What were the top 9 prestigious titles outside the Slams in 1968 and 1969?

[timnz]

I don't believe there ever was such a thing as a 'Championship Series' - but the following link gives, in my opinion, a pretty good list of what were the top 9 events outside of slams and season end finals in the 1970's/1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Masters_Series_records_and_statistics

My question is: What events should be in a similar list of top 9 events for 1968 and 1969? Laver for-instance won the following events those years:

1968 Los Angeles (PSW Open)
1969 Philadelphia
1969 South African Open
1969 Boston (US Pro)
1969 Wembley

I believe that they were amongst the top 9 events of each year (outside of the slams). But what others? 1968 French Pro?

It would be nice to ocme up with a definitive list.

 

[kiki]

Rome,Hamburg

 

[Dan L]

I don't believe there ever was such a thing as a 'Championship Series' - but the following link gives, in my opinion, a pretty good list of what were the top 9 events outside of slams and season end finals in the 1970's/1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Masters_Series_records_and_statistics

My question is: What events should be in a similar list of top 9 events for 1968 and 1969? Laver for-instance won the following events those years:

1968 Los Angeles (PSW Open)
1969 Philadelphia
1969 South African Open
1969 Boston (US Pro)
1969 Wembley

I believe that they were amongst the top 9 events of each year (outside of the slams). But what others? 1968 French Pro?

It would be nice to ocme up with a definitive list.

The events which had been of major pro status prior to open tennis began to lose their significance in 1969.

In 1968, the RG Pro, Wembley, and Longwood should still be considered major events.

But all three lost status the following year and thereafter.

 

[BobbyOne]

I don't believe there ever was such a thing as a 'Championship Series' - but the following link gives, in my opinion, a pretty good list of what were the top 9 events outside of slams and season end finals in the 1970's/1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Masters_Series_records_and_statistics

My question is: What events should be in a similar list of top 9 events for 1968 and 1969? Laver for-instance won the following events those years:

1968 Los Angeles (PSW Open)
1969 Philadelphia
1969 South African Open
1969 Boston (US Pro)
1969 Wembley

I believe that they were amongst the top 9 events of each year (outside of the slams). But what others? 1968 French Pro?

It would be nice to ocme up with a definitive list.

timnz, Interesting question. I would plead for 1968 French Pro, 1968 US Pro, and 1968 Wembley, all of them gathering both pro groups (WCT and NTL).

Just realized that Dan has listed up them before.

 

[Scott_tennis]

My suggestions for 1968 top nine events (outside the four majors):

1. Bournemouth
2. Kent/Beckenham
3. US Pro Boston
4. French Pro Paris
5. German Open Hamburg
6. PSW Open Los Angeles
7. Buenos Aires
8. Wembley
9. New York (Madison Square Garden pro playoff at year end)

 

[Scott_tennis]

My suggested list for 1969:
1. Sydney NSW Open
2. Philadelphia Indoor
3. New York MSG Open
4. South African Open
5. Italian Open
6. US Pro Boston
7. PSW Open
8. Las Vegas – Hughes Pro
9. Wembley

Other events to consider: Monte Carlo, Queens, German Open, Paris Open (Indoors), Stockholm, and pro events in New York (MSG pro event which was separate from the MSG open event) Hollywood FL and Los Angeles.

 

[timnz]

New York

My suggestions for 1968 top nine events (outside the four majors):

1. Bournemouth
2. Kent/Beckenham
3. US Pro Boston
4. French Pro Paris
5. German Open Hamburg
6. PSW Open Los Angeles
7. Buenos Aires
8. Wembley
9. New York (Madison Square Garden pro playoff at year end)

Thank you for your list. I am not familiar with the New York event mentioned. I notice that neither Laver or Rosewall won a New York event in late 1968. Can you let me more about it (who won it, who was runner-up).

 

[BobbyOne]

My suggestions for 1968 top nine events (outside the four majors):

1. Bournemouth
2. Kent/Beckenham
3. US Pro Boston
4. French Pro Paris
5. German Open Hamburg
6. PSW Open Los Angeles
7. Buenos Aires
8. Wembley
9. New York (Madison Square Garden pro playoff at year end)

Scott tennis, Excellent list but I would omit AO (weak field).

 

[BobbyOne]

Thank you for your list. I am not familiar with the New York event mentioned. I notice that neither Laver or Rosewall won a New York event in late 1968. Can you let me more about it (who won it, who was runner-up).

timnz, Roche beat Gonzalez in final 6-4,6-3. Laver lost to Roche in SF and Rosewall lost to Gonzalez in first round.

There was also a MSG pro (NTL) event in May where Laver beat Rosewall in four sets in the final.

 

[urban]

Good lists by Scott Tennis. In 1968 and 69 there were more than one important tourney at Madison Square Garden, as it was at Wembley. In 1968, as mentioned, there was a tourney in May with Laver winning in four sets over Rosewall, and the Thanksgiving Event in autumn with Roche winning. In 1969, an open event was played in April with Gimeno winning over Ashe, and a pro event in May for 12000 $, the biggest sum outside Forest Hills in that year, which Laver won over Emerson.
At Wembley in 1968, there were at least 3 tourneys played at Wembley, including a Mach event and the BBC 2 event and the Kramer tournament in autumn.

 

[kiki]

if there were two kind of pre WCT finals in 1969, then it must be included ( bobbyone must give us details)

 

[BobbyOne]

if there were two kind of pre WCT finals in 1969, then it must be included ( bobbyone must give us details)

kiki, No WCT finals in 1968 and 1969.

 

[kiki]

kiki, No WCT finals in 1968 and 1969.

I didn´t mean WCT finals such as we knew them from 71 till 89 but a kind of season ending championship that could be somewhat comparable to that.

I understood WCT started their experimental Handsome 8 ( or 7+1) tour in 68 just as a market test,then cut down operations in 69 and 70 in order to prepare the real WCT TOUR which took off in January 1971

Maybe I am wrong

But I am sure Hunt, a very modern manager surrounded with excellent execs, would do the same as a big marketing company.that is,a pre test(1968) and then two years of preparation while merging with NTL, in order to launch the real and final product in 71.

 

[BobbyOne]

I didn´t mean WCT finals such as we knew them from 71 till 89 but a kind of season ending championship that could be somewhat comparable to that.

I understood WCT started their experimental Handsome 8 ( or 7+1) tour in 68 just as a market test,then cut down operations in 69 and 70 in order to prepare the real WCT TOUR which took off in January 1971

Maybe I am wrong

But I am sure Hunt, a very modern manager surrounded with excellent execs, would do the same as a big marketing company.that is,a pre test(1968) and then two years of preparation while merging with NTL, in order to launch the real and final product in 71.

kiki, Still no final events in 1968 and 1969.

By 1970 virtually all pros were members of WCT.

 

[kiki]

kiki, Still no final events in 1968 and 1969.

By 1970 virtually all pros were members of WCT.

Because of the WCT-NTL merger, right.So the 1970 TCC is considered to be the first real WCT Finals.Or, better said, an antecessor of the classic WCT finals that started in 1971?

 

[BobbyOne]

Because of the WCT-NTL merger, right.So the 1970 TCC is considered to be the first real WCT Finals.Or, better said, an antecessor of the classic WCT finals that started in 1971?

kiki, At least I rate it that way.

 

[kiki]

kiki, At least I rate it that way.

Yes, I think you can be right.

WCT also ran a winter final in 1982 and 1972 with Lendl besting Vilas at Detroit and Ashe beating Bob Lutz at Rome respectively.

 

[elegos7]

My suggestions for 1968 top nine events (outside the four majors):

1. Bournemouth
2. Kent/Beckenham
3. US Pro Boston
4. French Pro Paris
5. German Open Hamburg
6. PSW Open Los Angeles
7. Buenos Aires
8. Wembley
9. New York (Madison Square Garden pro playoff at year end)

This list is pretty close to my list.
I would take out Kent/Beckenham and Buenos Aires. I know they were open events, but had a rather weak field.
I would insert two prestigious amateur events: South African Championships (Johannesburg) and Italian Championships (Rome).
Despite being resticted to amateurs, both McCauley (World Tennis) and Tingay included them in their pick of top events.

 

[elegos7]

My suggested list for 1969:
1. Sydney NSW Open
2. Philadelphia Indoor
3. New York MSG Open
4. South African Open
5. Italian Open
6. US Pro Boston
7. PSW Open
8. Las Vegas – Hughes Pro
9. Wembley

Other events to consider: Monte Carlo, Queens, German Open, Paris Open (Indoors), Stockholm, and pro events in New York (MSG pro event which was separate from the MSG open event) Hollywood FL and Los Angeles.

Here I would only insert the prestigious German Open, and would take out the Sydney NSW Open. McCauley (World Tennis) still included the German Open in his pick of top events.
And the Las Vegas event was an Open, not a pro-only event.

 

[Scott_tennis]

Good lists by Scott Tennis. In 1968 and 69 there were more than one important tourney at Madison Square Garden, as it was at Wembley. In 1968, as mentioned, there was a tourney in May with Laver winning in four sets over Rosewall, and the Thanksgiving Event in autumn with Roche winning. In 1969, an open event was played in April with Gimeno winning over Ashe, and a pro event in May for 12000 $, the biggest sum outside Forest Hills in that year, which Laver won over Emerson.
At Wembley in 1968, there were at least 3 tourneys played at Wembley, including a Mach event and the BBC 2 event and the Kramer tournament in autumn.

For 1968 the list intended to include the Wembley / Jack Kramer tournament of champions (won by Rosewall) and the Madison Square Garden event was the eight man event with four players from NTL and four from WCT (won by Roche)

 

[Scott_tennis]

Here I would only insert the prestigious German Open, and would take out the Sydney NSW Open. McCauley (World Tennis) still included the German Open in his pick of top events.
And the Las Vegas event was an Open, not a pro-only event.

You are correct about Las Vegas. My 1969 list should have referred to this as an Open event and not a Pro event.

 

[thrust]

I don't believe there ever was such a thing as a 'Championship Series' - but the following link gives, in my opinion, a pretty good list of what were the top 9 events outside of slams and season end finals in the 1970's/1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Masters_Series_records_and_statistics

My question is: What events should be in a similar list of top 9 events for 1968 and 1969? Laver for-instance won the following events those years:

1968 Los Angeles (PSW Open)
1969 Philadelphia
1969 South African Open
1969 Boston (US Pro)
1969 Wembley

I believe that they were amongst the top 9 events of each year (outside of the slams). But what others? 1968 French Pro?

It would be nice to ocme up with a definitive list.

WCT in the seventies.

 

[Drob]

I don't believe there ever was such a thing as a 'Championship Series' - but the following link gives, in my opinion, a pretty good list of what were the top 9 events outside of slams and season end finals in the 1970's/1980's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Masters_Series_records_and_statistics

My question is: What events should be in a similar list of top 9 events for 1968 and 1969? Laver for-instance won the following events those years:

1968 Los Angeles (PSW Open)
1969 Philadelphia
1969 South African Open
1969 Boston (US Pro)
1969 Wembley

I believe that they were amongst the top 9 events of each year (outside of the slams). But what others? 1968 French Pro?

It would be nice to ocme up with a definitive list.

1968

I have 10.


British Hard Court Championships. Ken Rosewall

Italian Open. Tom Okker

**Pacific Southwest Championships. Super Tournament. Rod Laver

U.S. Amateur Championships. Arthur Ashe

Wembley. Ken Rosewall

French Pro. Rod Laver

U.S. Pro. Rod Laver.

Madison Square Garden Pro. Tony Roche

German Open. John Newcombe.

Buenos Aires. Roy Emerson




1969

I have 9.


New South Wales (Sydney). Tony Roche

**U.S. Pro Indoor. Super Tournament. Rod Laver

Madison Square Garden Open. Andres Gimeno

Madison Square Garden Pro. Rod Laver

Italian Open. John Newcombe

Monte Carlo. Tom Okker champion.

**Las Vegas . Super Tournament. Richard Gonzalez

** Pacific Southwest Championships. Super Tournament. Richard Gonzalez

Wembley. Rod Laver

 

[Drob]

These are fairly close to what Scott tennis and Elegos7 proposed years ago. I think Buenos Aires was as strong as German Open and stronger than Bournemouth. 1969 German Open a bit weak.

 

[Dan Lobb]

1968

I have 10.


British Hard Court Championships. Ken Rosewall

Italian Open. Tom Okker

**Pacific Southwest Championships. Super Tournament. Rod Laver

U.S. Amateur Championships. Arthur Ashe

Wembley. Ken Rosewall

French Pro. Rod Laver

U.S. Pro. Rod Laver.

Madison Square Garden Pro. Tony Roche

German Open. John Newcombe.

Buenos Aires. Roy Emerson




1969

I have 9.


New South Wales (Sydney). Tony Roche

**U.S. Pro Indoor. Super Tournament. Rod Laver

Madison Square Garden Open. Andres Gimeno

Madison Square Garden Pro. Rod Laver

Italian Open. John Newcombe

Monte Carlo. Tom Okker champion.

**Las Vegas . Super Tournament. Richard Gonzalez

** Pacific Southwest Championships. Super Tournament. Richard Gonzalez

Wembley. Rod Laver

The 1968 and 1969 MSG events were big money and prestige tournaments, essentially they were combined WCT/NTL pro championships for the season.
Similar to today's eight-man annual finals.
Yes, there were eight men in the field, setting the stage for the number today.