1979 US Open – Women's singles

August 2023 1979 US Open USA Tracy Austin USA Chris Evert 6–4, 6–3 96 16 1979 US Open (tennis) Tracy Austin defeated four-time defending champion Chris Evert in the final, 6–4, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1979 US Open. It was her first major singles title. Austin became the youngest major champion in the Open Era, aged 16 years and 9 months (a record later surpassed by Monica Seles at the 1990 French Open, and one that still stands at the US Open). She was also the youngest woman to defeat the world No. 1 and No. 2 at one tournament since the WTA rankings were established in 1975, a record that still stands. In Evert’s fourth-round match against Sherry Acker, Evert lost the first set. This marked her first set lost at the US Open since the opening set of the 1975 US Open final against Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, a span of 46 consecutive sets won. Seeds The seeded players are listed below. Tracy Austin is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. USA Chris Evert-Lloyd (runner-up) USA Martina Navratilova (semifinalist) USA Tracy Austin (champion) GBR Virginia Wade (quarterfinalist) AUS Evonne Goolagong (quarterfinalist) AUS Dianne Fromholtz (fourth round) AUS Wendy Turnbull (third round) AUS Kerry Melville Reid (quarterfinalist) USA Billie Jean King (semifinalist) RSA 1928 Greer Stevens (fourth round) USA Kathy Jordan (fourth round) TCH Regina Maršíková (fourth round) GBR Sue Barker (second round) USA Pam Shriver (first round) USA Ann Kiyomura (second round) NED Betty Stöve (second round) Qualifying 1979 US Open – Women's singles qualifying Draw Key Q = Qualifier WC = Wild card LL = Lucky loser r = Retired Finals 150 USA Chris Evert 1 USA Tracy Austin 3 4 6 3 6 USA Chris Evert 1 USA Billie Jean King 9 6 1 6 0 USA Tracy Austin 3 USA Martina Navratilova 2 7 5 7 5 USA Chris Evert 1 AUS Evonne Goolagong 5 7 5 6 2 GBR Virginia Wade 4 USA Billie Jean King 9 3 6 6 7 FRG Sylvia Hanika   USA Tracy Austin 3 1 6 1 6 AUS Kerry Melville Reid 8 USA Martina Navratilova 2 4 6 1 6 Earlier rounds Section 1 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Evert 1 USA Acker 4 6 6 0 6 2 USA Evert 1 USA Richards 6 2 6 1 USA Acker USA Henry Q 6 4 6 1 USA Evert 1 USA JoAnne Russell 6 0 6 2 RSA 1928 Yvonne Vermaak USA Richards 2 6 6 2 4 6 USA Lele Forood USA Acker 6 3 4 6 5 7 USA Henry Q NED Betty Stöve 16 7 6 4 1 r USA Chris Evert 1 FRG Iris Riedel 6 0 6 0 USA Renée Richards USA Mary Carillo 7 5 6 3 USA Sherry Acker USA Dana Gilbert 6 3 6 3 USA Kelly Henry Q ARG Emilse Raponi 6 3 6 4 Section 2 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA DuVall AUS Goolagong 5 3 6 6 3 0 6 USA Harrington Q USA DuVall 4 6 6 3 2 6 ITA Simmonds AUS Goolagong 5 5 7 1 6 USA Harrington Q USA Peanut Louie Harper 6 2 6 2 USA Nancy Yeargin USA DuVall 2 6 0 6 ITA Sabina Simmonds USA Lewis Q 7 6 7 6 USA Rayni Fox AUS Goolagong 5 2 6 3 6 USA Julie Harrington Q USA Pam Shriver 14 6 4 6 1 USA Jeanne DuVall FRG Bettina Bunge 6 4 7 5 USA Trey Lewis Q USA Renee Blount 7 6 5 7 6 4 AUS Evonne Goolagong 5 USA Kay McDaniel 6 7 6 4 6 4 Section 3 First round Second round Third round Fourth round GBR Wade 4 TCH Maršíková 12 w/o GBR Wade 4 USA Morrison 6 1 7 6 USA B. Jordan TCH Maršíková 12 6 4 2 6 3 6 GBR Wade 4 USA Janet Newberry 6 3 6 2 AUS Amanda Tobin Q USA Morrison 2 6 2 6 USA Julie Anthony USA B. Jordan 5 7 4 6 YUG Jaušovec TCH Regina Maršíková 12 3 6 3 6 GBR Virginia Wade 4 USA Paula Smith 6 3 6 3 USA Diane Morrison USA Linda Siegel 6 0 6 1 USA Barbara Jordan USA Susan Mascarin Q 6 0 6 3 YUG Mima Jaušovec NED Elly Vessies 6 7 6 2 6 2 Section 4 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA King 9 USA May Teacher 6 3 6 0 USA King 9 USA Margolin 6 3 6 3 USA May Teacher AUS Turnbull 7 7 5 6 2 USA King 9 AUS Chris O'Neil 6 0 6 3 RSA 1928 Harford USA Stacy Margolin 3 6 1 6 USA May Teacher ITA Daniela Porzio 6 1 6 2 USA Anna-Maria Fernandez AUS Turnbull 7 4 6 2 6 USA Billie Jean King 9 USA Zenda Liess 6 3 7 5 RSA 1928 Tanya Harford USA Marita Redondo 7 6 6 1 USA Kathy May Teacher USA Heather Ludloff Q 7 6 6 1 AUS Wendy Turnbull 7 HUN Marie Neumannová Pinterová 4 6 6 3 6 4 Section 5 First round Second round Third round Fourth round AUS Fromholtz 6 FRG Hanika 7 6 4 6 4 6 AUS Fromholtz 6 USA Allen 6 7 6 3 6 2 FRG Hanika USA duPont 6 4 6 7 6 3 AUS Fromholtz 6 USA Kathy Horvath Q 7 6 6 2 USA Ruta Gerulaitis USA Allen 6 7 4 6 FRG Hanika USA Lea Antonoplis 6 2 6 7 6 4 USA Laura duPont USA Kiyomura 15 7 5 5 4 r AUS Dianne Fromholtz 6 AUS Diane Evers 6 3 6 2 USA Leslie Allen USA Sandy Collins 6 3 6 4 FRG Sylvia Hanika USA Betsy Nagelsen 1 6 6 3 6 2 USA Ann Kiyomura 15 USA Beth Norton 6 4 6 1 Section 6 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA K. Jordan 11 USA Austin 3 6 4 1 6 6 7 USA K. Jordan 11 USA White 6 2 6 1 USA Latham USA Austin 3 3 6 0 6 USA K. Jordan 11 USA Andrea Whitmore 5 7 6 3 6 1 ROU 1965 Mihai USA Wendy White 6 4 1 3 r USA Latham USA Karen Hantze Susman 6 4 6 7 6 2 USA Andrea Jaeger USA Austin 3 2 6 2 6 USA Kathy Jordan 11 USA Betty-Ann Stuart 6 4 6 0 ROU 1965 Florența Mihai SWE Mimmi Wikstedt 6 3 7 5 USA Kate Latham USA Pam Teeguarden 6 4 6 2 USA Tracy Austin 3 ARG Ivanna Madruga 6 3 6 1 Section 7 First round Second round Third round Fourth round AUS Melville Reid 8 USA A. Smith 4 6 7 5 7 6 AUS Melville Reid 8 USA Piatek 4 6 6 3 6 4 USA A. Smith USA Potter 3 6 6 4 6 4 AUS Melville Reid 8 GBR Anne Hobbs 6 4 6 0 RSA 1928 Kloss USA Mary Lou Piatek 3 6 2 6 USA A. Smith TCH Renáta Tomanová 6 2 6 4 USA Potter GBR Sue Barker 13 6 2 4 6 6 1 AUS Kerry Melville Reid 8 USA Rosemary Casals 6 1 6 2 RSA 1928 Ilana Kloss AUS Cynthia Doerner 6 4 3 6 6 4 USA Anne Smith FRA Gail Lovera 6 2 6 3 USA Barbara Potter USA Diane Desfor 6 3 6 4 Section 8 First round Second round Third round Fourth round RSA 1928 Stevens 10 USA Navratilova 2 2 6 2 6 RSA 1928 Stevens 10 USA Holladay 6 4 6 0 USA Stoll USA Navratilova 2 3 6 1 6 RSA 1928 Greer Stevens 10 RSA 1928 Fairbank Q 6 2 3 6 6 0 USA Barbara Hallquist USA Holladay 3 6 6 4 3 6 TCH Mandlíková USA Caroline Stoll 6 7 4 6 USA Moulton USA Martina Navratilova 2 4 6 0 6 RSA 1928 Rosalyn Fairbank Q USA Marcie Louie 4 6 6 0 6 4 USA Terry Holladay USA Sharon Walsh 6 2 6 3 TCH Hana Mandlíková FRA Françoise Dürr 6 1 6 1 USA Alycia Moulton RSA 1928 Brigitte Cuypers 7 5 4 6 6 3 External links 1979 US Open – Women's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation 1979 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles Grand Slam women's singles 1979 Australian Open – Women's singles Women's Singles Category:US Open (tennis) by year – Women's singles Category:1979 in women's tennis Category:1979 in American women's sports