1974 World Championship Tennis circuit
The 1974 World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1974, the other being the Grand Prix circuit. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). It was the fourth edition of the WCT circuit and a total of 84 players participated. All players took part in the opening U.S. Pro Indoor tournament in Philadelphia and afterwards were divided into three groups (red, blue and green) of 28 players, with each group playing eight further tournaments.[1] The season final was played in Dallas by the eight best performers, the top two of each group plus the next two highest point winners, and was won by Australian John Newcombe who defeated Björn Borg from Sweden in four sets (4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2).[2]
Overview
Week of |
Tournament |
Location |
Draw |
Prize Money |
Surface |
Winner |
Finalist |
21 January |
U.S. Pro Indoor |
Philadelphia, PA, USA |
128 |
$100,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Rod Laver |
Arthur Ashe |
28 January |
Fidelity Tournament |
Richmond, VA, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Carpet |
Ilie Năstase |
Tom Gorman |
4 February |
St. Petersburg WCT |
St. Petersburg, FL, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
John Newcombe |
Alex Metreveli |
11 February |
Bologna WCT |
Bologna, Italy |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Arthur Ashe |
Mark Cox |
11 February |
Rothmans |
Toronto, Canada |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Tom Okker |
Ilie Năstase |
18 February |
Hempstead WCT |
Hempstead, NY, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
Stan Smith |
John Newcombe |
18 February |
Rothmans |
London, UK |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Hard |
Björn Borg |
Mark Cox |
25 February |
Barcelona WCT |
Barcelona, Spain |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Arthur Ashe |
Björn Borg |
25 February |
Lacosta WCT |
La Costa, CA, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Carpet |
John Newcombe |
Stan Smith |
25 February |
Saga Bay Classic |
Miami, FL, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
Cliff Drysdale |
Tom Gorman |
11 March |
Sao Paulo WCT |
São Paulo, Brazil |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Björn Borg |
Arthur Ashe |
11 March |
Washington WCT |
Washington, DC, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Ilie Năstase |
Tom Okker |
15 March |
Rotterdam |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Tom Okker |
Tom Gorman |
15 March |
Atlanta WCT |
Atlanta, GA, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Clay |
Dick Stockton |
Jiri Hrebec |
15 March |
Palm Desert WCT |
Palm Desert, CA, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
Rod Laver |
Roscoe Tanner |
1 April |
Munich WCT |
Munich, Germany |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Frew McMillan |
Niki Pilic |
1 April |
New Orleans WCT |
New Orleans, LA, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
|
John Newcombe |
Jeff Borowiak |
8 April |
Monte Carlo WCT |
Monte Carlo, Monaco |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Clay |
Andrew Pattison |
Ilie Năstase |
8 April |
Orlando WCT |
Orlando, FL, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
John Newcombe |
Jaime Fillol |
8 April |
Tokyo WCT |
Tokyo, Japan |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor |
Rod Laver |
Juan Gisbert |
15 April |
Johannesburg WCT |
Johannesburg, South Africa |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Hard |
Andrew Pattison |
John Alexander |
15 April |
Charlotte WCT |
Charlotte, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Clay |
Jeff Borowiak |
Dick Stockton |
15 April |
Houston WCT |
Houston, TX, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Clay |
Rod Laver |
Björn Borg |
22 April |
Denver WCT |
Denver, CO, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
Roscoe Tanner |
Arthur Ashe |
22 April |
St. Louis WCT |
St. Louis, MO, USA |
32 |
$50,000 |
Outdoor / Clay |
Stan Smith |
Alex Metreveli |
8 May |
Dallas WCT Finals |
Dallas, TX, USA |
8 |
$100,000 |
Indoor / Carpet |
John Newcombe |
Björn Borg |
Schedule
January
Week of |
Tournament |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Semifinalists |
Quarterfinalists |
21 January | U.S. Pro Indoor Philadelphia, USA $100,000 - 128S/64D | Rod Laver 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 | Arthur Ashe | Jan Kodeš Tony Roche | Tom Okker Adriano Panatta
Eddie Dibbs
Mark Cox |
Pat Cramer
Mike Estep 7–6, 6–7, 6–3 | Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau
Georges Goven |
28 January | Fidelity Tournament Richmond, USA Red group $50,000 - Carpet (i) - 32S/16D | Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–3 | Tom Gorman | Niki Pilic
Patrice Dominguez | Georges Goven
Billy Martin
Cliff Drysdale
Marty Riessen |
Nikola Pilić
Allan Stone 6–3, 3–6, 7–6 | John Alexander
Phil Dent |
February
Week of |
Tournament |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Semifinalists |
Quarterfinalists |
4 February | St. Petersburg WCT St. Petersburg, USA Blue group | John Newcombe 6–0, 7–6 | Alex Metreveli | Ross Case
Raúl Ramírez | Dick Stockton
Jiří Hřebec
Stan Smith
Brian Gottfried |
Owen Davidson
John Newcombe 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 | Clark Graebner
Charlie Pasarell |
11 February | Bologna Indoor Bologna, Italy Green group | Arthur Ashe 6–4, 7–5 | Mark Cox | Roger Taylor
Ion Ţiriac | Graham Stilwell
Adriano Panatta
Rod Laver
Colin Dibley |
Ove Nils Bengtson
Björn Borg 6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 7–6, 6–2 | Arthur Ashe
Roscoe Tanner |
11 February | Toronto Indoor Toronto, Canada Red group | Tom Okker 7–6, 6–2 | Ilie Năstase | John Alexander
Marty Riessen | Tony Roche
Erik Van Dillen
Phil Dent
Bob Hewitt |
Raúl Ramírez
Tony Roche 6–3, 2–6, 6–4 | Tom Okker
Marty Riessen |
15 February | Rothmans International London, England Green group | Björn Borg 6–7, 7–6, 6–4 | Mark Cox | Roscoe Tanner
Jan Kodeš | Arthur Ashe
Stephen Warboys
Rod Laver
Ove Bengtson |
Ove Nils Bengtson
Björn Borg 7–6, 6–3 | Mark Farrell
John Lloyd |
18 February | Hempstead WCT Hempstead, USA Blue group | Stan Smith 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 | John Newcombe | Alex Metreveli
Brian Fairlie | Ismail El Shafei
Jiří Hřebec
Milan Holecek
Cliff Richey |
Jeff Borowiak
Dick Crealy 6–7, 6–4, 6–4 | Ross Case
Geoff Masters |
25 February | Barcelona WCT Barcelona, Spain Green group | Arthur Ashe 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 | Björn Borg | Eddie Dibbs
Vladimir Zednik | Roger Taylor
Adriano Panatta
Tom Leonard
Ion Ţiriac |
Arthur Ashe
Roscoe Tanner 6–3, 6–4 | Tom Edlefsen
Tom Leonard |
25 February | La Costa WCT La Costa, USA Blue group $60,000 - Carpet (i) - 32S/16D | John Newcombe 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 | Stan Smith | Patricio Cornejo
Raúl Ramírez | Brian Gottfried
Alex Metreveli
Dick Crealy
Dick Stockton |
Clark Graebner
Charlie Pasarell 6–4, 6–7, 7–5 | Roy Emerson
Dennis Ralston |
25 February | Miami Open Miami, USA Red group $60,000 - 32S/16D | Cliff Drysdale 6–4, 7–5 | Tom Gorman | Tom Okker
John Alexander | Patrick Proisy
Niki Pilic
Mike Estep
Ilie Năstase |
John Alexander
Phil Dent 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 | Tom Okker
Marty Riessen |
March
Week of |
Tournament |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Semifinalists |
Quarterfinalists |
11 March | Sao Paulo WCT San Paolo, Brasil Green group | Björn Borg 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe | Tomas Koch
Antonio Zugarelli | Ion Ţiriac
Harold Solomon
Mark Cox
Rod Laver |
Adriano Panatta
Ion Ţiriac 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 | Ove Nils Bengtson
Björn Borg |
11 March | Washington Indoor Washington, USA Red group | Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–3 | Tom Okker | Cliff Drysdale
Tom Gorman | Tony Roche
Marty Riessen
Patrick Proisy
Niki Pilic |
Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan 7–6, 6–3 | Tom Okker
Marty Riessen |
25 March | ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament Rotterdam, Netherlands Green group Carpet | Tom Okker 4–6, 7–6, 6–1 | Tom Gorman | Cliff Drysdale
Hans-Jürgen Pohmann | Marty Riessen
Manuel Orantes
Niki Pilic
Pierre Barthes |
Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 | Pierre Barthes
Ilie Năstase |
25 March | Atlanta Open Atlanta, USA Blue group | Dick Stockton 6–2, 6–1 | Jiří Hřebec | Ross Case
Geoff Masters | John Newcombe
Brian Gottfried
Alex Metreveli
Brian Fairlie |
Bob Lutz
Stan Smith 6–3, 3–6, 7–6 | Brian Gottfried
Dick Stockton |
25 March | Palm Desert WCT Palm Desert, USA Green group | Rod Laver 6–4, 6–2 | Roscoe Tanner | Arthur Ashe
Eddie Dibbs | Dennis Ralston
Harold Solomon
Jan Kodeš
Mark Cox |
Jan Kodeš
Vladimir Zednik 6–4, 6–4 | Raymond Moore
Onny Parun |
April
Week of |
Tournament |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Semifinalists |
Quarterfinalists |
1 April | Munich WCT Munich, West Germany Red group | Frew McMillan 6–7, 7–6, 7–6 | Niki Pilić | Tony Roche
Phil Dent | Manuel Orantes
Bob Maud
Erik van Dillen
Marty Riessen |
Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan 6–2, 7–6 | Pierre Barthès
Ilie Năstase |
1 April | New Orleans WCT New Orleans, USA Blue group | John Newcombe 6–4, 6–2 | Jeff Borowiak | Željko Franulović
Jiří Hřebec | Bob Lutz
Stan Smith
Frank Froehling
Charlie Pasarell |
Bob Lutz
Stan Smith 4–6, 6–4, 7–6 | Owen Davidson
John Newcombe |
8 April | Monte Carlo WCT Monte Carlo, Monaco Red group | Andrew Pattison 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 | Ilie Năstase | Bob Maud
Marty Riessen | Balázs Taróczy
John Alexander
Mike Estep
Cliff Drysdale |
John Alexander
Phil Dent 7–6, 4–6, 7–6, 6–3 | Manuel Orantes
Tony Roche |
8 April | Orlando WCT Orlando, USA Blue group | John Newcombe 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 | Jaime Fillol | Buster Mottram
Stan Smith | Raúl Ramírez
Jeff Borowiak
Grover Reid
Cliff Richey |
Owen Davidson
John Newcombe 7–6, 6–3 | Brian Gottfried
Dick Stockton |
8 April | Tokyo WCT Tokyo, Japan Green group | Rod Laver 5–7, 6–2, 6–0 | Juan Gisbert | Björn Borg
Onny Parun | Ray Moore
Paul Gerken
Guillermo Vilas
Adriano Panatta |
Raymond Moore
Onny Parun 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 | Juan Gisbert
Roger Taylor |
15 April | Johannesburg Indoor Johannesburg, South Africa Red group | Andrew Pattison 6–3, 7–5 | John Alexander | Cliff Drysdale
Tom Gorman | Frew McMillan
John Yuill
Deon Joubert
Bernie Mitton |
Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan 6–2, 6–4, 7–6 | Jim McManus
Andrew Pattison |
15 April | Charlotte WCT Charlotte, USA Blue group | Jeff Borowiak 6–4, 5–7, 7–6 | Dick Stockton | Jaime Fillol
Stan Smith | John Newcombe
Alex Metreveli
Sydney Ball
Geoff Masters |
Buster Mottram
Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 1–6, 6–3 | Owen Davidson
John Newcombe |
15 April | Houston WCT Houston, USA Green group | Rod Laver 7–6, 6–2 | Björn Borg | Onny Parun
Eddie Dibbs | Colin Dibley
Guillermo Vilas
Arthur Ashe
Vladimír Zedník |
Colin Dibley
Rod Laver 4–6, 7–6, 6–4 | Arthur Ashe
Roscoe Tanner |
22 April | St. Louis WCT St. Louis, USA Blue group | Stan Smith 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 | Alex Metreveli | Dick Crealy
John Newcombe | Cliff Richey
Ross Case
Clark Graebner
Ismail El Shafei |
Ismail El Shafei
Brian Fairlie 7–6, 6–7, 7–6 | Ross Case
Geoff Masters |
22 April | Denver WCT Denver, USA Green group | Roscoe Tanner 6–2, 6–4 | Arthur Ashe | Jan Kodeš
Mark Cox | Paul Gerken
Ray Moore
Rod Laver
Eddie Dibbs |
Arthur Ashe
Roscoe Tanner 6–3, 7–6 | Mark Cox
Jun Kamiwazumi |
Standings
Red group
Player |
Tournaments Played |
Tournaments Won |
Matches Won |
Matches Lost |
Points |
Prize Money |
Ilie Năstase * |
11 |
4 |
37 |
7 |
457 |
$57,135 |
Tom Okker * |
9 |
2 |
31 |
7 |
330 |
$47,750 |
Tom Gorman |
12 |
0 |
26 |
12 |
302 |
$26,030 |
Cliff Drysdale |
12 |
1 |
25 |
11 |
252 |
$29,560 |
Niki Pilić |
11 |
0 |
24 |
11 |
244 |
$17,970 |
Andrew Pattison |
12 |
2 |
20 |
10 |
214 |
$27,970 |
John Alexander |
12 |
0 |
15 |
12 |
182 |
$29,170 |
Marty Riessen |
10 |
0 |
15 |
10 |
164 |
$23,360 |
Tony Roche |
9 |
0 |
16 |
8 |
160 |
$22,300 |
Frew McMillan |
11 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
130 |
$42,725 |
Blue group
Player |
Tournaments Played |
Tournaments Won |
Matches Won |
Matches Lost |
Points |
Prize Money |
John Newcombe * |
11 |
5 |
38 |
6 |
507 |
$174,085 |
Stan Smith * |
12 |
2 |
35 |
10 |
390 |
$61,900 |
Alex Metreveli |
12 |
0 |
28 |
12 |
292 |
$25,285 |
Dick Stockton |
12 |
1 |
18 |
11 |
212 |
$26,985 |
Jiří Hřebec |
12 |
0 |
21 |
12 |
189 |
$14,345 |
Jeff Borowiak |
11 |
1 |
14 |
10 |
184 |
$23,310 |
Ross Case |
12 |
0 |
18 |
12 |
150 |
$17,690 |
Raúl Ramirez |
12 |
0 |
13 |
12 |
137 |
$21,250 |
Jaime Fillol |
11 |
0 |
11 |
11 |
136 |
$17,035 |
Cliff Richey |
12 |
0 |
14 |
12 |
115 |
$23,315 |
Green group
Player |
Tournaments Played |
Tournaments Won |
Matches Won |
Matches Lost |
Points |
Prize Money |
Arthur Ashe * |
12 |
2 |
37 |
10 |
415 |
$79,175 |
Rod Laver * |
10 |
4 |
33 |
6 |
395 |
$70,600 |
Björn Borg * |
12 |
2 |
31 |
10 |
355 |
$76,645 |
Jan Kodeš * |
13 |
1 |
33 |
12 |
350 |
$25,350 |
Mark Cox |
12 |
0 |
23 |
12 |
237 |
$27,575 |
Roscoe Tanner |
10 |
1 |
18 |
9 |
212 |
$39,440 |
Eddie Dibbs |
11 |
0 |
17 |
11 |
180 |
$22,045 |
Roger Taylor |
12 |
0 |
21 |
12 |
162 |
$13,610 |
Adriano Panatta |
11 |
0 |
19 |
11 |
155 |
$18,275 |
Onny Parun |
12 |
0 |
15 |
12 |
152 |
$14,925 |
* Qualified for the WCT Finals. The best two players from each group qualified plus the next two players with the highest points total.
See also
References
- ↑ John Barrett, ed. (1975). World of Tennis 75 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 135–137. ISBN 0362002177.
- ↑ "Newcombe Tops Borg". Reading Eagle. May 13, 1974. p. 22.
External links