Eckerd Open
| Eckerd Open | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Event name | 1953–1965 Masters Invitational (1953–65) St Petersburg Masters (1966–70) Virginia Slims Masters of St Petersburg (1971–72) St Petersburg Masters Invitational (1973) Barnett Bank Masters (1974) 1977–1985 Florida Federal Open (1977–85) Eckerd Open |
| Tour | WTA Tour (1977–90) |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Abolished | 1990 |
| Location | Tampa Bay Area, Florida, U.S. |
| Surface | Clay (1971–74) Hard (1977–86) Clay (1987–90) |
The Eckerd Open is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated women's tennis tournament founded in 1953 as a combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament called the Masters Invitational tournament 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 1974. After the combined event the St. Petersburg Masters Invitational finished in 1970. The women's event continued under various brand names and various locations in the Tampa Bay Area until it was abolished in 1990.