1972 World Championship Tennis circuit
The 1972 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1972. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). The circuit included twenty-three regular events, and two circuit finals, one taking place in May, counting for the second half of the 1971 season, and the first part of the 1972 season, and a smaller one taking place in November, counting for the second half of the 1972 season, from July through November.[1]
Details | |
---|---|
Duration | 6 February 1972 – 26 November 1972 |
Edition | 5th |
Tournaments | 26 |
Achievements (singles) | |
Most tournament titles | John Newcombe (6) |
Most tournament finals | Rod Laver (7) Ken Rosewall (7) |
Points leader | John Newcombe |
← 1971 1973 → |
Schedule
This is the complete schedule of events on the 1972 WCT circuit, with player progression documented until the quarterfinals stage.[2]
- Key
WCT Finals |
Regular series |
February
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Feb | Fidelity WCT Richmond, United States Regular series $50,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Rod Laver 2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3 | Cliff Drysdale | Arthur Ashe John Newcombe | Robert Lutz Roy Emerson Charlie Pasarell Roger Taylor |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 7–6 | John Newcombe Tony Roche | ||||
8 Feb | U.S. Professional Indoor Philadelphia, United States Regular series $50,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Rod Laver 4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 | Ken Rosewall | Arthur Ashe Tom Okker | Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Jeff Borowiak Robert Lutz |
Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz 6–3, 6–7, 6–3 | John Newcombe Tony Roche | ||||
20 Feb | Canadian Open (WCT) Toronto, Ontario, Canada Regular series $50,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Rod Laver 6–1, 6–4 | Ken Rosewall | Tom Okker Charlie Pasarell | Roger Taylor Roy Emerson Fred Stolle Marty Riessen |
Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | ||||
March
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 Mar | Saga Bay Tennis Classic Hollywood, United States Regular series $50,000 – hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Ken Rosewall 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 | Cliff Drysdale | Fred Stolle Charlie Pasarell | Roger Taylor Ismail El Shafei Mark Cox Arthur Ashe |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–5, 6–4 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | ||||
16 Mar | Kemper International Tennis Tournament Chicago, United States Regular series $50,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Tom Okker 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe | Robert Lutz Ken Rosewall | Charlie Pasarell Marty Riessen John Alexander Robert Lutz |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 6–3 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | ||||
April
May
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 May | Alan King Tennis Classic Las Vegas, United States Regular series $50,000 – hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 6–3, 6–4 | Cliff Drysdale | Marty Riessen Frank Froehling | Rod Laver Roger Taylor Tom Okker Ken Rosewall |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver default | John Newcombe Tony Roche | ||||
10 May | WCT Finals Dallas, United States WCT Finals $50,000 – carpet (i) – 8S Singles | Ken Rosewall 4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6 | Rod Laver | Marty Riessen Arthur Ashe | John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Tom Okker Robert Lutz |
July
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Jul | Holton Tennis Classic St. Louis, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 6–3, 6–3 | Nikola Pilić | Cliff Drysdale Charlie Pasarell | Tony Roche Tom Okker Marty Riessen Cliff Richey |
John Newcombe Tony Roche 7–6, 6–2 | John Alexander Phil Dent | ||||
12 Jul | Washington Star International Washington, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Tony Roche 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 | Marty Riessen | Ray Ruffels John Newcombe | John Alexander Cliff Richey Arthur Ashe Ismail El Shafei |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 | John Newcombe Tony Roche | ||||
29 Jul | First National Tennis Classic Louisville, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Arthur Ashe 6–4, 6–4 | Mark Cox | John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale | Marty Riessen Tony Roche Tom Okker Nikola Pilić |
John Alexander Phil Dent 6–4, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz | ||||
August
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Aug | U.S. Pro Tennis Championships Boston, United States Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles |
Robert Lutz 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Tom Okker | Cliff Drysdale Arthur Ashe |
Rod Laver Marty Riessen Nikola Pilić Tony Roche |
Tony Roche John Newcombe 6–3, 1–6, 7–6 |
Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz | ||||
13 Aug | Cleveland Classic Cleveland, United States Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Mark Cox 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 | Ray Ruffels | Roger Taylor Cliff Drysdale | Ken Rosewall Nikola Pilić Marty Riessen Ismail El Shafei |
Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor 7–6, 6–3 | Frank Froehling Charlie Pasarell | ||||
20 Aug | Colonial Nat'l Invitation Tennis Tournament Fort Worth, United States Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 5–7, 1–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4 | Ken Rosewall | Tom Okker Arthur Ashe | John Alexander Tony Roche Graham Stilwell Marty Riessen |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 6–2 | Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle | ||||
September
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 Sep | Rothmans International Montreal, Quebec, Canada Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Arthur Ashe 7–5, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 | Roy Emerson | Ismail El Shafei Tom Okker | John Newcombe Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Cliff Richey |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–1, 4–6, 7–6 | Robert Maud Ken Rosewall |
October
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Oct | Redwood Bank Pacific Coast Championships Alamo, United States Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 6–1, 6–1, 7–5 | Cliff Drysdale | Tom Okker Arthur Ashe | Terry Addison Mark Cox John Alexander Roy Emerson |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 6–4 | Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie | ||||
22 Oct | Rothmans International Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Regular series Carpet – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 7–5 | Marty Riessen | Mark Cox Robert Lutz | Roy Emerson Tom Okker Brian Fairlie Arthur Ashe |
John Newcombe Fred Stolle 7–6, 6–0 | Cliff Drysdale Allan Stone | ||||
29 Oct | Canada Dry International Essen, West Germany Regular series Carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles | Nikola Pilić 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 7–6 | Robert Lutz | Cliff Richey Ismail El Shafei | John Newcombe Wilhelm Bungert Tom Okker Arthur Ashe |
November
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 Nov | Swedish Pro Tennis Championships Gothenburg, Sweden Regular series $50,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | John Newcombe 6–0, 6–3, 6–1 | Roy Emerson | Tom Okker Mark Cox | Allan Stone Roger Taylor Haroon Rahim Jeff Borowiak |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 7–6 | Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie | ||||
18 Nov | Rotterdam Indoors Rotterdam, Netherlands Regular series Carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–2, 6–1 | Tom Okker | John Newcombe Mark Cox | Charlie Pasarell Robert Lutz Robin Drysdale Marty Riessen |
Roy Emerson John Newcombe 6–2, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz | ||||
26 Nov | WCT Winter Finals Rome, Italy WCT Finals $25,000 – carpet (i) – 8S Singles | Arthur Ashe 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 7–6 | Robert Lutz | Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale | Nikola Pilić Marty Riessen Mark Cox John Newcombe |
Statistical information
These tables present the number of singles (S), and doubles (D) titles won by each player and each nation during the season, within all the tournament categories of the 1972 WCT circuit: the WCT Finals, and the regular series tournaments.[2] The players/nations are sorted by: 1) total number of titles (a doubles title won by two players representing the same nation counts as only one win for the nation); 2) importance of those titles (a WCT Finals win equalling two regular tournaments wins); 3) a singles > doubles hierarchy; 4) alphabetical order (by family names for players).
Titles won by player
Total titles | Player | Finals | Regular series | All titles | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S | S | D | S | D | ||
10 | John Newcombe | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | |
Tom Okker | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | ||
Marty Riessen | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | ||
7 | Rod Laver | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |
5 | Arthur Ashe | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
3 | Ken Rosewall | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
Tony Roche | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
Roy Emerson | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||
2 | Robert Lutz | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Bob Carmichael | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
Ray Ruffels | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
1 | Mark Cox | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Nikola Pilić | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
Stan Smith | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
John Alexander | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Jimmy Connors | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Phil Dent | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Cliff Drysdale | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Pancho Gonzales | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Fred Stolle | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Roger Taylor | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Titles won by nation
Total titles | Nation | Finals | Regular series | All titles | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S | S | D | S | D | ||
22 | Australia | 1 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 8 |
19 | United States | 1 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 12 |
10 | Netherlands | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | |
2 | United Kingdom | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | Yugoslavia | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
South Africa | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Standings
These are the standings of the top twenty singles players on the WCT circuit, at the end of the 1971 World Championship Tennis circuit, and after each edition of the WCT Finals in the 1972 season.
See also
References
- John Barrett, ed. (1973). World of Tennis '73 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 141–148. ISBN 9780671216238.
- "1972 Grand Prix and WCT circuits calendar". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).