The 70´s and 80´s big exhibiitions

[kiki]

Golden tennis was meant to be also exo tennis since the enormous popularity of the sport and stars attracted losts of money to be thrown out for one night nstands, non sanctioned events and memorable exhibitional week ends all over the globe.

Some of those events got world wide recognition and prestige and were more appealing than even many official tournaments.I am thinking of the WCT Forest Hills/Las vegas Tourney of champions that attracted all big names of those decades bar Bjorn Borg, the Suntory Cup at Tokyo, with Connors and mc Enroe usually at the finals or the Milano Brooklyn Masters with torrid matches involving Borg,Lendl,Mac and Gerulaitis among other.

I also followed the Moolson Challenge at Toronto, which had big money and scored the first ever win of Vitas Gerulaitis over Bjorn Borg.The Antwerp Golden racket, maybe the most famous of the whole exos played in the 1980´s, and Lendl taking home that golden racket after three wins in a row.The sensational Europe vs America at Barcelona that attracted the best players of those continents except Jimmy Connors.The Chicago Challenge, with those sensational finals between Connors and Mc enroe in 81 and 82 and Connors and Lendl in 83.The french riviera tour of 1979 consisting of Nastase,Vilas,Mc enroe and Connors played at very classy venues at the Cote D´Azur.And many others (Frankfurt,Perth,Sidney,Munich with its Gran Slam Cup, of course the Boca Raton pepsi GS cup with those classic Borg vs Connors matches and so forth)

which was your favourite exhibition'

 

[Xavier G]

When I was younger, kiki, I liked the Pepsi Grand Slam, Suntory Cup, Antwerp (which I got to see on tv regularly).
Connors beat Borg in the 1983 Suntory Cup so that was one back for Jimmy!

kiki, there's good video on You Tube of Connors and Borg in their 5 set exo-type match in July 1982 which was called Connors' first win over Borg since 78, breaking his ten match losing streak, as it was reported. Borg played pretty good that day.

 

[kiki]

When I was younger, kiki, I liked the Pepsi Grand Slam, Suntory Cup, Antwerp (which I got to see on tv regularly).
Connors beat Borg in the 1983 Suntory Cup so that was one back for Jimmy!

kiki, there's good video on You Tube of Connors and Borg in their 5 set exo-type match in July 1982 which was called Connors' first win over Borg since 78, breaking his ten match losing streak, as it was reported. Borg played pretty good that day.

Yeah¡ I liked that as well as their other exos during the year 82 and 83, when officially retired Borg was still playing big time

When I watch those tapes, i turn the volume off, serve my self a good paint of draught beer Guiness and turn on some of my favourites led Zepp tunes...and I feel like heaven

 

[Nadal_Power]

Antwerp by far, and AT&T Challenge

 

[Paul Murphy]

I remember in the early 1980s in Australia we had something called the Akai Challenge - played indoors in Sydney - Lendl and Vilas in the field from memory.
A one-off I think.

 

[timnz]

These were not exhibitions

The main thing to know is, the like of antwerp and suntory were not exhibitions They were real tournaments. It just that they weren't officially sanctifioned tournaments. The word exhbition implies that the players weren't going all out to win., that they were there merely to entertain. This wasn't the case. Exhibitions tend to be one night events not full blown tournaments like the ones referred to here.

 

[paolo2143]

Whilst borg was still playing some tennis during 82 & 83 he was nowhere near the competitive level he was at before he stopped playing regularly in 1981.

Just look at what happened when he played the monte carlo open in monacco 1982 where yannick noah thrashed him on borg's favourite surface.I watched a few of those connors/borg exhibitions in 82/83 and i think at times connors was holding back a bit.

There is no way that borg/connors were on level playing field at that time as connors was on tour full time and world number 1/2,the fact is when borg finished playing at end of 81 he owned jimmy at that point and it seems no coincidence to me that as soon as borg was "out" the picture jimmy had a massive resurgence in form.

 

[paolo2143]

Having said that i enjoyed a lot of the exhibitions /challenge tournaments duing late 70's -early 80's.As timnz said some were more like exhibitions but others like pepsi grand slam,suntory etc were much more serious

 

[robow7]

I sat many an evening at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago for those early 80's round robin tourneys. There were many great matches, maybe the best live match I ever saw was Lendl and Connors playing past midnight when most had gone home because technically the match didn't mean a whole lot in that both were going to advance anyway. But the ferocity with which both played was a tribute to nothing more than both hated to lose and both were in disdain of one another.

Paolo, I saw Borg and Connors in the same venue when Borg was coming out of retirement in around 82, and Borg took Jimmy in 3 again and believe me, Connors was not happy about it.

 

[suwanee4712]

I wish there was a database for exhibition results. I have gone through papers and recorded some of the ladies exos results from the 80's. Suntory, Australian womens indoor, events in Cincinnati, St. Louis, Ixtapa, Barcelona, etc.

 

[kiki]

Whilst borg was still playing some tennis during 82 & 83 he was nowhere near the competitive level he was at before he stopped playing regularly in 1981.

Just look at what happened when he played the monte carlo open in monacco 1982 where yannick noah thrashed him on borg's favourite surface.I watched a few of those connors/borg exhibitions in 82/83 and i think at times connors was holding back a bit.

There is no way that borg/connors were on level playing field at that time as connors was on tour full time and world number 1/2,the fact is when borg finished playing at end of 81 he owned jimmy at that point and it seems no coincidence to me that as soon as borg was "out" the picture jimmy had a massive resurgence in form.

When people says Borg retired because of Mac, I inmediatly think Connors regained nº 1 position DUE TO BORG RETIRING

 

[kiki]

I sat many an evening at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago for those early 80's round robin tourneys. There were many great matches, maybe the best live match I ever saw was Lendl and Connors playing past midnight when most had gone home because technically the match didn't mean a whole lot in that both were going to advance anyway. But the ferocity with which both played was a tribute to nothing more than both hated to lose and both were in disdain of one another.

Paolo, I saw Borg and Connors in the same venue when Borg was coming out of retirement in around 82, and Borg took Jimmy in 3 again and believe me, Connors was not happy about it.

True.Great tourney at Rosemont, nearby Chicago.in 81 they had Connors,Mac,Gerulaitis and Tanner at the semis, a year later the same guys and Lendl instead of Roscoe.In 83, the famous quator of Borg,Lendl,Mac and Jimbo.Possibly the best unofficial event ever, along the Pepsi GS at Miami.

Milan and Barcelona had top players fighting their balls out.None of them considered it mere entertaining and, because there was less pressure, they played better tennis.In barcelona, Lendl and Mac played very doggy matches and their mutual hate was always on the air.Same happened with Connors and Mac at Chicago.

The Moolson at canada was also great, Gerulaitis beat Borg in the rr, Mac in the semis and Connors ( who had beaten Borg in the semis) in the last match.Tremendous tennis.

Also, Las vegas winner takes all, run by WCT, as well as the Tournament of Champions at Forest Hills.No better tennis is really posible and I laugh at the idea players did not give their absolute best.

Do you remember the superchallenges at Vegas ran by Riordan with Connors against Laver,Newcombe,Nastase and Orantes? it looked like a heavuweight world championship...those were times..

 

[robow7]

kiki, one of those evenings included an over weight and over the hill Nastase vs Jose Luis Clerc, and Nasty made the #4 player in the world look like it was child's play with his vast array of shot making. Clerc was literally talking to himself like "how the hell can he do that with a ball?" Great stuff and believe me those guys didn't treat it like today's exhibitions, there was big money riding on those matches.

 

[FedericRoma83]

Sooner or later the Antwerp tournament will be recognized as official by the ATP. It was too important. It was bigger than the Championship Series tournaments for sure.

 

[kiki]

kiki, one of those evenings included an over weight and over the hill Nastase vs Jose Luis Clerc, and Nasty made the #4 player in the world look like it was child's play with his vast array of shot making. Clerc was literally talking to himself like "how the hell can he do that with a ball?" Great stuff and believe me those guys didn't treat it like today's exhibitions, there was big money riding on those matches.

Yes I can imagine
Nastase as he aged reserved his best tennis to exos
He and Clerc played some doubs as well

 

[borg number one]

Excellent thread Kiki. People these days often don't realize that players like Connors and Borg played very heavy unofficial schedules on top of their heavy official schedules, all while taking tennis to heights it had never reached before as they "spread the gospel" worldwide. These exhibitions were instrumental in making the Tour into what it is today, with big money for the top 100 players at venues across the globe. This would never have happened were it not for the tremenedous work put in by these past greats during the Golden Era of tennis (see the TV ratings for 1980 Wimbledon!). Players like Connors, Borg, and McEnroe put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to take tennis to dizzying heights back then. The players of today have stood on their backs and owe them a temendous debt. Roger Federer and Nadal are two players that really appreciate the contributions of past greats like Connors, Borg, and McEnroe in my opinion (and Laver, Rosewall, etc..of course before them). Thanks for the thread. Good topic.

 

[kiki]

Excellent thread Kiki. People these days often don't realize that players like Connors and Borg played very heavy unofficial schedules on top of their heavy official schedules, all while taking tennis to heights it had never reached before as they "spread the gospel" worldwide. These exhibitions were instrumental in making the Tour into what it is today, with big money for the top 100 players at venues across the globe. This would never have happened were it not for the tremenedous work put in by these past greats during the Golden Era of tennis (see the TV ratings for 1980 Wimbledon!). Players like Connors, Borg, and McEnroe put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to take tennis to dizzying heights back then. The players of today have stood on their backs and owe them a temendous debt. Roger Federer and Nadal are two players that really appreciate the contributions in past greats like Connors, Borg, and McEnroe in my opinion (and Laver, Rosewall, etc..of course before them). Thanks for the thread. Good topic.

Thanks to you for posting&sharing experiences, glad to see you back
Yes exos looked to me like those great rock concerts at stadiums
Golden tennis and Golden music

 

[kiki]

BTW some of the best and hottest Lendl vs Mac, Connors vs Mac, Lendl vs Gerulaitis matches were exos or unofficial events

 

[borg number one]

Thanks to you for posting&sharing experiences, glad to see you back
Yes exos looked to me like those great rock concerts at stadiums
Golden tennis and Golden music

That's a good way to put it as to the exhibitions Kiki. Didn't Vegas have a really popular one? (run by Alan King). Also, thank you for the post. I appreciate it. I've just made it past a big deadline as to my work and am now a bit more flexible with my scheduling. I actually have time for frequent tennis, thank goodness! I enjoy this forum for all things tennis related.

 

[kiki]

That's a good way to put it as to the exhibitions Kiki. Didn't Vegas have a really popular one? (run by Alan King). Also, thank you for the post. I appreciate it. I've just made it past a big deadline as to my work and am now a bit more flexible with my scheduling. I actually have time for frequent tennis, thank goodness! I enjoy this forum for all things tennis related.

You mean Caesar´s Palace? I guess I just recall those organised by Connors manager, Billy Riordan, against Laver,Nastase and Newcombe.I also recall WCT ran its Invitational event there, before they moved it to Forest Hills in 1978.

 

[kiki]

182 Golden Circuit at Australia: Perth,melbourne and Sidney with Borg,Lendl,mc Enroe and Gerulaitis.

 

[Nadal_Power]

http://www.**************.org/The-h...-high-risk-tennis-roulette-articolo27741.html

How Ivan Lendl won $583,200 in just 3 short days

 

[KG1965]

http://www.**************.org/The-h...-high-risk-tennis-roulette-articolo27741.html

How Ivan Lendl won $583,200 in just 3 short days

Ivan is number one in exhibitions 8draws (80s). A giant.
Borg, the greatest in 4draws .
Connors, the greatest in challenge matches (one vs one).

They are sharing the spoils .
No left a dollar on the way......

 

[KG1965]

In the 70s the exhibitions were not particularly important to the exclusion of some event that was held in Las Vegas , Boca Raton , Hilton Head and a few other locations .

In the 80s instead of the special events taking with the formula ATP Finals with 2 RR & 8 draws significant importance , ...
dangerous for many ATP tournaments !

 

[nono30]

Le tennis doré était censé être aussi un exo-tennis puisque l'énorme popularité du sport et des stars a entraîné des pertes d'argent à jeter pour des rencontres d'un soir, des événements non sanctionnés et des week-ends d'exhibition mémorables partout dans le monde.

Certains de ces événements ont acquis une reconnaissance et un prestige mondiaux et étaient même plus attrayants que de nombreux tournois officiels. Je pense au tournoi des champions WCT Forest Hills/Las Vegas qui a attiré tous les grands noms de ces décennies, à l'exception de Bjorn Borg, la Suntory Cup à Tokyo, avec Connors et mc Enroe habituellement en finale ou le Milano Brooklyn Masters avec des matchs torrides impliquant Borg, Lendl, Mac et Gerulaitis entre autres.

J'ai également suivi le Moolson Challenge à Toronto, qui rapportait beaucoup d'argent et a remporté la toute première victoire de Vitas Gerulaitis sur Bjorn Borg. La raquette d'Anvers Golden, peut-être la plus célèbre de tous les exos joués dans les années 1980, et Lendl remportant la maison. cette raquette en or après trois victoires consécutives. La sensationnelle Europe contre Amérique à Barcelone qui a attiré les meilleurs joueurs de ces continents à l'exception de Jimmy Connors. Le Chicago Challenge, avec ces finales sensationnelles entre Connors et Mc Enroe en 81 et 82 et Connors et Lendl en 83. La tournée Côte d'Azur de 1979 composée de Nastase, Vilas, Mc Enroe et Connors a joué dans des salles très chics de la Côte d'Azur. Et bien d'autres (Francfort, Perth, Sidney, Munich avec sa Gran Slam Cup, bien sûr la coupe Pepsi GS Boca Raton avec ces matchs classiques Borg contre Connors et ainsi de suite)

quelle était ton exposition préférée'

hello have you Chicago macneroe /connors 6/2/6/4/6/1 et lendl /connors 83 thanck you

 

[paolo2143]

I sat many an evening at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago for those early 80's round robin tourneys. There were many great matches, maybe the best live match I ever saw was Lendl and Connors playing past midnight when most had gone home because technically the match didn't mean a whole lot in that both were going to advance anyway. But the ferocity with which both played was a tribute to nothing more than both hated to lose and both were in disdain of one another.

Paolo, I saw Borg and Connors in the same venue when Borg was coming out of retirement in around 82, and Borg took Jimmy in 3 again and believe me, Connors was not happy about it.

Borg was still playing bot too bad even though he had pretty much retired from tour at end of 81, However by 83 and especially onwards his lack of proper match toughness and competitive matches were showing and believe me i think likes of Mcenroe & Connors could have beaten him more comfortably than they did.

You cannot stop playing tour regularly and still be super competitive with 2 of the all time greats.

 

[nono30]

J'ai passé de nombreuses soirées au Rosemont Horizon à Chicago pour ces tournois à la ronde du début des années 80. Il y a eu beaucoup de grands matchs, peut-être que le meilleur match en direct que j'ai jamais vu était celui de Lendl et Connors jouant après minuit alors que la plupart étaient rentrés chez eux parce que techniquement, le match ne signifiait pas grand-chose dans la mesure où les deux allaient avancer de toute façon. Mais la férocité avec laquelle ils jouaient tous deux n'était qu'un hommage au fait que tous deux détestaient perdre et qu'ils se dédaignaient mutuellement.

Paolo, j'ai vu Borg et Connors dans le même lieu quand Borg sortait de sa retraite vers 82, et Borg a de nouveau emmené Jimmy en 3 et croyez-moi, Connors n'en était pas content.

 

[nono30]

bonjour et bonne année le borg/connors de rosemont 83 est il passer a la télévision merci

 

[nono30]

J'ai passé de nombreuses soirées au Rosemont Horizon à Chicago pour ces tournois à la ronde du début des années 80. Il y a eu beaucoup de grands matchs, peut-être que le meilleur match en direct que j'ai jamais vu était celui de Lendl et Connors jouant après minuit alors que la plupart étaient rentrés chez eux parce que techniquement, le match ne signifiait pas grand-chose dans la mesure où les deux allaient avancer de toute façon. Mais la férocité avec laquelle ils jouaient tous deux n’était qu’un hommage au fait que tous deux détestaient perdre et qu’ils se dédaignaient mutuellement.

Paolo, j'ai vu Borg et Connors dans le même lieu quand Borg sortait de sa retraite vers 82, et Borg a repris Jimmy en 3 et croyez-moi, Connors n'en était pas content.

hello robow 7 the matches rosemont does it exist thanck you