kiki
Banned
1970 Masters was a mere round robin, which Stan Smith finally won.WCT tour started in 1971, so 1971 is the first year of their specific competition.
From 71 till 89 we had two undisputed indoor majors, back when fast carpet ( successor of former wood ) became the most popular tour surface.
There was a fierce rivalry among those Tour End championships, one closing the WCT tour at the Dallas Reunion Arena ( although they even had aWinter finals a few of the years that the tour lasted one full year and that was played in Rome and Naples), and the other, the ITF Gran Prix circuit and generally being played at the Madison Square Garden ( its successor is today´s YEC at London)
Which is the best one? IMO, Dallas had the global edge till very late 70´s and the Masters was the dominant one from early 80´s, although there have been exceptions
Here is my list:
1971/72: Rosewall wins Dallas.Nastase wins Masters.Dallas is the number one
1973: Smith at Dallas and Nastase at the Masters.Closer than previous years, but still WCT dominates
1974: Newcombe at Dallas and Vilas at Masters.No doubt, since 1974 WCT finals is, probably, the best ever indoor event of all time
1975: Ashe wins Dallas and Nastase his last Masters.Close, but the Masters field was, that year, a bit better, so I´ll pick Masters
1976: Borg at Dallas and Orantes at the Houston´s Masters .WCT keeps their strengholdt.
1977: Connors wins both events.That was the first year the Gran prix Masters was held at MSG.I´d say this was the best Masters till then and it is my pick for number one.
1978: Gerulaitis at Dallas and mac at MSG.Close one, both events had better years than 78.But the quality of the Ashe-Mc Enroe final gives Masters the final edge
1979: Mac at Dallas, Borg at New York.very very close.Masters by a pubic hair.possibly the best year if we combine both events, truly exceptional tennis at both
1980: Connors at Dallas and Borg at MSG.Clsoe again, this time I´ll go with WCT Finals
1981: Lendl at the Masters and JMac at WCT.No doubt, Masters was better than WCT that year
1982: Lendl wins both.very close, in both finals, Lendl beat Mac, but it was much better at Dallas, so I´ll take the WCT finals over the Masters
1983: Both events won by John Mc Enroe, and this time reversing the 82 situation and beating Lendl at both finals.No doubt, the 1983 WCT Finals have been one of the toughest ever tournaments and that epic final is one of the best ever indoor matches.Dallas by miles.
1984: Mac, again wins both.Not great year for both, but I´ll give the edge to the Masters
1985: Lendl wins both.This time, by a pubic hair, I´ll go with Dallas
1986: Jarryd wins Dallas and Lendl at the Madison.The Masters was a bit better, so I´ll pick this event for 1986
1987: Mecir beats mc Enroe at Dallas and Lendl anihilates Wilander at New York.Close one, but the general quality of play was superior at Dallas, so WCT takes it all
1988: Becker wins both, beating Edberg at the WCT Finals and Lendl, in a very dramatic final, at Madison.Clearly, the Madison event has to have the edge that year
1989: the last great win for JMac, who pick up his fifth WCT title, with a very convincing win over Ivan Lendl.At the Madison, this time Edberg beats Becker, with Lendl and Mac as beaten semifinalists.Emotionally, I´d prefer Dallas but the Masters offered a better general level of play, so this is my pick
Any other opinions?
From 71 till 89 we had two undisputed indoor majors, back when fast carpet ( successor of former wood ) became the most popular tour surface.
There was a fierce rivalry among those Tour End championships, one closing the WCT tour at the Dallas Reunion Arena ( although they even had aWinter finals a few of the years that the tour lasted one full year and that was played in Rome and Naples), and the other, the ITF Gran Prix circuit and generally being played at the Madison Square Garden ( its successor is today´s YEC at London)
Which is the best one? IMO, Dallas had the global edge till very late 70´s and the Masters was the dominant one from early 80´s, although there have been exceptions
Here is my list:
1971/72: Rosewall wins Dallas.Nastase wins Masters.Dallas is the number one
1973: Smith at Dallas and Nastase at the Masters.Closer than previous years, but still WCT dominates
1974: Newcombe at Dallas and Vilas at Masters.No doubt, since 1974 WCT finals is, probably, the best ever indoor event of all time
1975: Ashe wins Dallas and Nastase his last Masters.Close, but the Masters field was, that year, a bit better, so I´ll pick Masters
1976: Borg at Dallas and Orantes at the Houston´s Masters .WCT keeps their strengholdt.
1977: Connors wins both events.That was the first year the Gran prix Masters was held at MSG.I´d say this was the best Masters till then and it is my pick for number one.
1978: Gerulaitis at Dallas and mac at MSG.Close one, both events had better years than 78.But the quality of the Ashe-Mc Enroe final gives Masters the final edge
1979: Mac at Dallas, Borg at New York.very very close.Masters by a pubic hair.possibly the best year if we combine both events, truly exceptional tennis at both
1980: Connors at Dallas and Borg at MSG.Clsoe again, this time I´ll go with WCT Finals
1981: Lendl at the Masters and JMac at WCT.No doubt, Masters was better than WCT that year
1982: Lendl wins both.very close, in both finals, Lendl beat Mac, but it was much better at Dallas, so I´ll take the WCT finals over the Masters
1983: Both events won by John Mc Enroe, and this time reversing the 82 situation and beating Lendl at both finals.No doubt, the 1983 WCT Finals have been one of the toughest ever tournaments and that epic final is one of the best ever indoor matches.Dallas by miles.
1984: Mac, again wins both.Not great year for both, but I´ll give the edge to the Masters
1985: Lendl wins both.This time, by a pubic hair, I´ll go with Dallas
1986: Jarryd wins Dallas and Lendl at the Madison.The Masters was a bit better, so I´ll pick this event for 1986
1987: Mecir beats mc Enroe at Dallas and Lendl anihilates Wilander at New York.Close one, but the general quality of play was superior at Dallas, so WCT takes it all
1988: Becker wins both, beating Edberg at the WCT Finals and Lendl, in a very dramatic final, at Madison.Clearly, the Madison event has to have the edge that year
1989: the last great win for JMac, who pick up his fifth WCT title, with a very convincing win over Ivan Lendl.At the Madison, this time Edberg beats Becker, with Lendl and Mac as beaten semifinalists.Emotionally, I´d prefer Dallas but the Masters offered a better general level of play, so this is my pick
Any other opinions?
