1985 Virginia Slims World Championship Series

1985 Virginia Slims World Championship Series
Martina Navratilova finished the year as world No. 1 for the record-breaking sixth time in her career. She won 13 singles tournaments during the season, including two majors at the Wimbledon Championships and the Australian Open, as well as the Virginia Slims Championships. She also finished runner-up at the other two majors, the French Open and the US Open.
Details
DurationMarch 25, 1985 – March 23, 1986
Edition13th
Tournaments53
CategoriesGrand Slam (4)
WTA Championships
Tour Events (48)
Achievements (singles)
Most titlesUnited States Martina Navratilova (13)
Most finalsUnited States Martina Navratilova (15)
Prize money
leader
United States Martina Navratilova $1,328,829
Points leaderUnited States Martina Navratilova 191.32
Awards
Player of the yearUnited States Martina Navratilova
Doubles team
of the year
United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
Most improved
player of the year
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
Newcomer
of the year
Argentina Gabriela Sabatini
1984
1986

The 1985 Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the 13th season since the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced in March 1985, and concluded in March 1986 after 52 events.

The Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the elite tour for professional women's tennis organised by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). It was held in place of the WTA Tour from 1983 until 1987 and featured tournaments that had previously been part of the Toyota Series and the Avon Series. It included the four Grand Slam tournaments and a series of other events.[1] ITF tournaments were not part of the tour, although they awarded points for the WTA World Ranking.

The season was dominated by Martina Navratilova, who won 13 tournaments and reached the finals of the four Grand Slam events. She defeated Chris Evert at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Navratilova also won the Virginia Slims Championships in March and ended the year at world Number 1. Evert, the winner of ten titles in 1985, emerged victorious at Roland-Garros, while Hana Mandlíková won the U.S. Open. Newcomer of the Year Gabriela Sabatini won the first title of her career in Tokyo. In doubles, the pairing of Navratilova and Pam Shriver won the title at Roland-Garros and the Australian Open, Jordan and Smylie won the Wimbledon title and Kohde-KilschSuková were victorious at the US Open.

  1. ^ "1985 WTA Tournament Guide". Truth Tobacco Industry Documents. Women's Tennis Association (WTA). 1985 – via University of California San Francisco (UCSF).