Tournament Fact Sheet

Prize Money

$1,300,000

Draw Size

- 56 Singles / 32 Qualifying / 28 Doubles 

Singles Winner     

$189,000

Singles

-  56 players - 44 direct, 8 qualifiers, 4 wild cards (8 Byes)

Finalist

$96,000

Qualifying

-  32 players - 28 direct, 4 wild cards

Doubles Winners

$57,000

Doubles

-  28 pairs - 24 direct, 3 wild cards, 1 qualifier (4 Byes)

Finalists

$29,000

2003 Singles Championship

(2) Justine Henin-Hardenne  def.  (1) Serena Williams 6-3, 6-4

2003 Doubles Championship

(1) Virginia Ruano Pascual / Paola Suarez  def.  (3) Janette Husarova / Conchita Martinez  6-0, 6-3

8 Chris Evert (1985, '84,'81,'78,'77,'76,'75,'74)

Television Coverage

Sunday,    April 18 ESPN2

Family Circle Cup History

Today there are 59 women’s professional tennis tournaments held in 31 countries.  Over 1,100 players representing 76 nations compete for more than $58 million in prize money.   The Family Circle Cup has played a critical role in that growth and as one of the oldest all-women’s Tier 1 event in the world, the tournament continues to showcase at the highest level the best in women's tennis.

The early 70's was a period of uncertainty for women's tennis, yet filled with the promise of equality, recognition and respect. The setting was perfect for a revolution and Family Circle Magazine knew it. Family Circle magazine has always been committed to women’s issues and in 1973 they made history by becoming the first women’s magazine to fully underwrite a professional women’s sporting event.  Thirty-two years later,  the Family Circle Cup has become an essential part in the history of women's tennis. 

Family Circle Cup was the first women's tennis tournament to offer an unprecedented $100,000 in prize money.  Prize money on the WTA Tour continues to grow every year and as a Tier 1 event the Cup offers $1.3 million in prize money.  In 1973 the tournament scored another first by becoming the first women’s tennis tournament to be televised on a national network.   For over three decades, the Family Circle Cup has brought women’s tennis into the homes of millions of tennis fans.  In 2004, the event will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2, the nation’s leading sports cable network as well as televised in select European markets.  Over a four-day period millions of television viewers across the country and around the globe will watched the tournament unfold from the quarterfinals to the championship match.

Since 1973, fourteen women have won the coveted title of Family Circle Cup Champion and over the years many historical moments have been played at this event.  The tournament’s parade of champions lists some of the most influential women in the sport including Rosie Casals, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Gabriela Sabatini, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati and Justine Henin-Hardenne.