1971 World Championship Tennis circuit | |
Duration: | 9 February 1971 – 19 November 1971 |
Edition: | 4th |
Tournaments: | 21 |
Most Tournament Titles: | Ken Rosewall (5) |
Most Tournament Finals: | Rod Laver (8) |
Prize Money Leader: | Rod Laver ($289,841) |
Points Leader: | Rod Laver (87.25) |
Previous: | 1970 |
Next: | 1972 |
The 1971 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1971. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT) and was the first edition of the circuit. Points were awarded to players based on their tournament results (ten points for the tournament winner, seven points for the runner–up, four points for the semifinalists, two points for the quarterfinalists and one point for reaching the second round). The circuit included twenty regular events and a WCT circuit final taking place in Houston/Dallas in November for the eight players with the highest points total. Each tournament had a minimum prize money of $50,000.[1]
Week | Tournament | Location | Draw | Prize money | Surface | Champions | Runners-up | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 Feb | U.S. Pro Indoor | Philadelphia, U.S. | 32 | $62,500 | Carpet / indoor | John Newcombe | Rod Laver | |
7 Mar | Australian Open Championships | Sydney, Australia | 64 | $50,000 | Grass / outdoor | Ken Rosewall | Arthur Ashe | |
22 Mar | Sportface International | Chicago, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | John Newcombe | Arthur Ashe | |
29 Mar | Aventura Tennis Classic | Miami, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Hard / outdoor | Cliff Drysdale | Rod Laver | |
26 Apr | Rawlings Classic | Dallas, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | John Newcombe | Arthur Ashe | |
3 May | Rome, Italy | 48 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Rod Laver | Jan Kodeš | ||
10 May | Aryamehr Cup | Tehran, Iran | 32 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Marty Riessen | John Alexander | |
7 Jun | W.D. & H.O. Wills | Bristol, England | 32 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Unfinished (rain)[2] | ||
12 Jul | Washington, U.S. | 64 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Ken Rosewall | Marty Riessen | ||
19 July | Louisville Classic | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Tom Okker | Cliff Drysdale | |
26 Jul | Rothmans International | Quebec City, Canada | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Tom Okker | Rod Laver | |
2 Aug | U.S. Professional Championships | Boston, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Hard / outdoor | Ken Rosewall | Cliff Drysdale | |
9 Aug | Rothmans Canadian Open | Toronto, Canada | 64 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | John Newcombe | Tom Okker | |
16 Aug | Colonial Pro Championships | Fort Worth, U.S. | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Rod Laver | Marty Riessen | |
27 Sep | Berkeley, U.S. | 64 | $50,000 | Hard / outdoor | Rod Laver | Ken Rosewall | ||
3 Oct | Rothmans International | Vancouver, Canada | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Ken Rosewall | Tom Okker | |
11 Oct | Profi–Tennis–Weltmeistershaft | Cologne, Germany | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Bob Lutz | Jeff Borowiak | |
18 Oct | Barcelona, Spain | 32 | $50,000 | Clay / outdoor | Manuel Orantes | Bob Lutz | ||
30 Oct | Stockholm, Sweden | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Arthur Ashe | Jan Kodeš | ||
8 Nov | Rothmans Open | Bologna, Italy | 32 | $50,000 | Carpet / indoor | Rod Laver | Arthur Ashe | |
19 Nov | Dallas WCT Finals | Houston/Dallas, U.S. | 8 | $100,000 | Carpet / indoor | Ken Rosewall | Rod Laver |
The schedule of the tournaments on the 1971 WCT circuit, with player progression documented from the quarterfinals stage onward.[3]
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 Mar | Australian Open Sydney, Australia Grand Slam Grass – $50,000 – 64S/32D Singles – Doubles | Ken Rosewall 6–1, 7–5, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe | Bob Lutz Tom Okker | Mark Cox Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen Roy Emerson |
John Newcombe Tony Roche 6–2, 7–6 | Tom Okker Marty Riessen | ||||
22 Mar | Sportface International Chicago, United States Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D | John Newcombe 4–6, 7–6 6–2, 6–3 | Arthur Ashe | Tom Okker Ken Rosewall | Ray Ruffels Charlie Pasarell Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 4–6, 7–6 | John Newcombe Tony Roche | ||||
29 Mar | Aventura Tennis Classic Miami, United States Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D | Cliff Drysdale 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 | Rod Laver | Tony Roche Roy Emerson | Nikola Pilić Dennis Ralston Tom Okker John Newcombe |
John Newcombe Tony Roche 7–6, 7–6 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 Apr | Rawlings Classic Dallas, United States Carpet (i) – 32S/16D | John Newcombe 7–6, 6–4 | Arthur Ashe | Tom Okker Marty Riessen | Mark Cox Bob Maud Cliff Drysdale Bob Lutz |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–3, 6–4 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 May | Rod Laver 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 | Jan Kodeš | Arthur Ashe Tom Okker | Stan Smith John Newcombe Roy Emerson Cliff Drysdale | |
John Newcombe Tony Roche 6–3, 6–4 | Andrés Gimeno Roger Taylor | ||||
10 May | Aryamehr Cup Teheran, Iran Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D | Marty Riessen 6–7, 6–1, 6–3, 7–6 | John Alexander | John Newcombe Arthur Ashe | Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno Tony Roche Roy Emerson |
John Newcombe Tony Roche 6–4, 6–7, 6–1 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 Jun | Wills Open Bristol, England Clay – $48,000 – 32S/16D | Tournament not completed (rain) | Ken Rosewall Tom Okker Marty Riessen Roy Emerson | ||
Tournament not completed (rain) |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 Jul | Ken Rosewall 6–2, 7–5, 6–1 | Dennis Ralston Ismail El Shafei Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno | |||
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 6–2 | Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels | ||||
19 Jul | First National Tennis Classic Louisville, United States Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D | Tom Okker 3–6, 6–4, 6–1 | Cliff Drysdale | Nikola Pilić Ray Ruffels | John Alexander Dennis Ralston Roy Emerson Ismail El Shafei |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver Not played | Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle | ||||
26 Jul | Tom Okker 6–3, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4 | Rod Laver | Bob Lutz Cliff Drysdale | Charlie Pasarell Roy Emerson Arthur Ashe Ray Ruffels | |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver 7–6, 6–2 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Aug | U.S. Pro Tennis Championships Boston, United States Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Ken Rosewall 6–4, 6–3, 6–0 | Cliff Drysdale | Marty Riessen John Newcombe | Arthur Ashe Rod Laver Tom Okker John Alexander |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–4, 6–4 | Tom Okker Marty Riessen | ||||
9 Aug | Rothmans Canadian Open Toronto, Canada Clay – 64S/32D | John Newcombe 7–6, 3–6, 6–2, 7–6 | Roger Taylor Marcelo Lara Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen | ||
Marty Riessen Tom Okker 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 | Arthur Ashe Dennis Ralston | ||||
16 Aug | Colonial National Invitational Fort Worth, United States Hard – 32S/16D | Rod Laver 2–6, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3 | Marty Riessen | Roy Emerson Cliff Drysdale | Charlie Pasarell Ken Rosewall John Alexander Dennis Ralston |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–4, 7–5 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 Sep | Rod Laver 6–4, 6–4, 7–6 | Ken Rosewall | Tom Okker Arthur Ashe | Bob Lutz Marty Riessen Cliff Richey Cliff Drysdale | |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–3, 6–3 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 Oct | Rothmans International Vancouver Vancouver, Canada Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles | Ken Rosewall 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 | Tom Okker | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | |
Roy Emerson Rod Laver 5–7, 6–7, 6–0, 7–5, 7–6 | John Alexander Phil Dent | ||||
11 Oct | Profi–Tennis–Weltmeistershaft Cologne, West Germany | Bob Lutz 6–3, 6–7, 6–3, 6–1 | Jeff Borowiak | Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale | Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno Mark Cox Ken Rosewall |
Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–7, 3–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–4 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | ||||
18 Oct | Torneo Godó Barcelona, Spain Clay – $70,000 – 64S/32D | Manuel Orantes 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 | Bob Lutz | Ken Rosewall Rod Laver John Newcombe Fred Stolle | |
Željko Franulović Juan Gisbert 7–6, 6–2, 7–6 | Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno | ||||
30 Oct | Arthur Ashe 6–1, 3–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 | Jan Kodeš | Tom Okker Rod Laver Mark Cox John Alexander | ||
Tom Gorman Stan Smith 6–3, 6–4 |
Week | Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Semifinalists | Quarterfinalists | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 Nov | Rod Laver 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 | Arthur Ashe | Charlie Pasarell Ken Rosewall | Bob Lutz Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen | ||
Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 6–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 | Robert Maud Frew McMillan | |||||
19 Nov | bgcolor=#FFFFCC rowspan=1 | Ken Rosewall 6–4, 1–6, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4) | Rod Laver | Tom Okker Arthur Ashe | ||
Qualified for Tour Finals |
Rk | Name | Country | Tournaments played | Tournaments won | Matches won | Matches lost | Points | Prize money (USD) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rod Laver | 19 | 4 | 54 | 14 | 87.25 | 289,841 | ||
2 | 20 | 2 | 52 | 17 | 75 | 120,564 | |||
3 | 18 | 4 | 51 | 14 | 74 | 137,687 | |||
4 | 20 | 1 | 52 | 18 | 69.25 | 69,078 | |||
5 | 20 | 1 | 43 | 18 | 68.25 | 99,746 | |||
6 | 12 | 4 | 36 | 8 | 60 | 97,764 | |||
7 | 20 | 1 | 41 | 19 | 55 | 76,069 | |||
8 | 20 | 1 | 31 | 19 | 41 | 58,392 | |||
9 | 19 | – | 31 | 18 | 34 | 46,052 | |||
10 | 18 | – | 29 | 18 | 30 | 34,512 |