Tournament of Champions (tennis)

The Tournament of Champions ^[1] was a series major professional tennis tournament held at various locations around the world between 1957 and 1968.

History

The tournament was held on the grass-courts of Forest Hills, New York, between 1957 and 1959, and an Australian version was held on grass-courts at White City, Sydney 1957, at Kooyong stadium in Melbourne in 1958, and at White City again in 1959. The 1957 and 1958 ^[2] Forest Hills tournaments were both a round robin format, while the 1959 Forest Hills tournament was an elimination format with 10 players. The 1958 Kooyong Tournament of Champions was a round robin format,^[3] while the 1957 and 1959 White City, Sydney tournaments were an elimination format.

The 1958 Kooyoong Tournament of Champions, with 10,000 GBP (28,000 USD) prize money, was the richest tournament of the era.

The Forest Hills Tournament of Champions was broadcast nationally in the USA on the CBS television network, the only professional tournament in the U.S.A. to achieve this status. The Forest Hills Tournament of Champions in 1957, 1958, and 1959 all featured a Pancho Gonzales vs. Lew Hoad singles match on the final day.

The tournament was picked up again in 1968 for a one off tournament during the open era and called Jack Kramer's Tournament of Champions held at Wembley Arena.

Sponsors

The Australian TOC was sponsored by Ampol Petroleum as the Ampol Tournament of Champions.^[4][5][6]

Singles

Forest Hills Tournament of Champions

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1957	Pancho Gonzales [7]	Frank Sedgman	5–7, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1958	Pancho Gonzales [8]	Ken Rosewall	19–17, 5–7, 6–4
1959	Lew Hoad [9]	Pancho Gonzales	6–1, 5–7, 6–2, 6–1

Australian Tournament of Champions

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1957	Sydney, White City Stadium	Pancho Segura	Frank Sedgman	7–5, 6–0, 6–4
1958	Melbourne, Kooyong Stadium	Lew Hoad	Pancho Gonzales	7–5, 5–7, 6–4
1959	Sydney, White City Stadium	Pancho Gonzales	Lew Hoad	11–9, 6–1, 6–1

London Tournament of Champions

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1968	London, Wembley Arena	Ken Rosewall	John Newcombe	6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4

Draws

Forest Hills 1959

	First round									Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
											Lew Hoad	6	6	6
		Mervyn Rose	2	4							Mal Anderson	8	3	4
		Mal Anderson	6	6																Lew Hoad	5	6	7	6
																				Ken Rosewall	7	4	5	4
											Pancho Segura	1	5
											Ken Rosewall	6	7
																													Lew Hoad	6	5	6	6
																													Pancho Gonzales	1	7	2	1
											Tony Trabert	6	28	6
											Frank Sedgman	8	26	2
																				Tony Trabert	2	1	8	8
		Ashley Cooper	6	6																Pancho Gonzales	6	6	6	10
		Sam Giammalva	1	3							Ashley Cooper	3	2
											Pancho Gonzales	6	6

London 1968

	First round									Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
		Rod Laver	3	7
		Roy Emerson	6	9							Roy Emerson	3	r.
		Fred Stolle	10	6							Fred Stolle	2
		Butch Buchholz	8	3																Fred Stolle	6	2	4
		John Newcombe	10	7																John Newcombe	3	6	6
		Marty Riessen	8	5							John Newcombe	7	9
		Dennis Ralston	3	6	6						Dennis Ralston	5	7
		Roger Taylor	6	3	4																								John Newcombe	4	6	5	4
		Andrés Gimeno	3	6	6																								Ken Rosewall	6	4	7	6
		Pierre Barthes	6	1	4						Andrés Gimeno	6	16
		Tony Roche	8	6							Tony Roche	4	14
		Ray Moore	6	0																Andrés Gimeno	5	1
		Pancho Gonzales	8	9	3															Ken Rosewall	7	6
		Niki Pilić	6	11	6						Niki Pilić	1	3
		Cliff Drysdale	4	5							Ken Rosewall	6	6
		Ken Rosewall	6	7

References

Sources