Wembley Championships

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

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 before the Open Era 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.

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

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

Source:[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  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[edit]

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