River Oaks International Tennis Tournament

River Oaks International
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour Grand Prix (1971)
WCT (1972–1977)
Grand Prix (1978–1981)
WCT (1982–1984)
Founded 1931
Abolished 2007
Location River Oaks Country Club
Houston, USA
Surface Clay / Outdoor

The River Oaks International Tennis Tournament, also known as the River Oaks Invitational Tennis Tournament, was a men's tennis tournament held in early spring from 1931 until 2007 at the River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas, USA. [1] The tournament was the oldest in the country to still be played at its original site, in the original stadium. The tournament was founded by cotton broker Jack Norton.[2] From the very beginning, the River Oaks International was an invitational amateur tournament, and was not associated with the professional tennis associations. From the start, the field was filled with a few stars and then local candidates filled out the rest of the field. The inaugural edition in April 1931, which made a loss of $1,500, was won by 19-year-old Ellsworth Vines.[3][4] The tournament was not held during the World War II years 1942–1945.[5]

In 1971 the tournament was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit while from 1973 until 1977 it formed part of the World Championship Tennis circuit.[2][6] One of the landmark tournament events was in 1974, the championship match was broadcast before a national audience; thirty-four-year-old Rod Laver, met the heir apparent, seventeen-year-old Björn Borg. Laver, who in 1961 became the first foreign player to win the singles title, won in straight sets and became the first man to hold four singles championships at River Oaks.[7]

In 2008, the River Oaks International was merged with one of the oldest, and last remaining clay court tournaments in the United States, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships to continue the storied and tradition-filled tennis stadium at River Oaks.[8][9]


Finals

Singles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1931United States Ellsworth VinesUnited States Bruce Barnes6–3, 6–4, 10–8
1932United States Wilmer AllisonUnited States Jake Hess8–6, 6–3, 6–2
1933United States Frank ParkerUnited States George Lott7–5, 10–12, 6–4, 6–2
1934United States Lester StoefenUnited States Wilmer Allison6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1935United States Bryan GrantUnited States Wilmer Allison6–3, 1–6, 6–4, 6–4
1936United States Bryan GrantUnited States Wilmer Allison6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–0
1937United States Bryan GrantUnited States Wilmer Allison4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
1938United States Wayne SabinUnited States Ernest Sutter6–4, 4–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
1939United States Frank GuernseyUnited States Frank Kovacs4–6, 7–5, 6–1, 6–3
1940United States Robert RiggsUnited States Bryan Grant7–5, 6–3, 7–5
1941United States Frank KovacsUnited States Bryan Grant6–4, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1942No competition (due to WWII)
1943
1944
1945
1946United States Gardnar MulloyUnited States William Talbert6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1947United States Jack KramerUnited States Gardnar Mulloy6–1, 6–0, 6–2
1948United States Frank ParkerUnited States William Talbert9–7, 6–2, 6–1
1949United States Ted SchroederUnited States William Talbert6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
1950United States Robert FalkenburgUnited States Ted Schroeder6–0, 15–13, 3–6, 6–4
1951United States Arthur LarsenUnited States Herbert Flam6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 10–8
1952United States Gardnar MulloyUnited States Arthur Larsen6–3, 3–6, 3–6, 8–6, 6–4
1953United States Gardnar MulloyUnited States Vic Seixas6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
1954United States Richard SavittUnited States Ham Richardson4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 7–5
1955United States Tony TrabertUnited States Vic Seixas6–0, 6–1, 6–4
1956United States Ham RichardsonUnited States Vic Seixas7–5, 6–0, 3–6, 6–4
1957United States Herbert FlamAustralia Mervyn Rose7–5, 6–1, 6–4
1958United States Barry MacKayChile Luis Ayala8–10, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3
1959United States Bernard BartzenUnited States Richard Savitt2–6, 7–5, 4–6, 0–2 retired
1960United States Barry MacKayAustralia Neale Fraser7–5, 6–3, 6–4
1961Australia Rod LaverAustralia Roy Emerson7–5, 7–5, 1–6, 6–3
1962Australia Rod LaverAustralia Roy Emerson6–1, 7–5, 7–5
1963Spain Manuel SantanaUnited States Chuck McKinley6–4, 13-11, 3–6, 2–6, 6–4
1964Australia Roy EmersonSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić6–1, 6–4, 6–2
1965India Ramanathan KrishnanUnited States Cliff Richey6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
1966Australia Marty MulliganSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 0–6, 4–5
1967Australia John NewcombeAustralia Tony Roche6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1968United States Cliff RicheySocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Boro Jovanović6–4, 6–1, 6–0
1969Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko FranulovićMexico Rafael Osuna7–5, 6–3, 6–2
1970United States Clark GraebnerUnited States Cliff Richey2–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3, 6–2
1971United States Cliff RicheyUnited States Clark Graebner6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1972Australia Rod LaverAustralia Ken Rosewall6–2, 6–4
1973Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Fred Stolle6–4, 6–1, 7–5
1974Australia Rod LaverSweden Björn Borg7–6, 6–2
1975Australia Ken RosewallSouth Africa Cliff Drysdale6–4, 6–7, 6–4
1976United States Harold SolomonAustralia Ken Rosewall6–4, 1–6, 6–1
1977Italy Adriano PanattaUnited States Vitas Gerulaitis7–6, 6–7, 6–1
1978United States Brian GottfriedRomania Ilie Năstase3.6, 6–2, 6–1
1979Spain José HiguerasUnited States Gene Mayer6–3, 2–6, 7–6
1980Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlUnited States Eddie Dibbs6–1, 6–3
1981Argentina Guillermo VilasUnited States Sammy Giammalva Jr.6–2, 6–3
1982Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlArgentina José Luis Clerc3–6, 7–6, 6–0, 1–4 retired
1983Czechoslovakia Ivan LendlAustralia Paul McNamee6–2, 6–0, 6–3
1984United States Mark DicksonUnited States Sammy Giammalva Jr.6–3, 6–2
1985Australia Paul McNameeSweden Anders Järryd7–6, 4–6, 6–4
1986United States Jimmy AriasSweden Mats Wilander6–2, 2–6, 6–1
1987United States Jimmy AriasSweden Jonas Svensson6–2, 6–4
1988France Henri LeconteUnited States Michael Chang4–6, 7–6, 6–3
1989Sweden Magnus GustafssonSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Bruno Orešar6–2, 6–0
1990United States Richey RenebergSweden Magnus Gustafsson6–4, 6–4
1991Sweden Magnus GustafssonSweden Magnus Larsson6–7, 7–6, 6–1
1992United States Bryan SheltonUnited States Jeff Tarango4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1993United States Richey RenebergUnited States Todd Martin5–7, 6–3, 6–3
1994Sweden Magnus LarssonUnited States Richey Reneberg6–4, 6–2
1995Sweden Mikael TillströmAustralia Richard Fromberg6–3, 6–4
1996Norway Christian RuudUnited States Jeff Tarango3–6, 6–3, 7–5
1997Australia Jason StoltenbergUnited States Alex O'Brien6–2, 4–6, 7–5
1998Argentina Mariano ZabaletaBelgium Xavier Malisse7–6, 6–2
1999United States Vince SpadeaAustralia Jason Stoltenberg6–4, 6–2
2000Sweden Magnus LarssonSwitzerland Roger Federer3–6, 6–1, 7–5
2001Romania Andrei PavelNorway Christian Ruud6–3, 6–4
2002Switzerland Michel KratochvilSouth Africa Wayne Ferreira6–4, 4–6, 7–6
2003United States James BlakeSouth Africa Wayne Ferreira6–2, 4–6, 6–3
2004Czech Republic Jiří Novák &
United States Hugo Armando		Title shared
2005United States James BlakeRussia Dmitri Tursunov6–2, 6–3
2006Romania Victor HănescuSpain Juan Mónaco6–7, 6–4, 7–5
2007Russia Dmitri TursunovChile Nicolás Massú2–6, 1–0 retired
2008see U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships

See also

References

  1. ↑ "River Oaks: Showcase Of Tennis". Sports Illustrated. April 20, 1959. pp. 22–26.
  2. 1 2 Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 307. ISBN 9780047960420.
  3. ↑ Dale Robertson (April 4, 2004). "River Oaks stages 70th edition of quaint event that boasts legend-filled history". www.chron.com. Houston Chronicle.
  4. ↑ "River Oaks Tennis Title Won by Vines". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Apr 13, 1931.
  5. ↑ Dale Robertson (April 7, 2012). "On tennis: Players love center court at River Oaks". The Houston Chronicle.
  6. ↑ "River Oaks Tennis To Have New Look". Schenectady Gazette. Apr 2, 1973.
  7. ↑ "Laver Snaps River Oaks Tennis Jinx". The Pittsburgh Press. Apr 17, 1961.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships". www.mensclaycourt.com. ROCC.
  9. ↑ "River Oaks tennis tourney finds way to endure". The Houston Chronicle. April 5, 2009.
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