Gail Chanfreau
  Julie Heldman
16 Aug Rothmans Canadian Open
Toronto, Canada
Women's International Grand Prix
$35,000 – clay
SinglesDoubles
  Mima Jaušovec
6–2, 6–0
  Lesley Hunt   Virginia Ruzici
  Cynthia Doerner
  Sue Barker
  Kathy May
  Regina Maršíková
  Laura duPont
  Cynthia Doerner
  Janet Newberry
6–7, 6–3, 6–1
  Sue Barker
  Pam Teeguarden
WTA Westchester Invitational
Harrison, United States
Non-tour event
Clay
  Beth Norton
1–6, 7–5, 6–3
  Ruta Gerulaitis   Janet Newberry
  Mary Carillo
  Laura duPont
  Janice Metcalf
  Cecilia Martinez
  Wendy Overton
23 Aug Federation Cup
Philadelphia, United States
Federation Cup
Carpet (i) – 31 teams knockout
  United States
2–1
  Australia   Netherlands
  Great Britain
   Switzerland
  Denmark
  South Africa
  West Germany
Tennis Week Open
Orange, United States
Non-tour event
Clay
  Marise Kruger
6–3, 6–2
  Lea Antonoplis   Florence Guédy
  Renée Richards
  Linda Thomas
  Susan Mehmedbasich
  Carrie Meyer
  Kathy Harter
30 Aug
6 Sep
US Open
New York City, United States
Grand Slam
Clay – 64S/32D/32X
SinglesDoublesMixed doubles
  Chris Evert
6–3, 6–0
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley   Mima Jaušovec
  Dianne Fromholtz
  Natasha Chmyreva
  Virginia Ruzici
  Zenda Liess
  Rosie Casals
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
6–1, 6–4
  Olga Morozova
  Virginia Wade
  Billie Jean King
  Phil Dent
3–6, 6–2, 7–5
  Betty Stöve
  Frew McMillan

September

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
13 Sep US Indoor Championships
Atlanta, United States
Women's International Grand Prix
$75,000 – carpet (i)
SinglesDoubles
  Virginia Wade
5–7, 7–5, 7–5
  Betty Stöve   Dianne Fromholtz
  Wendy Turnbull
  Winnie Shaw
  Marise Kruger
  Brigitte Cuypers
  JoAnne Russell
  Rosie Casals
  Françoise Dürr
6–0, 6–4
  Betty Stöve
  Virginia Wade
27 Sep Toray Sillook Open
Tokyo, Japan
Non-tour event
$50,000 – carpet (i)
  Betty Stöve
1–6, 6–4, 6–3
  Margaret Court   Valerie Ziegenfuss (3rd)
  Lesley Hunt (4th)
  Betsy Nagelsen
  Rayni Fox
  Virginia Wade
  Marita Redondo

October

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
4 Oct Thunderbird Classic
Phoenix, United States
Women's International Grand Prix
$60,000 – hard
SinglesDoubles
  Chris Evert
6–1, 7–5
  Dianne Fromholtz   Betty Stöve
  Martina Navratilova
  Terry Holladay
  JoAnne Russell
  Billie Jean King
  Mona Guerrant
  Billie Jean King
  Betty Stöve
6–2, 6–1
  Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
11 Oct World Invitational Tennis Classic
Hilton Head Island, United States
Non-tour event
Clay
Draw
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 6–4
  Virginia Wade
  Sue Barker
  Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–4, 4–6, 6–3
  Martina Navratilova
  Virginia Wade

November

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Nov Japan Open
Tokyo, Japan
Non-tour event
Clay
  Wendy Turnbull
6–1, 6–1
  Michele Gurdal
Wightman Cup
Crystal Palace, London, Great Britain
Hard (i)
Team event
  United States
5–2
  Great Britain
25 Nov Gunze World Tennis
Tokyo & Kobe, Japan
Non-tour event
$100,000 – hard (i)
  Chris Evert
6–2, 7–6(7–4)
  Sue Barker   Rosie Casals
  Martina Navratilova
  Renáta Tomanová
  Françoise Dürr
  Ann Kiyomura
  Jeanne Evert
  Sue Barker
  Ann Kiyomura
4–6, 6–3, 6–1
  Rosie Casals
  Françoise Dürr

Rankings

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Below are the 1976 WTA year-end rankings (December 31, 1976) Singles competition:

Singles Year-end Ranking[3]
No Player Name Points 1975 Change
1   Chris Evert (USA) 16.990 1 =
2   Evonne Goolagong Cawley (AUS) 16.326 5 +3
3   Virginia Wade (GBR) 10.933 2 -1
4   Martina Navratilova (USA) 10.272 3 -1
5   Dianne Fromholtz (AUS) 8.012 20 +15
6   Rosie Casals (USA) 7.644 12 +6
7   Betty Stöve (NED) 7.158 22 +15
8   Kerry Melville (AUS) 7.064 10 +2
9   Olga Morozova (USSR) 6.523 7 -2
10   Sue Barker (GBR) 6.480 19 +9
11   Mima Jaušovec (YUG) 5.702 40 +29
12   Nancy Gunter (USA) 5.525 8 -4
13   Terry Holladay (USA) 4.132 26 +13
14   Natasha Chmyreva (USSR) 5.066 21 +7
15   Françoise Dürr (FRA) 4.639 9 -6
16   Marita Redondo (USA) 4.603 60 +44
17   Greer Stevens (RSA) 4.522 48 +31
18   JoAnne Russell (USA) 4.493 35 +17
19   Kathy May (USA) 4.277 57 +38
20   Mona Guerrant (USA) 4.236 NR NR

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "WTA Tour Finals" (PDF). www.wtatennis.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  2. ^ "About the WTA". www.wtatennis.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  3. ^ "Women's International Computerized Rankings" (PDF). Women's Tennis Association (WTA). 5 December 1976.
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