Wembley Championships

Wembley Championship
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded 1934
Abolished 1990
Location London, England
Venue Empire Pool
Surface Wood (1934-1967)
Carpet (1968-1990)

The Wembley Championships was a men's professional tennis tournament held from 1934–1990 with some periods of inactivity in between and is considered as a part of the professional grand slam from 1927–1967 until the advent of the open era. Ken Rosewall's and Rod Laver's six singles titles are the record for this event. The tournament only had a men's draw.

It was first held in 1934 at the Empire Pool at Wembley Park, Wembley, north-west London.[1]

In the mid-1960s it was considered as one of the three major professional tournaments, alongside the United States Professional Championship and French Professional Championship.[2]

In 1970 it was the penultimate event on the Grand Prix Tennis Tour.[3]

Name

It was officially called the Wembley Professional Championships, although it was later named the London Indoor Professional Championships.[4]

Past finals

Year Champions Runners-up Score Surface
Professional Era
1934United States Ellsworth VinesGermany Hans Nüsslein4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 8–6r1 [5]Wood (i)
1935United States Ellsworth VinesUnited States Bill Tilden6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6, 6–3 [5]Wood (i)
1936Not held a [5]
1937Germany Hans NüssleinUnited States Bill Tilden6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 [5]Wood (i)
1938Not held b [5]
1939United States Don BudgeGermany Hans Nüsslein13–11, 2–6, 6–4r2 [5]Wood (i)
1940–1948Not Held
1949 [6]United States Jack KramerUnited States Bobby Riggs2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 [5]Wood (i)
1950United States Pancho GonzalesUnited States Welby Van Horn6–3, 6–3, 6–2 [5]Wood (i)
1951United States Pancho GonzalesUnited States Pancho Segura6–2, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 [5]Wood (i)
1952United States Pancho GonzalesUnited States Jack Kramer3–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 [5]Wood (i)
1953Australia Frank SedgmanUnited States Pancho Gonzales6–1, 6–2, 6–2 [5]Wood (i)
1954–1955Not Held
1956United States Pancho GonzalesAustralia Frank Sedgman4–6, 11–9, 11–9, 9–7 [5]Wood (i)
1957Australia Ken RosewallUnited States Pancho Segura1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 [5]Wood (i)
1958Australia Frank SedgmanUnited States Tony Trabert6–4, 6–3, 6–4 [5]Wood (i)
1959Australia Mal AndersonUnited States Pancho Segura4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 [5]Wood (i)
1960Australia Ken RosewallUnited States Pancho Segura5–7, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3 [5]Wood (i)
1961Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Lew Hoad6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 [5]Wood (i)
1962Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Lew Hoad6–4, 5–7, 15–13, 7–5 [5]Wood (i)
1963Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Lew Hoad6–4, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 [5]Wood (i)
1964Australia Rod LaverAustralia Ken Rosewall7–5, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 8–6 [5]Wood (i)
1965Australia Rod LaverSpain Andrés Gimeno6–2, 6–3, 6–4 [5]Wood (i)
1966Australia Rod LaverAustralia Ken Rosewall6–2, 6–2, 6–3 [5]Wood (i)
1967Australia Rod LaverAustralia Ken Rosewall2–6, 6–1, 1–6, 8–6, 6–2 [5]Wood (i)
Open Era
1968Australia Ken RosewallAustralia John Newcombe6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4Carpet (i)
1969Australia Rod LaverAustralia Tony Roche6–4, 6–1, 6–3Carpet (i)
1970Australia Rod LaverUnited States Cliff Richey6–3, 6–4, 7–5Carpet (i)
1971Romania Ilie NăstaseAustralia Rod Laver3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4Carpet (i)
1972–1975Not Held
1976United States Jimmy ConnorsUnited States Roscoe Tanner3–6, 7–6, 6–4Carpet (i)
1977Sweden Björn BorgUnited Kingdom John Lloyd6–4, 6–4, 6–3Carpet (i)
1978United States John McEnroeUnited States Tim Gullikson6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–2Carpet (i)
1979United States John McEnroeUnited States Harold Solomon6–3, 6–4, 7–5Carpet (i)
1980United States John McEnroeUnited States Gene Mayer6–4, 6–3, 6–3Carpet (i)
1981United States Jimmy ConnorsUnited States John McEnroe3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2Carpet (i)
1982United States John McEnroeUnited States Brian Gottfried6–3, 6–2, 6–4Carpet (i)
1983United States John McEnroeUnited States Jimmy Connors7–5, 6–1, 6–4Carpet (i)
1984Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlEcuador Andrés Gómez7–6, 6–2, 6–1Carpet (i)
1985Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlWest Germany Boris Becker6–7, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4Carpet (i)
1986France Yannick NoahSweden Jonas Svensson6–2, 6–3, 6–7, 4–6, 7–5Carpet (i)
1987Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlSweden Anders Järryd6–3, 6–2, 7–5Carpet (i)
1988Switzerland Jakob HlasekSweden Jonas Svensson6–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0, 7–5Carpet (i)
1989United States Michael ChangFrance Guy Forget6–2, 6–1, 6–1Carpet (i)
1990Switzerland Jakob HlasekUnited States Michael Chang7–6, 6–3Carpet (i)

Notes:

a1936 tournament was cancelled due to Tilden and Vines playing in Japan. This was reported in London Daily Mail on August 24th 1936. There are sources that say Ellsworth Vines defeated Hans Nüsslein 6–4, 6–4, 6–2, but this must have been a different event.

bNo reports of a 1938 tournament in British newspapers (the Wembley event was always reported in major British newspapers). Ray Bowers in an article on The Tennis Server website states there was no event held. There are sources that tell us Hans Nüsslein defeated Bill Tilden 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, but this must have been held elsewhere.

r1 For 1934, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Vines 5-0 and Nüsslein 4-1 as final standings.

r1 For 1939, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Budge 3-0 and Nüsslein, Tilden and Vines as 1-2 as final standings.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ray Bowers (1 March 2003). "Wembley and Paris". Forgotten Victories: The Early Pro Tennis Wars. The Tennis Server. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Marianne Bevis (12 January 2012). "Rod Laver: The modest champion at the heart of the Australian Open". Tennis: Australian Open. The Sport Review. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "1970: ATP World Tour". Results Archive. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  4. ↑ Grasso, John (2011). Historical Dictionary of Tennis. Scarecrow Press. p. 25. ISBN 9780810872370.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "British Pro Championships, Wembley". www.tennis.co.nf.
  6. ↑ "Indoor Lawn Tennis at Wembley". The Indian Express. Mar 19, 1949.


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