| Wembley Championships | |
| Type: | defunct |
| Founded: | 1934 |
| Ended: | 1990 |
| Editions: | 40 |
| Location: | London, England |
| Venue: | Empire Pool |
| Surface: | Wood (1934–1967) Carpet (1968–1990) |
The Wembley Championships was a men's professional tennis tournament held from 1934–1990 with some periods of inactivity in between and is often considered to be one of the three major professional tennis tournaments from 1927–1967 until the advent of the open era. Ken Rosewall's and Rod Laver's six singles titles are the record for this event. The tournament only had a men's draw.
It was first held in 1934 at the Empire Pool at Wembley Park, Wembley, north-west London.[1] In 1968, it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions. In 1970 it was the penultimate event on the Grand Prix Tennis Tour.[2]
It was officially called the Wembley Professional Championships, although it was later named the London Indoor Professional Championships.[3] In 1968 it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions.
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score | Surface | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Era | |||||
| 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 8–6r1 [4] | Wood (i) | ||||
 Ellsworth Vines | 6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6, 6–3 | Wood (i) | |||
| Not held a | |||||
 Hans Nüsslein | Bill Tilden | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 | Wood (i) | ||
| Not held b | |||||
| Hans Nüsslein | 13–11, 2–6, 6–4r2 | Wood (i) | |||
| 1940–1948 | Not held | ||||
| 1949[5] | 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 | Wood (i) | ||||
| Pancho Gonzales | 6–2, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| Pancho Gonzales | Jack Kramer | 3–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 | Wood (i) | ||
| Pancho Gonzales | 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |||
| 1954–1955 | Not held | ||||
| Pancho Gonzales |  Frank Sedgman | 4–6, 11–9, 11–9, 9–7 | Wood (i) | ||
 Pancho Segura | 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| Frank Sedgman | 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| Pancho Segura | 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 | Wood (i) | |||
| Ken Rosewall | Pancho Segura | 5–7, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3 | Wood (i) | ||
| Ken Rosewall | 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 | Wood (i) | |||
| Ken Rosewall | Lew Hoad | 6–4, 5–7, 15–13, 7–5 | Wood (i) | ||
| Ken Rosewall | Lew Hoad | 6–4, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 | Wood (i) | ||
| Ken Rosewall | 7–5, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 8–6 | Wood (i) | |||
| Rod Laver | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| Rod Laver | Ken Rosewall | 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 | Wood (i) | ||
| Rod Laver | Ken Rosewall | 2–6, 6–1, 1–6, 8–6, 6–2 | Wood (i) | ||
| Open Era | |||||
| Ken Rosewall | 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | |||
| Rod Laver | 6–4, 6–1, 6–3 | Carpet (i) | |||
| Rod Laver | 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 | Carpet (i) | |||
| Rod Laver | 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | |||
| 1972–1975 | Not held | ||||
| 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | ||||
| 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 | Carpet (i) | ||||
| 6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–2 | Carpet (i) | ||||
| John McEnroe | 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 | Carpet (i) | |||
| John McEnroe | 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 | Carpet (i) | |||
| Jimmy Connors | John McEnroe | 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 | Carpet (i) | ||
| John McEnroe | 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | |||
| John McEnroe | Jimmy Connors | 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | ||
| 1984 | 7–6, 6–2, 6–1 | Carpet (i) | |||
| Ivan Lendl | 6–7, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 | Carpet (i) | |||
| 6–2, 6–3, 6–7, 4–6, 7–5 | Carpet (i) | ||||
| 1987 | Ivan Lendl | 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 | Carpet (i) | ||
| 1988 |  Jonas Svensson | 6–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0, 7–5 | Carpet (i) | ||
| 6–2, 6–1, 6–1 | Carpet (i) | ||||
| Jakob Hlasek | Michael Chang | 7–6, 6–3 | Carpet (i) | ||
Notes:
a1936 tournament was cancelled due to Tilden and Vines playing in Japan. This was reported in London Daily Mail on 24 August 1936. There are sources that say Ellsworth Vines defeated Hans Nüsslein 6–4, 6–4, 6–2, but this must have been a different event.
bNo reports of a 1938 tournament in British newspapers (the Wembley event was always reported in major British newspapers). Ray Bowers in an article on The Tennis Server website states there was no event held. There are sources that tell us Hans Nüsslein defeated Bill Tilden 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, but this must have been held elsewhere.
r1 For 1934, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Vines 5-0 and Nüsslein 4-1 as final standings.
r1 For 1939, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Budge 3-0 and Nüsslein, Tilden and Vines as 1-2 as final standings.
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score | Surface | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Era | |||||
| 1934 | Wood (i) | ||||
| 1935 | 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 | Wood (i) | |||
| 1936 | Not held | ||||
| 1937 | Lester Stoefen Bill Tilden | Wood (i) | |||
| 1938 | Not held | ||||
| 1939 | Wood (i) | ||||
| 1938–1948 | Not held | ||||
| 1949 | 3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–1 | Wood (i) | |||
| 1950 | 8–6, 9–7, 4–6, 6–4 | Wood (i) | |||
| 1951 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | Bobby Riggs Welby Van Horn | 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 | Wood (i) | |
| 1952 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | Don Budge Jack Kramer | 6–3, 6–1 | Wood (i) | |
| 1953 | Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura | 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 | Wood (i) | ||
| 1954–1955 | Not held | ||||
| 1956 | Rex Hartwig Frank Sedgman | 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 | Wood (i) | ||
| 1957 | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall | Jack Kramer Pancho Segura | 3–6, 6–8, 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |
| 1958 | Pancho Gonzales Ken Rosewall | Jack Kramer Pancho Segura | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 | Wood (i) | |
| 1959 | Lew Hoad Tony Trabert | Ken Rosewall Pancho Segura | 11–9, 9–7, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |
| 1960 | Ken Rosewall Frank Sedgman | Lew Hoad Tony Trabert | 4–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–4, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |
| 1961 | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall |  Alex Olmedo Pancho Segura | 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 | Wood (i) | |
| 1962 | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall | Alex Olmedo Pancho Segura | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 | Wood (i) | |
| 1963 | Alex Olmedo Frank Sedgman | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 10–8 | Wood (i) | ||
| 1964 | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall | 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–1 | Wood (i) | ||
| 1965 | Butch Buchholz Rod Laver | Frank Sedgman Pancho Segura | 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |
| 1966 | Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall | Butch Buchholz Rod Laver | 6–4, 8–6, 3–6, 6–2 | Wood (i) | |
| 1967 | Butch Buchholz Lew Hoad | 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 | Wood (i) | ||
| Open Era | |||||
 Andrés Gimeno Pancho Gonzales | 6–3, 9–7 | Carpet (i) | |||