Thunderbird Classic (tennis)
| Thunderbird Classic | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Event name | Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic (1971–72) Virginia Slims of Phoenix (1973–74) Thunderbird Classic (1975–80) |
| Tour | Virginia Slims Circuit(1972–80) |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Abolished | 1980 |
| Location | Phoenix, United States |
| Venue | Phoenix Country Club |
| Surface | Hard / indoor (1952–65) Hard / outdoor (1966–70) |
The Thunderbird Classic was a Virginia Slims Circuit affiliated tennis tournament founded in 1952, as a combined men's and women's tournament called the Phoenix Thunderbird Championships Invitational. Also known as the Phoenix Thunderbird Invitation it continued as a joint event until 1970 when it was branded as the Phoenix Thunderbird Open the men's event was discontinued that year.
In 1971 the women's tournament was re branded as the Virginia Slims Thunderbird Classic and ran annually under a number of name changes until 1980 when it too was discontinued.