What Is 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Overview

The 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix was a significant stop on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour, held annually in Stuttgart, Germany. Originally founded in 1978, the 1979 edition marked only the second year of the tournament but already established itself as a premier indoor clay-court event.

Attracting top-tier players, the event featured a 32-player singles draw and 16 doubles teams competing for a total prize purse of $150,000. Played at the Schleyer-Halle (now known as the Porsche Arena), the tournament was part of the Toyota Series, a top-tier category in the WTA circuit at the time.

• Tracy Austin, aged just 16, won the singles title by defeating Betty Stöve 6–4, 6–2 in the final, marking her third career WTA title.
• The tournament was played on indoor red clay courts, a rare surface type for indoor events, which influenced player movement and strategy.
• Martina Navratilova and Betty Stöve teamed up to win the doubles title, defeating the pair of Virginia Ruzici and Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 6–4.
• The event drew an average attendance of over 4,000 spectators per day, reflecting strong early popularity in Germany.
• The 1979 edition helped solidify Stuttgart as a long-term host city, with the tournament continuing annually except for brief hiatuses.

Player Performances & Tournament Structure

The 1979 edition showcased rising stars and seasoned champions, blending competitive depth with emerging talent. With a compact week-long schedule, the tournament followed a standard single-elimination format for both singles and doubles.

• Tracy Austin entered as the third seed and dropped only one set throughout the tournament, defeating top seed Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the semifinals.
• Martina Navratilova reached the doubles final but lost in the singles quarterfinals to Betty Stöve, 6–3, 6–1.
• The prize money of $150,000 made it one of the most lucrative women’s events outside the Grand Slams at the time.
• Virginia Wade participated but was eliminated in the second round by Renáta Tomanová in three sets.
• The tournament featured players from 12 different countries, highlighting its growing international appeal.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix compared to other major women’s tournaments of the era:

The 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix stood out for offering slightly higher prize money than that year’s US Open, a rare feat for a non-major. Its indoor clay format also distinguished it from most other events, providing unique preparation for the French Open season. The strong field and high payouts signaled the WTA’s growing commercial strength.

Why It Matters

The 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of women’s professional tennis during a transformative era. As one of the few women’s events with prize money surpassing Grand Slam tournaments, it underscored the growing financial viability of the WTA Tour.

• Tracy Austin’s victory at age 16 reinforced the trend of younger players dominating women’s tennis in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
• The tournament helped establish Stuttgart as a long-term hub for elite women’s tennis, a status it maintains today.
• Its success encouraged European sponsors to invest more heavily in women’s sports, influencing future event funding.
• The indoor clay surface provided rare competitive conditions, influencing player training and surface adaptation strategies.
• High attendance and media coverage demonstrated strong public interest in women’s tennis outside the Grand Slams.
• The event contributed to the WTA’s goal of creating a balanced global tour with diverse surface types and locations.

Ultimately, the 1979 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix was more than just a tournament—it was a milestone in the professionalization and popularization of women’s tennis, setting benchmarks for prize money, player development, and fan engagement.