1976 U.S. Clay Court Championships – Women's Singles

Chris Evert was the defending champion but had clashing commitments in World TeamTennis. Eleventh-seed Kathy May won the title and $6,000 first-prize money, defeating Brigitte Cuypers in the final.[1]

Women's Singles
1976 U.S. Clay Court Championships
Champion	Kathy May
Runner-up	Brigitte Cuypers
Final score	6–4, 4–6, 6–2

Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.[2]

1. Lesley Hunt (Quarterfinals)
2. Cynthia Doerner (Third Round)
3. Janet Newberry (Second Round)
4. Linky Boshoff (Quarterfinals)
5. Marcie Louie (Third Round)
6. Iris Riedel (Second Round)
7. Kathy Kuykendall (Third Round)
8. Helga Masthoff (Semifinals)
9. Marise Kruger (First Round)
10. Brigitte Cuypers (Final)
11. Kathy May (Champion)
12. Valerie Ziegenfuss (Second Round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild Card
• LL = Lucky Loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special Exempt
• PR = Protected Ranking
• ITF = ITF entry
• JE = Junior Exempt
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted

Finals

	Quarterfinals [3]							Semifinals [4]							Final [1]
	1	Lesley Hunt	3	6	3
	11	Kathy May	6	3	6
								11	Kathy May	6	6
									Fiorella Bonicelli	3	3
		Mary Struthers	2	0
		Fiorella Bonicelli	6	6
															11	Kathy May	6	4	6
															10	Brigitte Cuypers	4	6	2
	8	Helga Masthoff	6	6
	4	Linky Boshoff	4	4
								8	Helga Masthoff	3	5
								10	Brigitte Cuypers	6	7
	10	Brigitte Cuypers	6	7
		Laura duPont	2	6

Top Half

Section 1

	First Round [5][6]							Second Round [6][7]							Third Round [7][8]							Quarterfinals [3]
								1	L Hunt	6	6
									M Gurdal	1	1
															1	L Hunt	6	6
															Q	B Jordan	3	0
								Q	B Jordan	6	6
									M Hamm	4	2
																						1	L Hunt	3	6	3
																						11	K May	6	3	6
								5	M Louie	6	2	7
									L Tenney	1	6	5
															5	M Louie	1	r
															11	K May	6
								11	K May	6	6
									B Bruning	3	4

Section 2

	First Round [5][6]							Second Round [6][7]							Third Round [7][8]							Quarterfinals [3]
	3	J Newberry	3	7	6
		C Martinez	6	5	3			3	J Newberry	4	1
		K Harter	2	6					M Struthers	6	6
		M Struthers	6	7												M Struthers	6	2	6
		H Eisterlehner	6	4	6											W Turnbull	2	6	3
	9	M Kruger	1	6	1				H Eisterlehner	1	0
		G Coles	2	3					W Turnbull	6	6
		W Turnbull	6	6																			M Struthers	2	0
	Q	Vickie Kerr	3	4																			F Bonicelli	6	6
		V Ruzici	6	6					V Ruzici	2	6	1
	7	K Kuykendall	6	6				7	K Kuykendall	6	4	6
	Q	C Reynolds	3	1											7	K Kuykendall	2	4
		G Chanfreau	2	1												F Bonicelli	6	6
		F Bonicelli	6	6					F Bonicelli	6	6
		B Nagelsen	4	3					F Mihai	2	3
		F Mihai	6	6

Bottom Half

Section 3

	First Round [5][6]							Second Round [6][7]							Third Round [7][8]							Quarterfinals [3]
	Q	F Guedy	2	6	6
		S Stap	6	4	3			Q	F Guedy	1	1
	Q	M O'Keefe	6	3	2			8	H Masthoff	6	6
	8	H Masthoff	1	6	6										8	H Masthoff	6	6
		R Gerulaitis	3	4												I Kloss	1	2
		I Kloss	6	6					I Kloss	2	6	6
		S Mehmedbasich	1	4				12	V Ziegenfuss	6	3	0
	12	V Ziegenfuss	6	6																		8	H Masthoff	6	6
		S Walsh	2	7	2																	4	L Boshoff	4	4
		J Metcalf	6	6	6				J Metcalf	7	0	6
		M Simionescu	6	6					M Simionescu	6	6	2
		L Thomas	2	1												J Metcalf	3	5
	Q	P Whytcross	1	4											4	L Boshoff	6	7
		J Evert	6	6					J Evert	4	1
		N Sato	3	3				4	L Boshoff	6	6
	4	L Boshoff	6	6

Section 4

	First Round [5][6]							Second Round [6][7]							Third Round [7][8]							Quarterfinals [3]
									R Stark	5	0
								10	B Cuypers	7	6
															10	B Cuypers	5	7	6
															Q	J Fayter	7	5	1
								Q	J Fayter	6	6
								6	I Riedel	4	0
																						10	B Cuypers	6	7
																							L duPont	2	6
									L duPont	7	6
								Q	R Darmon	5	3
																L duPont	6	3	6
															2	C Doerner	4	6	2
									S Greer	5	4
								2	C Doerner	7	6

References

1. "Connors, Fibak Agree Who's Best". The Ledger. Lakeland, FL. AP. Aug 17, 1976.
2. Scifres, Bill (Aug 9, 1976). "Three Seek To Retire Clay Court Trophy". The Indianapolis Star. p. 21.
3. "Connors Advances In Clay Net Event". The Schenectady Gazette (Morning ed.). AP. Aug 14, 1976. p. 13.
4. "Solomon Upsets Defending Champ Orantes". The Ledger. Lakeland, FL. AP. Aug 15, 1976. p. 42.
5. "The Clipboard". Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, FL. Aug 10, 1976. p. B8.
6. "Tennis Results". Pittsburgh Press. Aug 11, 1976. p. 69.
7. Scifres, Bill (Aug 12, 1976). "Connors Isn't Shy As Dibley's Retiring". The Indianapolis Star (1st ed.). p. 44.
8. Scifres, Bill (Aug 13, 1976). "Solomon, Fillol Nearly Clay Pigeons". The Indianapolis Star (1st ed.). p. 39.