EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

CNNSI.com GROUP
 Sports Illustrated
 Life of Reilly
 Television
 SI Women
 SI for Kids
 Press Room
 TBS/TNT Sports
 CNN Languages

COMMERCE
 SI Customer Service
 SI Media Kits
 Get into College
 Sports Memorabilia
 TeamStore

Chase Championships History The following is a brief history of the women's season-ending tennis tournament, which begins November 15 in New York, and a description of the current format: 1972 The first season-ending tournament was an eight-player, clay-court event in Florida in the spring of 1972. It served to crown a champion of the recently concluded Virginia Slims winter season. From the beginning, the tournament has featured a large purse. The initial total of $100,000 instantly made it the richest event in the history of women's tennis. First winner Chris Evert won the first two championships, both held in Boca Raton. In 1974, the tournament moved to Los Angeles, where it was held indoors at the Sports Arena. The field was expanded from eight to 16, and the winner's purse increased to a record $32,000. Martina's debut Martina Navratilova made her debut in 1974 and lost to Evert in the final in 1975. In 1977, the event moved again, to Madison Square Garden in New York. But in 1978, it moved west again, to Oakland. There, at the Oakland Coliseum, Navratilova captured the title for the first time. The following year, Avon took over sponsorship of the event and returned it to New York, where it has remained ever since. Navratilova dominated the event in the early 1980s, winning it eight times between 1978 and 1986. She actually won the tournament twice in 1986. Once in the spring and again in November when the tournament was switched to its current position at the end of the calendar year. Navratilova would later end her singles career at the 1994 championships, losing to eventual champion Gabriela Sabatini. Graf's reign Steffi Graf won the tournament in 1987 on the way to finishing the year as the number one ranked player in women's tennis, unseating Navratilova for the first time in five years. Graf also won the event in 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1996, but failed to capture it in 1988, the year she dominated the sport by winning all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal in Seoul. She made her final appearance at this event last year and lost to Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals. Graf retired in August and will be honored in a ceremony during the tournament. Monica's moments Monica Seles won the tournament three straight years beginning in 1990, but has not won a match at the season-ending event since 1992. She missed the tournament in 1993, 1994 and 1995 while recovering from a stab wound suffered in 1993. Seles returned in 1996, but was forced to retire during her first-round match due to a shoulder injury. Last year, she lost in the quarterfinals to Graf, but will not be competing this year due to a foot injury. 1999 This year's tournament is officially titled The Chase Championships of the WTA Tour. Chase will serve as the tournament's presenting sponsor for the fourth straight year. Martina Hingis will defend her title after winning her first season-ending event last year. Hingis defeated Davenport, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, in last year's final, but finished 1998 ranked No. 2 in the world behind Davenport. This year, the 16 top players will compete for a top prize of $500,000 and a total singles purse of $2 million.

© 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP

Copyright © 2000 CNN/Sports Illustrated An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.