1972 World Championship Tennis circuit

(Redirected from 1972 WCT circuit)

The 1972 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1972. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). The circuit included twenty-three regular events, and two circuit finals, one taking place in May, counting for the second half of the 1971 season, and the first part of the 1972 season, and a smaller one taking place in November, counting for the second half of the 1972 season, from July through November.[1]

1972 World Championship Tennis circuit
Newcombe won 6 tour titles
Details
Duration6 February 1972 – 26 November 1972
Edition5th
Tournaments24
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesAustralia John Newcombe (6)
Most tournament finalsAustralia Rod Laver (7)
Australia Ken Rosewall (7)
Points leaderAustralia John Newcombe
1971
1973

Schedule

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This is the complete schedule of events on the 1972 WCT circuit, with player progression documented until the quarterfinals stage.[2]

Key
WCT Finals
Regular series

February

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
6 Feb Fidelity WCT
Richmond, United States
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Rod Laver
2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3
  Cliff Drysdale   Arthur Ashe
  John Newcombe
  Robert Lutz
  Roy Emerson
  Charlie Pasarell
  Roger Taylor
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
7–6, 7–6
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
8 Feb U.S. Professional Indoor
Philadelphia, United States
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Rod Laver
4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
  Ken Rosewall   Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
  Cliff Drysdale
  Jeff Borowiak
  Robert Lutz
  Arthur Ashe
  Robert Lutz
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
20 Feb Canadian Open (WCT)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Rod Laver
6–1, 6–4
  Ken Rosewall   Tom Okker
  Charlie Pasarell
  Roger Taylor
  Roy Emerson
  Fred Stolle
  Marty Riessen
  Bob Carmichael
  Ray Ruffels
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver

March

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
5 Mar Saga Bay Tennis Classic
Hollywood, United States
Regular series
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Ken Rosewall
3–6, 6–2, 6–4
  Cliff Drysdale   Fred Stolle
  Charlie Pasarell
  Roger Taylor
  Ismail El Shafei
  Mark Cox
  Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
7–5, 6–4
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver
16 Mar Kemper International Tennis Tournament
Chicago, United States
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Tom Okker
4–6, 6–2, 6–3
  Arthur Ashe   Robert Lutz
  Ken Rosewall
  Charlie Pasarell
  Marty Riessen
  John Alexander
  Robert Lutz
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–2, 6–3
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver

April

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
9 Apr River Oaks Tennis Tournament
Houston, United States
Regular series
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Rod Laver
6–2, 6–4
  Ken Rosewall   Tom Okker
  Roger Taylor
  William Bowrey
  John Alexander
  John Newcombe
  Nikola Pilić
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver
6–3, 6–3
  Ken Rosewall
  Fred Stolle
16 Apr Rothmans International Quebec
Quebec City, Canada
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Marty Riessen
7–5, 6–2, 7–5
  Rod Laver   Cliff Drysdale
  Arthur Ashe
  Charlie Pasarell
  Roger Taylor
  Roy Emerson
  Ken Rosewall
  Bob Carmichael
  Ray Ruffels
4–6, 6–3, 7–5
  Terry Addison
  John Alexander
23 Apr Charlotte Tennis Classic
Charlotte, United States
Regular series
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Ken Rosewall
2–6, 6–2, 6–2
  Cliff Richey   Cliff Drysdale
  John Alexander
  Mark Cox
  William Bowrey
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–4, 4–6, 7–6
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
30 Apr United Bank Classic
Denver, United States
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S
Singles
  Rod Laver
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
  Marty Riessen   Roy Emerson
  Tom Okker
  Robert Lutz
  John Newcombe
  Arthur Ashe
  John Alexander
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver
1–6, 6–4, 6–3
  Cliff Drysdale
  Roger Taylor
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 May Alan King Tennis Classic
Las Vegas, United States
Regular series
$50,000 – hard – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
6–3, 6–4
  Cliff Drysdale   Marty Riessen
  Frank Froehling
  Rod Laver
  Roger Taylor
  Tom Okker
  Ken Rosewall
  Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver
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  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
10 May WCT Finals
Dallas, United States
WCT Finals
$50,000 – carpet (i) – 8S
Singles
  Ken Rosewall
4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6
  Rod Laver   Marty Riessen
  Arthur Ashe
  John Newcombe
  Cliff Drysdale
  Tom Okker
  Robert Lutz

July

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Jul Holton Tennis Classic
St. Louis, United States
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
6–3, 6–3
  Nikola Pilić   Cliff Drysdale
  Charlie Pasarell
  Tony Roche
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
  Cliff Richey
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
7–6, 6–2
  John Alexander
  Phil Dent
12 Jul Washington Star International
Washington, United States
Regular series
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Tony Roche
3–6, 7–6, 6–4
  Marty Riessen   Ray Ruffels
  John Newcombe
  John Alexander
  Cliff Richey
  Arthur Ashe
  Ismail El Shafei
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
29 Jul First National Tennis Classic
Louisville, United States
Regular series
Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Arthur Ashe
6–4, 6–4
  Mark Cox   John Newcombe
  Cliff Drysdale
  Marty Riessen
  Tony Roche
  Tom Okker
  Nikola Pilić
  John Alexander
  Phil Dent
6–4, 6–3
  Arthur Ashe
  Robert Lutz

August

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
6 Aug U.S. Pro Tennis Championships
Boston, United States
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Robert Lutz
6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
  Tom Okker   Cliff Drysdale
  Arthur Ashe
  Rod Laver
  Marty Riessen
  Nikola Pilić
  Tony Roche
  Tony Roche
  John Newcombe
6–3, 1–6, 7–6
  Arthur Ashe
  Robert Lutz
13 Aug Cleveland Classic
Cleveland, United States
Regular series
Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Mark Cox
6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
  Ray Ruffels   Roger Taylor
  Cliff Drysdale
  Ken Rosewall
  Nikola Pilić
  Marty Riessen
  Ismail El Shafei
  Cliff Drysdale
  Roger Taylor
7–6, 6–3
  Frank Froehling
  Charlie Pasarell
20 Aug Colonial Nat'l Invitation Tennis Tournament
Fort Worth, United States
Regular series
Hard – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
5–7, 1–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4
  Ken Rosewall   Tom Okker
  Arthur Ashe
  John Alexander
  Tony Roche
  Graham Stilwell
  Marty Riessen
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–2, 6–2
  Ken Rosewall
  Fred Stolle

September

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
11 Sep Rothmans International
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Regular series
Hard – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Arthur Ashe
7–5, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3
  Roy Emerson   Ismail El Shafei
  Tom Okker
  John Newcombe
  Marty Riessen
  Cliff Drysdale
  Cliff Richey
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–1, 4–6, 7–6
  Robert Maud
  Ken Rosewall

October

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Oct Redwood Bank Pacific Coast Championships
Alamo, United States
Regular series
Hard – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
6–1, 6–1, 7–5
  Cliff Drysdale   Tom Okker
  Arthur Ashe
  Terry Addison
  Mark Cox
  John Alexander
  Roy Emerson
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
7–6, 6–4
  Ismail El Shafei
  Brian Fairlie
22 Oct Rothmans International
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Regular series
Carpet – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 7–5
  Marty Riessen   Mark Cox
  Robert Lutz
  Roy Emerson
  Tom Okker
  Brian Fairlie
  Arthur Ashe
  John Newcombe
  Fred Stolle
7–6, 6–0
  Cliff Drysdale
  Allan Stone
29 Oct Canada Dry International
Essen, West Germany
Regular series
Carpet (i) – 32S/16D
Singles
  Nikola Pilić
4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 7–6
  Robert Lutz   Cliff Richey
  Ismail El Shafei
  John Newcombe
  Wilhelm Bungert
  Tom Okker
  Arthur Ashe

November

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Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
5 Nov Swedish Pro Tennis Championships
Gothenburg, Sweden
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  John Newcombe
6–0, 6–3, 6–1
  Roy Emerson   Tom Okker
  Mark Cox
  Allan Stone
  Roger Taylor
  Haroon Rahim
  Jeff Borowiak
  Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
6–2, 7–6
  Ismail El Shafei
  Brian Fairlie
18 Nov Rotterdam Indoors
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Regular series
Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Arthur Ashe
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
  Tom Okker   John Newcombe
  Mark Cox
  Charlie Pasarell
  Robert Lutz
  Robin Drysdale
  Marty Riessen
  Roy Emerson
  John Newcombe
6–2, 6–3
  Arthur Ashe
  Robert Lutz
26 Nov WCT Winter Finals
Rome, Italy
WCT Finals
Carpet (i) – $25,000 – 8S
Singles
  Arthur Ashe
6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 7–6
  Robert Lutz   Tom Okker
  Cliff Drysdale
  Nikola Pilić
  Marty Riessen
  Mark Cox
  John Newcombe

Statistical information

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These tables present the number of singles (S), and doubles (D) titles won by each player and each nation during the season, within all the tournament categories of the 1972 WCT circuit: the WCT Finals, and the regular series tournaments.[2] The players/nations are sorted by: 1) total number of titles (a doubles title won by two players representing the same nation counts as only one win for the nation); 2) importance of those titles (a WCT Finals win equalling two regular tournaments wins); 3) a singles > doubles hierarchy; 4) alphabetical order (by family names for players).

Titles won by player

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Total titles Player Finals Regular series All titles
S S D S D
10   John Newcombe 6 4 6 4
  Tom Okker 1 9 1 9
  Marty Riessen 1 9 1 9
7   Rod Laver 5 2 5 2
5   Arthur Ashe 1 3 1 4 1
3   Ken Rosewall 1 2 3 0
  Tony Roche 1 2 1 2
  Roy Emerson 3 0 3
2   Robert Lutz 1 1 1 1
  Bob Carmichael 2 0 2
  Ray Ruffels 2 0 2
1   Mark Cox 1 1 0
  Nikola Pilić 1 1 0
  Stan Smith 1 1 0
  John Alexander 1 0 1
  Jimmy Connors 1 0 1
  Phil Dent 1 0 1
  Cliff Drysdale 1 0 1
  Pancho Gonzales 1 0 1
  Fred Stolle 1 0 1
  Roger Taylor 1 0 1

Titles won by nation

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Total titles Nation Finals Regular series All titles
S S D S D
22   Australia 1 13 8 14 8
19   United States 1 6 12 7 12
10   Netherlands 1 9 1 9
2   United Kingdom 1 1 1 1
1   Yugoslavia 1 1 0
  South Africa 1 0 1

Standings

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These are the standings of the top twenty singles players on the WCT circuit, at the end of the 1971 World Championship Tennis circuit, and after each edition of the WCT Finals in the 1972 season.

1971 Standings
# Player
1   Rod Laver
2   Tom Okker
3   Ken Rosewall
4   Cliff Drysdale
5   Arthur Ashe
6   John Newcombe
7   Marty Riessen
8   Robert Lutz
9   Roy Emerson
10   Andrés Gimeno
11   Charlie Pasarell
12   John Alexander
13   Dennis Ralston
14   Ray Ruffels
=   Ismail El Shafei
=   Nikola Pilić
17   Robert Maud
18   Mark Cox
19   Roger Taylor
20   Fred Stolle
1972 Standings (May)
# Player
1   Rod Laver
2   Ken Rosewall
3   Tom Okker
4   Cliff Drysdale
5   Marty Riessen
6   Arthur Ashe
7   Robert Lutz
8   John Newcombe
9   Roy Emerson
=   Charlie Pasarell
11   John Alexander
12   Roger Taylor
13   Andrés Gimeno
14   Mark Cox
15   Jeff Borowiak
16   Fred Stolle
=   Nikola Pilić
18   Ismail El Shafei
19   Bob Carmichael
20   Ray Ruffels
1972 Standings (November)
# Player
1   John Newcombe
2   Arthur Ashe
3   Tom Okker
4   Mark Cox
5   Cliff Drysdale
=   Marty Riessen
7   Robert Lutz
=   Nikola Pilić
9   Roy Emerson
=   Tony Roche
=   Ismail El Shafei
12   Cliff Richey
13   Charlie Pasarell
14   Ray Ruffels
15   Ken Rosewall
=   Roger Taylor
17   John Alexander
18   Bob Carmichael
=   Allan Stone
=   Haroon Rahim
=   Jeff Borowiak

See also

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References

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  1. ^ John Barrett, ed. (1973). World of Tennis '73 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 141–148. ISBN 9780671216238.
  2. ^ a b "1972 Grand Prix and WCT circuits calendar". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
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