Loading AI tools
Tennis tournament From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The U.S. Pro Tennis Championships (for a period from 1951 to 1962 billed as the Cleveland International Pro or Cleveland World Pro Tennis Championships[1]) was the oldest professional tennis tournament played until its final year of 1999 and is considered to have been a professional major from 1927–1967 until the advent of Open Era. In 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1960, the Cleveland World Pro had a women's draw, with Pauline Betz winning the first three of these, and defeating the reigning U.S. women's champion Doris Hart in the 1956 final.[2] Althea Gibson defeated Pauline Betz in the 1960 women's final.[3]
U.S. Pro Tennis Championships | |
---|---|
Defunct tennis tournament | |
Tour | Pro tours (1927–69) Grand Prix Circuit (1970–89) ATP World Tour (1997–99) |
Founded | 1927 |
Abolished | 1999 |
Location | United States |
Venue | Multiple |
Surface | Grass, Clay, Wood, Hard |
American's first prominent professional player, Vincent Richards, arranged what became the first U.S. Professionals by negotiating with Doc Kelton to have a tournament played at the Notlek Tennis Club, located at 119th Street and Riverside Drive in Manhattan, New York, on September 23–25, 1927.[4][5] Richards, tour pro Howard Kinsey and teaching pros from the eastern U.S. comprised the field, with Richards defeating Kinsey in the final in straight sets, a victory which earned him $1,000 first-prize money.[5]
The tournament was held annually at various locations, including the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York City; the South Shore Tennis Club in Chicago; in Rye, New York; at the Terrace Club in Brooklyn; the Chicago Town and Tennis Club in Chicago; at the L.A. Tennis Club in Los Angeles; at various clubs around Cleveland, Ohio and Cleveland Arena in Cleveland. In 1951, two U.S. Pro events were held, one at Cleveland won by Frank Kovacs and another at Forest Hills won by Pancho Segura. In 1954, the USPLTA authorized Kramer to hold the U.S. Pro Championships at the L.A. Tennis Club in California, Gonzales winning the event, and the Benrus Cup (emblematic of the U.S. Pro) was awarded to Gonzales.[6] There are two U.S. Pro events listed here for both 1951 (Cleveland and Forest Hills) and for 1954 (Cleveland and L.A. Tennis Club). Gonzales won two U.S. Pro titles in 1954. Its final permanent home was the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where it was held from 1964 to 1999. It became part of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour shortly after the advent of open tennis in 1968. From 1970 to 1977, it was a prominent tournament of the Grand Prix Super Series. It then became a tennis event within the ATP Tour with reorganization of the top tier of pro tour tennis.
The tournament was later played on Har-Tru clay courts and was initially an important tune-up event for the US Open. But when this Grand Slam tournament moved to hardcourts in 1978, the U.S. Professionals did not follow suit, electing instead to hold its tournament during the US clay court season in early summer instead of during its hitherto pre-Open Era (late summer) time slot. Remaining a clay event into the 1990s, it was a non-ATP exhibition event from 1990 through 1995. During the last stint of the tournament, from 1997 to 1999, it was again an ATP event and was played on hardcourts.
Pancho Gonzales holds the record for most wins with nine, two of those wins in the multiple year of 1954.[5][7]
Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Surface |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Professional era | |||||
1927 | Vincent Richards | Howard Kinsey | 11–9, 6–4, 6–3 | Notlek Tennis Club, Manhattan | Grass |
1928 | Vinny Richards | Karel Koželuh | 8–6, 6–3, 0–6, 6–2 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1929 | Karel Koželuh | Vinny Richards | 6–4, 6–4, 4–6, 4–6, 7–5 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1930 | Vinny Richards | Karel Koželuh | 2–6, 10–8, 6–3, 6–4 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1931 | Bill Tilden | Vinny Richards | 7–5, 6–2, 6–1 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1932 | Karel Koželuh | Hans Nüsslein | 6–2, 6–2, 7–5 | South Shore Country Club | Clay |
1933 | Vinny Richards | Frank Hunter | 6–3, 6–0, 6–2 | Westchester Country Club | Grass |
1934 | Hans Nüsslein | Karel Koželuh | 6–4, 6–2, 1–6, 7–5 | South Shore Country Club | Clay |
1935 | Bill Tilden | Karel Koželuh | 0–6, 6–1, 6–4, 0–6, 6–4 | Terrace Club, Brooklyn | Clay |
1936 | Joe Whalen | Charles Wood | 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 | Tudor City Tennis Club, New York | Clay |
1937[lower-alpha 1] | Karel Koželuh | Bruce Barnes | 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–1 | Greenbrier | Clay |
1938 | Fred Perry | Bruce Barnes | 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 | Chicago Arena | Canvas (i) |
1939 | Ellsworth Vines | Fred Perry | 8–6, 6–8, 6–1, 20–18 | Beverly Hills Tennis Club | Hard |
1940 | Don Budge | Fred Perry | 6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3 | Chicago Town and Tennis Club | Clay |
1941 | Fred Perry | Dick Skeen | 6–4, 6–8, 6–2, 6–3 | Chicago Town and Tennis Club | Clay |
1942 | Don Budge | Bobby Riggs | 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1943 | Bruce Barnes | John Nogrady | 6–1, 7–9, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 | Fort Knox | Clay |
1944 | not held | ||||
1945 | Welby Van Horn | John Nogrady | 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 | Rips Tennis Courts, Manhattan | Clay |
1946 | Bobby Riggs | Don Budge | 6–3, 6–1, 6–1 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1947 | Bobby Riggs | Don Budge | 3–6, 6–3, 10–8, 4–6, 6–3 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1948 | Jack Kramer | Bobby Riggs | 14–12, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1949 | Bobby Riggs | Don Budge | 9–7, 3–6, 6–3, 7–5 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1950 | Pancho Segura | Frank Kovacs | 6–1, 1–6, 8–6, 4–4 ret. | Skating Club, Cleveland | Clay (i) |
1951 | Frank Kovacs | Pancho Segura | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 9–7 | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) |
1951[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] | Pancho Segura | Pancho Gonzales | 6–3, 6–4, 6–2r[31] | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1952 | Pancho Segura | Pancho Gonzales | 3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0 | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) |
1953 | Pancho Gonzales | Don Budge | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–2 | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) |
1954 | Pancho Gonzales | Frank Sedgman | 6-3, 9-7, 3-6, 6-2 | Cleveland Arena, Cleveland | Hard (i) |
1954[lower-alpha 4] | Pancho Gonzales | Pancho Segura | 6–4, 4–6, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4[37] | Los Angeles Tennis Club | Cement |
1955[lower-alpha 5] | Pancho Gonzales | Pancho Segura | 21–16, 19–21, 21–8, 20–22, 21–19v | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1956 | Pancho Gonzales | Pancho Segura | 21–15, 13–21, 21–14, 22–20v | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
*1956 | Pauline Betz | Doris Hart | 21-16, 19-21, 21-12 | Cleveland Arena (Women's event) | Hard (i) |
1957 | Pancho Gonzales | Pancho Segura | 6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 6–1 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1958 | Pancho Gonzales | Lew Hoad | 3–6, 4–6, 14–12, 6–1, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1959 | Pancho Gonzales | Lew Hoad | 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1960 | Alex Olmedo | Tony Trabert | 7–5, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
*1960 | Althea Gibson | Pauline Betz | 7-5, 2-6, 6-5 | Cleveland Arena (Women's event) | Hard (i) |
1961 | Pancho Gonzales | Frank Sedgman | 6–3, 7–5 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1962 | Butch Buchholz | Pancho Segura | 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1963 | Ken Rosewall | Rod Laver | 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1964 | Rod Laver | Pancho Gonzales | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
1965 | Ken Rosewall | Rod Laver | 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
1966 | Rod Laver | Ken Rosewall | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 8–10, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
1967 | Rod Laver | Andrés Gimeno | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–5 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
Open Era | |||||
1968 | Rod Laver | John Newcombe | 6–4, 6–4, 9–7 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
1969 | Rod Laver | John Newcombe | 7–5, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1970 | Tony Roche | Rod Laver | 3–6, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1971 | Ken Rosewall | Cliff Drysdale | 6–4, 6–3, 6–0 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1972 | Bob Lutz | Tom Okker | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1973[38] | Jimmy Connors | Arthur Ashe | 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1974 | Björn Borg | Tom Okker | 7–6, 6–1, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1975 | Björn Borg | Guillermo Vilas | 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1976 | Björn Borg | Harold Solomon | 6–7, 6–4, 6–1, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1977 | Manuel Orantes | Eddie Dibbs | 7–6, 7–5, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1978 | Manuel Orantes | Harold Solomon | 6–4, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1979 | José Higueras | Hans Gildemeister | 6–3, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1980 | Eddie Dibbs | José Luis Clerc | 6–2, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1981 | José Luis Clerc | Hans Gildemeister | 0–6, 6–2, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1982 | Guillermo Vilas | Mel Purcell | 6–4, 6–0 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1983 | José Luis Clerc | Jimmy Arias | 6–3, 3–6, 6–0 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1984 | Aaron Krickstein | José Luis Clerc | 7–6, 3–6, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1985 | Mats Wilander | Martín Jaite | 6–2, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1986 | Andrés Gómez | Martín Jaite | 7–5, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1987 | Mats Wilander | Kent Carlsson | 7–6, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1988 | Thomas Muster | Lawson Duncan | 6–2, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1989 | Andrés Gómez | Mats Wilander | 6–1, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1990[lower-alpha 6] | Martín Jaite | Libor Němeček | 7–5, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1991 | Andrés Gómez | Andrei Cherkasov | 7–5, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1992 | Ivan Lendl | Richey Reneberg | 6–3, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1993 | Ivan Lendl | Todd Martin | 5–7, 6–3, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1994 | Ivan Lendl | MaliVai Washington | 7–5, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1995 | not completed due to rain | ||||
1996 | not held | ||||
1997 | Sjeng Schalken | Marcelo Ríos | 7–5, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1998 | Michael Chang | Paul Haarhuis | 6–3, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1999 | Marat Safin | Greg Rusedski | 6–4, 7–6(13–11) | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
Notes:
Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Surface |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Professional era | |||||
1927 | no doubles event | Notlek Tennis Club, Manhattan | Grass | ||
1928 | no doubles event | West Side Tennis Club | Grass | ||
1929 | Karel Koželuh Vincent Richards | Wallace Johnson Howard Kinsey | 5–7, 6–1, 6–3, 6–1 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1930 | Howard Kinsey Vincent Richards | Karel Koželuh Roman Najuch | 6–2, 15–13, 7–5 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1931 | Howard Kinsey Vincent Richards | Frank Hunter Bill Tilden | 7–9, 7–5, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1932 | Bruce Barnes Bill Tilden | Albert Burke Karel Koželuh | 6–2, 6–1, 6–3 | South Shore Country Club | Clay |
1933 | Vincent Richards Charles Wood | Frank Hunter Theodore Rericha | 6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 | Westchester Country Club | Grass |
1934 | Bruce Barnes Emmett Paré | Paul Heston Ellsworth Vines | 6–1, 6–4, 7–5 | South Shore Country Club | Clay |
1935 | George Lott Lester Stoefen | Morty Bernstein Alfred Chapin | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 | Terrace Club, Brooklyn | Clay |
1936 | Harold Blauer Charles Wood | William Ellis William Kenney | 6–4, 4–1, 6–2[39] | Tudor City Tennis Club, New York | Clay |
1937 | George Lott Vincent Richards | Bruce Barnes Karel Koželuh | 1–6, 6–8, 6–3, 7–5, 9–7 | Greenbrier | Clay |
1938 | Fred Perry Vincent Richards | Bruce Barnes Berkeley Bell | 6–4, 2–6, 7–5, 13–11 | Chicago Arena | Canvas (i) |
1939 | Bruce Barnes Keith Gledhill | Fred Perry Ellsworth Vines | 6–2, 7–5, 11–9 | Beverly Hills Tennis Club | Hard |
1940 | Don Budge Fred Perry | Vincent Richards Bill Tilden | 7–5, 6–3, 9–7[40] | Chicago Town and Tennis Club | Clay |
1941 | Don Budge Fred Perry | Keith Gledhill Lester Stoefen | 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 | Chicago Town and Tennis Club | Clay |
1942 | Don Budge Bobby Riggs | Bruce Barnes Frank Kovacs | 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1943 | Bruce Barnes Gene Mako | Berkeley Bell John Nogrady | 6–4, 6–0, 6–0 | Fort Knox | Clay |
1944 | not held | ||||
1945 | Vincent Richards Bill Tilden | Dick Skeen Welby Van Horn | 7–5, 6–4, 6–2 | Rips Tennis Courts, Manhattan | Clay |
1946 | Frank Kovacs Fred Perry | Bobby Riggs Welby Van Horn | 1–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–4[41] | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1947 | Don Budge Bobby Riggs | Frank Kovacs Fred Perry | 7–5, 9–7, 4–6, 11–9 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1948 | Jack Kramer Pancho Segura | Don Budge Bobby Riggs | 4–6, 5–7, 6–2, 7–5, 8–6 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1949 | Don Budge Frank Kovacs | Carl Earn John Faunce | 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1950 | Frank Kovacs Welby Van Horn | Frank Parker Pancho Segura | 1–6, 6–4, 6–4 | Skating Club, Cleveland | Clay (i) |
1951 | no doubles event | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) | ||
1951 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | Frank Parker Bobby Riggs | West Side Tennis Club | Grass | |
1952 | no doubles event | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) | ||
1953 | Don Budge Pancho Gonzales | Carl Earn Bob Rogers[42] | 6–1, 6–4 | Lakewood, Cleveland | Cement (i) |
1954 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | Don Budge Frank Sedgman | 11-9, 3-6, 6-3 | Cleveland Arena, Cleveland | Hard (i) |
1954 | Frank Sedgman Jack Kramer | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | 6–2, 6–2, 6–4[43] | Los Angeles Tennis Club | Cement |
1955 | Jack Kramer Pancho Segura | Don Budge Pancho Gonzales | 24–22, 21–16, 21–18[44] | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1956 | Rex Hartwig Tony Trabert | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | 18–21, 21–11, 21–14, 13–21, 23–21 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1957 | Pancho Gonzales Ken Rosewall | Dinny Pails Pancho Segura | 6–1, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1958 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | Lew Hoad Tony Trabert | W/O | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1959 | no doubles event | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) | ||
1960 | Ashley Cooper Alex Olmedo | Pancho Segura Tony Trabert | 6–3, 6–4 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1961 | Andrés Gimeno Frank Sedgman | Pancho Gonzales Barry MacKay | 7–5, 7–5 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1962 | Butch Buchholz Barry MacKay | Don Budge Pancho Segura | 6–2, 6–3 | Cleveland Arena | Hard (i) |
1963 | Rod Laver Ken Rosewall | Butch Buchholz Alex Olmedo | 10–8, 8–6, 6–4 | West Side Tennis Club | Grass |
1964 | no doubles event | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass | ||
1965 | no doubles event | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass | ||
1966 | Butch Buchholz Rod Laver | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
1967 | Dennis Ralston Ken Rosewall | Pierre Barthès Andrés Gimeno | 16–14, 7–5 | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass |
Open Era | |||||
1968 | no doubles event | Longwood Cricket Club | Grass | ||
1969 | Pancho Gonzales Rod Laver | John Newcombe Tony Roche | 6–4, 5–7, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1970 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | Ismail El Shafei Torben Ulrich | 6–1, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1971 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | Tom Okker Marty Riessen | 6–4, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1972 | John Newcombe Tony Roche | Arthur Ashe Bob Lutz | 6–3, 1–6, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1973 | Stan Smith Erik van Dillen | Ismail El Shafei Marty Riessen | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1974 | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | Hans-Jürgen Pohmann Marty Riessen | 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1975 | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | John Andrews Mike Estep | 4–6, 6–3, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1976 | Ray Ruffels Allan Stone | Mike Cahill John Whitlinger | 3–6, 6–3, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1977 | Bob Lutz Stan Smith | Brian Gottfried Bob Hewitt | 6–3, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1978 | Víctor Pecci Balázs Taróczy | Heinz Günthardt Van Winitsky | 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1979 | Syd Ball Kim Warwick | Heinz Günthardt Pavel Složil | not played | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1980 | Gene Mayer Sandy Mayer | Hans Gildemeister Andrés Gómez | 1–6, 6–4, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1981 | Raúl Ramírez Pavel Složil | Hans Gildemeister Andrés Gómez | 6–4, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1982 | Craig Wittus Steve Meister | Freddie Sauer Schalk van der Merwe | 6–2, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1983 | Mark Dickson Cássio Motta | Hans Gildemeister Belus Prajoux | 7–5, 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1984 | Ken Flach Robert Seguso | Gary Donnelly Ernie Fernandez | 6–4, 6–4 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1985 | Libor Pimek Slobodan Živojinović | Peter McNamara Paul McNamee | 2–6, 6–4, 7–6 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1986 | Hans Gildemeister Andrés Gómez | Dan Cassidy Mel Purcell | 4–6, 7–5, 6–0 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1987 | Hans Gildemeister Andrés Gómez | Mats Wilander Joakim Nyström | 7–6, 3–6, 6–1 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1988 | Jorge Lozano Todd Witsken | Bruno Orešar Jaime Yzaga | 6–2, 7–5 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1989 | Andrés Gómez Alberto Mancini | Todd Nelson Phil Williamson | 7–6, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Clay |
1990–96 | not held | ||||
1997 | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | Dave Randall Jack Waite | 6–3, 7–6(7–3) | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1998 | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | Chris Haggard Jack Waite | 6–3, 6–2 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
1999 | Guillermo Cañas Martín García | Marius Barnard T.J. Middleton | 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 6–3 | Longwood Cricket Club | Hard |
Source:[45]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.