The Wembley Championships was a men's professional tennis tournament held from 1934–1990 with some periods of inactivity in between and is often considered to be one of the three major professional tennis tournaments from 1927–1967 until the advent of the open era. Ken Rosewall's and Rod Laver's six singles titles are the record for this event. The tournament only had a men's draw.

Wembley Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1934
Abolished1990
Editions40
LocationLondon, England
VenueEmpire Pool
SurfaceWood (1934–1967)
Carpet (1968–1990)

It was first held in 1934 at the Empire Pool at Wembley Park, Wembley, north-west London.[1] In 1968, it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions. In 1970 it was the penultimate event on the Grand Prix Tennis Tour.[2]

Name

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It was officially called the Wembley Professional Championships, although it was later named the London Indoor Professional Championships.[3] In 1968 it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions.

Past finals

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Year Champions Runners-up Score Surface
Professional Era
1934   Ellsworth Vines   Hans Nüsslein 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 8–6r1 [4] Wood (i)
1935   Ellsworth Vines   Bill Tilden 6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6, 6–3 [4] Wood (i)
1936 Not held a [4]
1937   Hans Nüsslein   Bill Tilden 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 [4] Wood (i)
1938 Not held b [4]
1939   Don Budge   Hans Nüsslein 13–11, 2–6, 6–4r2 [4] Wood (i)
1940–1948 Not held
1949[5]   Jack Kramer   Bobby Riggs 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 [4] Wood (i)
1950   Pancho Gonzales   Welby Van Horn 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 [4] Wood (i)
1951   Pancho Gonzales   Pancho Segura 6–2, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 [4] Wood (i)
1952   Pancho Gonzales   Jack Kramer 3–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 [4] Wood (i)
1953   Frank Sedgman   Pancho Gonzales 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 [4] Wood (i)
1954–1955 Not held
1956   Pancho Gonzales   Frank Sedgman 4–6, 11–9, 11–9, 9–7 [4] Wood (i)
1957   Ken Rosewall   Pancho Segura 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 [4] Wood (i)
1958   Frank Sedgman   Tony Trabert 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 [4] Wood (i)
1959   Mal Anderson   Pancho Segura 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 [4] Wood (i)
1960   Ken Rosewall   Pancho Segura 5–7, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3 [4] Wood (i)
1961   Ken Rosewall   Lew Hoad 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 [4] Wood (i)
1962   Ken Rosewall   Lew Hoad 6–4, 5–7, 15–13, 7–5 [4] Wood (i)
1963   Ken Rosewall   Lew Hoad 6–4, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 [4] Wood (i)
1964   Rod Laver   Ken Rosewall 7–5, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 8–6 [4] Wood (i)
1965   Rod Laver   Andrés Gimeno 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 [4] Wood (i)
1966   Rod Laver   Ken Rosewall 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 [4] Wood (i)
1967   Rod Laver   Ken Rosewall 2–6, 6–1, 1–6, 8–6, 6–2 [4] Wood (i)
Open Era
1968   Ken Rosewall   John Newcombe 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1969   Rod Laver   Tony Roche 6–4, 6–1, 6–3 Carpet (i)
1970   Rod Laver   Cliff Richey 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 Carpet (i)
1971   Ilie Năstase   Rod Laver 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1972–1975 Not held
1976   Jimmy Connors   Roscoe Tanner 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1977   Björn Borg   John Lloyd 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 Carpet (i)
1978   John McEnroe   Tim Gullikson 6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–2 Carpet (i)
1979   John McEnroe   Harold Solomon 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 Carpet (i)
1980   John McEnroe   Gene Mayer 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 Carpet (i)
1981   Jimmy Connors   John McEnroe 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 Carpet (i)
1982   John McEnroe   Brian Gottfried 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1983   John McEnroe   Jimmy Connors 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1984   Ivan Lendl   Andrés Gómez 7–6, 6–2, 6–1 Carpet (i)
1985   Ivan Lendl   Boris Becker 6–7, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 Carpet (i)
1986   Yannick Noah   Jonas Svensson 6–2, 6–3, 6–7, 4–6, 7–5 Carpet (i)
1987   Ivan Lendl   Anders Järryd 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 Carpet (i)
1988   Jakob Hlasek   Jonas Svensson 6–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0, 7–5 Carpet (i)
1989   Michael Chang   Guy Forget 6–2, 6–1, 6–1 Carpet (i)
1990   Jakob Hlasek   Michael Chang 7–6, 6–3 Carpet (i)

Notes:

a1936 tournament was cancelled due to Tilden and Vines playing in Japan. This was reported in London Daily Mail on 24 August 1936. There are sources that say Ellsworth Vines defeated Hans Nüsslein 6–4, 6–4, 6–2, but this must have been a different event.

bNo reports of a 1938 tournament in British newspapers (the Wembley event was always reported in major British newspapers). Ray Bowers in an article on The Tennis Server website states there was no event held. There are sources that tell us Hans Nüsslein defeated Bill Tilden 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, but this must have been held elsewhere.

r1 For 1934, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Vines 5-0 and Nüsslein 4-1 as final standings.

r1 For 1939, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Budge 3-0 and Nüsslein, Tilden and Vines as 1-2 as final standings.

Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score Surface
Professional Era
1934 Wood (i)
1935   Bill Tilden
  Ellsworth Vines
  George Lott
  Lester Stoefen
6–4, 6–4, 7–5 Wood (i)
1936 Not held
1937   Hans Nüsslein
  Martin Plaa
  Lester Stoefen
  Bill Tilden
Wood (i)
1938 Not held
1939 Wood (i)
1938–1948 Not held
1949   Jack Kramer
  Bobby Riggs
  Dinny Pails
  Pancho Segura
3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–1 Wood (i)
1950   Don Budge
  Pancho Gonzales
  Bobby Riggs
  Welby Van Horn
8–6, 9–7, 4–6, 6–4 Wood (i)
1951   Pancho Gonzales
  Pancho Segura
  Bobby Riggs
  Welby Van Horn
6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 Wood (i)
1952   Pancho Gonzales
  Pancho Segura
  Don Budge
  Jack Kramer
6–3, 6–1 Wood (i)
1953   Don Budge
  Frank Sedgman
  Pancho Gonzales
  Pancho Segura
6–3, 6–3, 6–2 Wood (i)
1954–1955 Not held
1956   Pancho Gonzales
  Tony Trabert
  Rex Hartwig
  Frank Sedgman
6–3, 6–4, 6–4 Wood (i)
1957   Lew Hoad
  Ken Rosewall
  Jack Kramer
  Pancho Segura
3–6, 6–8, 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 Wood (i)
1958   Pancho Gonzales
  Ken Rosewall
  Jack Kramer
  Pancho Segura
6–3, 6–2, 6–3 Wood (i)
1959   Lew Hoad
  Tony Trabert
  Ken Rosewall
  Pancho Segura
11–9, 9–7, 6–2 Wood (i)
1960   Ken Rosewall
  Frank Sedgman
  Lew Hoad
  Tony Trabert
4–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–4, 6–2 Wood (i)
1961   Lew Hoad
  Ken Rosewall
  Alex Olmedo
  Pancho Segura
3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 Wood (i)
1962   Lew Hoad
  Ken Rosewall
  Alex Olmedo
  Pancho Segura
6–2, 6–3, 6–3 Wood (i)
1963   Alex Olmedo
  Frank Sedgman
  Butch Buchholz
  Barry MacKay
3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 10–8 Wood (i)
1964   Lew Hoad
  Ken Rosewall
  Butch Buchholz
  Rod Laver
1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–1 Wood (i)
1965   Butch Buchholz
  Rod Laver
  Frank Sedgman
  Pancho Segura
6–3, 6–3, 6–2 Wood (i)
1966   Lew Hoad
  Ken Rosewall
  Butch Buchholz
  Rod Laver
6–4, 8–6, 3–6, 6–2 Wood (i)
1967   Rod Laver
  Fred Stolle
  Butch Buchholz
  Lew Hoad
7–5, 6–3, 6–4 Wood (i)
Open Era
1968   John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
  Andrés Gimeno
  Pancho Gonzales
6–3, 9–7 Carpet (i)

Source:[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ray Bowers (1 March 2003). "Wembley and Paris". Forgotten Victories: The Early Pro Tennis Wars. The Tennis Server. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  2. ^ "1970: ATP World Tour". Results Archive. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  3. ^ Grasso, John (2011). Historical Dictionary of Tennis. Scarecrow Press. p. 25. ISBN 9780810872370.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "British Pro Championships, Wembley". www.tennis.co.nf.
  5. ^ "Indoor Lawn Tennis at Wembley". The Indian Express. 19 March 1949.
  6. ^ McCauley (2000), pp. 256–257.

Bibliography

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  • McCauley, Joe (2000). The History of Professional Tennis. Windsor: The Short Run Book Company Limited.