Jump to content

1974 World Championship Tennis circuit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1974 World Championship Tennis circuit
Newcombe reached 6 finals
Details
Duration21 January 1974 – 12 May 1974
Edition7th
Tournaments26
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesAustralia John Newcombe (5)
Most tournament finalsAustralia John Newcombe (6)
Prize money leaderAustralia John Newcombe ($174,085)
Points leaderAustralia John Newcombe (507)
1973
1975

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. Newcombe ended the season as prize money and points leader.[2]

Overview

[edit]
Week of Tournament Location Draw Prize money Surface Winner Finalist
21 January U.S. Pro Indoor Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US 128 $100,000 Carpet / indoor Australia Rod Laver United States Arthur Ashe
28 January Fidelity Tournament Richmond, Virginia, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Romania Ilie Năstase United States Tom Gorman
4 February St. Petersburg WCT St. Petersburg, Florida, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Australia John Newcombe Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
11 February Astor Cup Bologna, Italy 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Arthur Ashe United Kingdom Mark Cox
11 February Rothmans Toronto, Canada 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Netherlands Tom Okker Romania Ilie Năstase
18 February Hempstead WCT Hempstead, New York, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Stan Smith Australia John Newcombe
18 February Rothmans London, UK 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Sweden Björn Borg United Kingdom Mark Cox
25 February Barcelona WCT Barcelona, Spain 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Arthur Ashe Sweden Björn Borg
25 February Lacosta WCT La Costa, California, US 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Australia John Newcombe United States Stan Smith
25 February Saga Bay Classic Miami, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor South Africa Cliff Drysdale United States Tom Gorman
11 March São Paulo WCT São Paulo, Brazil 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Sweden Björn Borg United States Arthur Ashe
11 March Washington WCT Washington, D.C., US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Romania Ilie Năstase Netherlands Tom Okker
15 March Rotterdam Rotterdam, Netherlands 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Netherlands Tom Okker United States Tom Gorman
15 March Atlanta WCT Atlanta Georgia, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Dick Stockton Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
15 March Palm Desert WCT Palm Desert, California, US 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Australia Rod Laver United States Roscoe Tanner
1 April Munich WCT Munich, Germany 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor South Africa Frew McMillan Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić
1 April New Orleans WCT New Orleans, Louisiana, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Australia John Newcombe United States Jeff Borowiak
8 April Monte Carlo WCT Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Rhodesia Andrew Pattison Romania Ilie Năstase
8 April Orlando WCT Orlando, Florida, US 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Australia John Newcombe Chile Jaime Fillol
8 April Tokyo WCT Tokyo, Japan 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Australia Rod Laver Spain Juan Gisbert
15 April Johannesburg WCT Johannesburg, South Africa 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Rhodesia Andrew Pattison Australia John Alexander
15 April Charlotte WCT Charlotte, North Carolina, US 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor United States Jeff Borowiak United States Dick Stockton
15 April Houston WCT Houston, Texas, US 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Australia Rod Laver Sweden Björn Borg
22 April Denver WCT Denver, Colorado, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Roscoe Tanner United States Arthur Ashe
22 April St. Louis WCT St. Louis, Missouri, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor United States Stan Smith Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
8 May Dallas WCT Finals Dallas, Texas, US 8 $100,000 Carpet / indoor Australia John Newcombe Sweden Björn Borg

Schedule

[edit]

January

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
21 Jan U.S. Pro Indoor
Philadelphia, United States
Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 128S/64D
Australia Rod Laver
6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
United States Arthur Ashe Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Australia Tony Roche
Netherlands Tom Okker
Italy Adriano Panatta
United States Eddie Dibbs
United Kingdom Mark Cox
South Africa Pat Cramer
United States Mike Estep
7–6, 6–7, 6–3
France Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau
France Georges Goven
28 Jan Fidelity Tournament
Richmond, United States
Red group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Romania Ilie Năstase
6–2, 6–3
United States Tom Gorman Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić
France Patrice Dominguez
France Georges Goven
United States Billy Martin
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United States Marty Riessen
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić
Australia Allan Stone
6–3, 3–6, 7–6
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent

February

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
4 Feb St. Petersburg WCT
St. Petersburg, United States
Blue group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia John Newcombe
6–0, 7–6(7–3)
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli Australia Ross Case
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Dick Stockton
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
United States Stan Smith
United States Brian Gottfried
Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
United States Clark Graebner
United States Charlie Pasarell
11 Feb Astor Cup
Bologna, Italy
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
United States Arthur Ashe
6–4, 7–5
United Kingdom Mark Cox United Kingdom Roger Taylor
Romania Ion Țiriac
United Kingdom Graham Stilwell
Italy Adriano Panatta
Australia Rod Laver
Australia Colin Dibley
Sweden Ove Nils Bengtson
Sweden Björn Borg
6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 7–6, 6–2
United States Arthur Ashe
United States Roscoe Tanner
11 Feb Toronto Indoor
Toronto, Canada
Red group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Netherlands Tom Okker
7–6, 6–2
Romania Ilie Năstase Australia John Alexander
United States Marty Riessen
Australia Tony Roche
United States Erik van Dillen
Australia Phil Dent
South Africa Bob Hewitt
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
Australia Tony Roche
6–3, 2–6, 6–4
Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
15 Feb Rothmans International
London, England
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Sweden Björn Borg
6–7, 7–6, 6–4
United Kingdom Mark Cox United States Roscoe Tanner
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United States Arthur Ashe
United Kingdom Stephen Warboys
Australia Rod Laver
Sweden Ove Bengtson
Sweden Ove Nils Bengtson
Sweden Björn Borg
7–6, 6–3
United Kingdom Mark Farrell
United Kingdom John Lloyd
18 Feb Hempstead WCT
Hempstead, United States
Blue group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Stan Smith
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Australia John Newcombe Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
New Zealand Brian Fairlie
Egypt Ismail El Shafei
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
Czechoslovakia Milan Holeček
United States Cliff Richey
United States Jeff Borowiak
Australia Dick Crealy
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
25 Feb Barcelona WCT
Barcelona, Spain
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Arthur Ashe
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Sweden Björn Borg United States Eddie Dibbs
Czechoslovakia Vladimír Zedník
United Kingdom Roger Taylor
Italy Adriano Panatta
United States Tom Leonard
Romania Ion Țiriac
United States Arthur Ashe
United States Roscoe Tanner
6–3, 6–4
United States Tom Edlefsen
United States Tom Leonard
25 Feb La Costa WCT
La Costa, United States
Blue group
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia John Newcombe
6–2, 4–6, 6–4
United States Stan Smith Chile Patricio Cornejo
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Brian Gottfried
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Australia Dick Crealy
United States Dick Stockton
United States Clark Graebner
United States Charlie Pasarell
6–4, 6–7, 7–5
Australia Roy Emerson
United States Dennis Ralston
25 Feb Miami Open
Miami, United States
Red group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
6–4, 7–5
United States Tom Gorman Netherlands Tom Okker
Australia John Alexander
France Patrick Proisy
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić
United States Mike Estep
Romania Ilie Năstase
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
4–6, 6–4, 7–5
Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen

March

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
11 Mar São Paulo WCT
São Paulo, Brasil
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Sweden Björn Borg
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
United States Arthur Ashe Brazil Thomaz Koch
Italy Antonio Zugarelli
Romania Ion Țiriac
United States Harold Solomon
United Kingdom Mark Cox
Australia Rod Laver
Italy Adriano Panatta
Romania Ion Țiriac
7–5, 3–6, 6–3
Sweden Ove Nils Bengtson
Sweden Björn Borg
11 Mar Xerox WCT Tennis Classic
Washington, United States
Red group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Romania Ilie Năstase
6–3, 6–3
Netherlands Tom Okker South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United States Tom Gorman
Australia Tony Roche
United States Marty Riessen
France Patrick Proisy
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
7–6, 6–3
Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
25 Mar ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
Netherlands Tom Okker
4–6, 7–6, 6–1
United States Tom Gorman South Africa Cliff Drysdale
West Germany Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
United States Marty Riessen
Spain Manuel Orantes
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić
France Pierre Barthès
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
3–6, 6–4, 6–3
France Pierre Barthès
Romania Ilie Năstase
25 Mar Peachtree Corners Classic
Atlanta, United States
Blue group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Dick Stockton
6–2, 6–1
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
Australia John Newcombe
United States Brian Gottfried
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
New Zealand Brian Fairlie
United States Bob Lutz
United States Stan Smith
6–3, 3–6, 7–6
United States Brian Gottfried
United States Dick Stockton
25 Mar Palm Desert WCT
Palm Desert, United States
Green group
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia Rod Laver
6–4, 6–2
United States Roscoe Tanner United States Arthur Ashe
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Dennis Ralston
United States Harold Solomon
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United Kingdom Mark Cox
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Czechoslovakia Vladimír Zedník
6–4, 6–4
South Africa Raymond Moore
New Zealand Onny Parun

April

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Apr Munich WCT
Munich, West Germany
Red group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–7, 7–6, 7–6
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić Australia Tony Roche
Australia Phil Dent
Spain Manuel Orantes
South Africa Bob Maud
United States Erik van Dillen
United States Marty Riessen
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–2, 7–6
France Pierre Barthès
Romania Ilie Năstase
1 Apr New Orleans WCT
New Orleans, United States
Blue group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia John Newcombe
6–4, 6–2
United States Jeff Borowiak Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Franulović
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
United States Bob Lutz
United States Stan Smith
United States Frank Froehling
United States Charlie Pasarell
United States Bob Lutz
United States Stan Smith
4–6, 6–4, 7–6
Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
8 Apr Monte Carlo WCT
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Red group
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Rhodesia Andrew Pattison
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Romania Ilie Năstase South Africa Bob Maud
United States Marty Riessen
Hungary Balázs Taróczy
Australia John Alexander
United States Mike Estep
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
7–6, 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
Spain Manuel Orantes
Australia Tony Roche
8 Apr Orlando WCT
Orlando, United States
Blue group
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia John Newcombe
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Chile Jaime Fillol United Kingdom Buster Mottram
United States Stan Smith
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Jeff Borowiak
United States Raz Reid
United States Cliff Richey
Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
7–6, 6–3
United States Brian Gottfried
United States Dick Stockton
8 Apr Tokyo WCT
Tokyo, Japan
Green group
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia Rod Laver
5–7, 6–2, 6–0
Spain Juan Gisbert Sweden Björn Borg
New Zealand Onny Parun
South Africa Ray Moore
United States Paul Gerken
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
Italy Adriano Panatta
South Africa Raymond Moore
New Zealand Onny Parun
4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Spain Juan Gisbert
United Kingdom Roger Taylor
15 Apr Johannesburg Indoor
Johannesburg, South Africa
Red group
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Rhodesia Andrew Pattison
6–3, 7–5
Australia John Alexander South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United States Tom Gorman
South Africa Frew McMillan
South Africa John Yuill
South Africa Deon Joubert
South Africa Bernard Mitton
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–2, 6–4, 7–6
United States Jim McManus
United States Andrew Pattison
15 Apr Charlotte WCT
Charlotte, United States
Blue group
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Jeff Borowiak
6–4, 5–7, 7–6(7–5)
United States Dick Stockton Chile Jaime Fillol
United States Stan Smith
Australia John Newcombe
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Australia Sydney Ball
Australia Geoff Masters
United Kingdom Buster Mottram
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 1–6, 6–3
Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
15 Apr Houston WCT
Houston, United States
Green group
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
Australia Rod Laver
7–6, 6–2
Sweden Björn Borg New Zealand Onny Parun
United States Eddie Dibbs
Australia Colin Dibley
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
United States Arthur Ashe
Czechoslovakia Vladimír Zedník
Australia Colin Dibley
Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 7–6, 6–4
United States Arthur Ashe
United States Roscoe Tanner
22 Apr Holton Tennis Classic
St. Louis, United States
Blue group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Stan Smith
6–2, 3–6, 6–2
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli Australia Dick Crealy
Australia John Newcombe
United States Cliff Richey
Australia Ross Case
United States Clark Graebner
Egypt Ismail El Shafei
Egypt Ismail El Shafei
New Zealand Brian Fairlie
7–6, 6–7, 7–6
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
22 Apr United Bank Classic
Denver, United States
Green group
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
United States Roscoe Tanner
6–2, 6–4
United States Arthur Ashe Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United Kingdom Mark Cox
United States Paul Gerken
South Africa Ray Moore
Australia Rod Laver
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Arthur Ashe
United States Roscoe Tanner
6–3, 7–6
United Kingdom Mark Cox
Japan Jun Kamiwazumi

May

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
2 May WCT World Doubles
Montreal, Canada
WCT Finals
Carpet (i) – $80,000 – 8D
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–2, 6–7(6–8), 6–1, 6–2
Australia Owen Davidson
Australia John Newcombe
8 May WCT Finals
Dallas, United States
WCT Finals
Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 8S
Australia John Newcombe
4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2
Sweden Björn Borg United States Stan Smith
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Australia Rod Laver
Netherlands Tom Okker
Romania Ilie Năstase
United States Arthur Ashe

Standings

[edit]

Red group

[edit]
Player Tournaments played Tournaments won Matches won Matches lost Points Prize money
Romania Ilie Năstase * 11 4 37 7 457 $57,135
Netherlands Tom Okker * 9 2 31 7 330 $47,750
United States Tom Gorman 12 0 26 12 302 $26,030
South Africa Cliff Drysdale 12 1 25 11 252 $29,560
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niki Pilić 11 0 24 11 244 $17,970
Rhodesia Andrew Pattison 12 2 20 10 214 $27,970
United States John Alexander 12 0 15 12 182 $29,170
United States Marty Riessen 10 0 15 10 164 $23,360
Australia Tony Roche 9 0 16 8 160 $22,300
South Africa Frew McMillan 11 1 8 10 130 $42,725

Blue group

[edit]
Player Tournaments played Tournaments won Matches won Matches lost Points Prize money
Australia John Newcombe * 11 5 38 6 507 $174,085
United States Stan Smith * 12 2 35 10 390 $61,900
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli 12 0 28 12 292 $25,285
United States Dick Stockton 12 1 18 11 212 $26,985
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec 12 0 21 12 189 $14,345
United States Jeff Borowiak 11 1 14 10 184 $23,310
Australia Ross Case 12 0 18 12 150 $17,690
Mexico Raúl Ramírez 12 0 13 12 137 $21,250
Chile Jaime Fillol 11 0 11 11 136 $17,035
United States Cliff Richey 12 0 14 12 115 $23,315

Green group

[edit]
Player Tournaments played Tournaments won Matches won Matches lost Points Prize money
United States Arthur Ashe * 12 2 37 10 415 $79,175
Australia Rod Laver * 10 4 33 6 395 $70,600
Sweden Björn Borg * 12 2 31 10 355 $76,645
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš * 13 1 33 12 350 $25,350
United Kingdom Mark Cox 12 0 23 12 237 $27,575
United States Roscoe Tanner 10 1 18 9 212 $39,440
United States Eddie Dibbs 11 0 17 11 180 $22,045
United Kingdom Roger Taylor 12 0 21 12 162 $13,610
Italy Adriano Panatta 11 0 19 11 155 $18,275
New Zealand 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

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ John Barrett, ed. (1975). World of Tennis 75 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 135–137. ISBN 0362002177.
  2. ^ "Newcombe Tops Borg". Reading Eagle. May 13, 1974. p. 22.
[edit]