U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships Explained

U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
Current:	2024 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
Logo Size:	200px
City:	Houston, Texas
Country:	United States
Venue:	River Oaks Country Club
Category:	Grand Prix Tour (1970–89) ATP World Series (1990–1999) ATP International Series (2000–2008) ATP World Tour 250 series (2009–2018) ATP Tour 250 series (2019–present)
Surface:	Maroon clay / outdoors
Draw:	28S / 16D
Prize Money:	$642,735 (2023)
Website:	mensclaycourt.com
Singles:	Ben Shelton
Doubles:	Max Purcell Jordan Thompson

The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships is an annual ATP Tour tennis tournament. Founded in 1910, it has been held in nearly two dozen cities, and since 2001 has been held in Houston, Texas.^[1] It currently pays out US$742,350 with the winner receiving US$100,635.^[2] It is the only remaining ATP World Tour-level tournament in the United States to be played on clay courts.

The tournament began in 1910 when the Western Lawn Tennis Association (a section of the United States Lawn Tennis Association now known as the USTA/Midwest) persuaded the USLTA that a National Clay Court Championship would promote the construction of more clay courts in the West. Clay courts were cheaper to install and maintain than grass courts, and the hope was that these lower costs would accelerate the growth of the game's popularity. The first National Clay Court Championships were held at the Omaha Field Club; a crowd of 5,000 watched the finals.

Participation and play on clay grew as a result of the event and others, and in 1914, the event was moved to the Cincinnati Tennis Club. It has since been played in numerous cities. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour as part of the Grand Prix Super Series of events (1974–1977). During the stint in Indianapolis, from 1969 through 1986, the tournament was a combined men's and women's event.

From 2001 to 2007, the event was held at the Houston Westside Tennis Club. In 2007, after a few years being held on the same red clay used at the French Open, the event switched to Har-Tru green clay.

In 2007, the U.S. Tennis Association sought a new venue and entertained bids from Atlanta, Georgia; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. But in May 2007, the USTA announced that the tournament would simply move downtown to River Oaks Country Club in the River Oaks neighborhood. The new venue has a stadium with seating for 3,000 with temporary seating for 500 for the second court.^[3] Its Har-Tru clay, of a maroon color, was renewed in 2005 and 2008.

Past finals

Singles

Bill Tilden holds the record for most titles (7).
Bill Tilden and Frank Parker share the record of most finals (8).

Year	City	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1910				6–0, 6–1, 6–1
1911				7–5, 6–2, 6–1
1912				6–3, 6–1, 8–6
1913				6–0, 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1914				3–6, 6–8, 8–6, 6–0, 6–2
1915		Richard N. Williams (2)		Default
1916				6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1917				3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3
1918				6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1919		William Johnston^[4]		6–0, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2
1920				6–3, 6–1, 6–3
1921				6–0, 6–2, 6–4
1922		Bill Tilden (2)		7–5, 6–3, 6–1
1923		Bill Tilden (3)		6–2, 6–8, 6–1, 7–5
1924		Bill Tilden (4)		6–2, 6–1, 6–1
1925		Bill Tilden (5)		3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2, 8–6
1926		Bill Tilden (6)		Default
1927		Bill Tilden (7)		6–4, 6–1, 6–2
1928	Not held
1929				6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 3–6, 6–1
1930				6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1931				6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1932				3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1933				6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1934		Bryan Grant (2)		6–2, 8–6, 6–3
1935		Bryan Grant (3)		4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3, 6–0
1936				6–1, 6–8, 6–4
1937		Bobby Riggs (2)		6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1938		Bobby Riggs (3)		6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 6–1, 7–5
1939				6–3, 6–0, 5–7, 6–1
1940				6–1, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3
1941		Frank Parker (2)		6–3, 7–5, 6–8, 4–6, 6–3
1942				5–7, 7–5, 7–9, 7–5, 8–6
1943		Seymour Greenberg (2)		6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1944				6–3, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1945				6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
1946		Frank Parker (3)		6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1947		Frank Parker (4)		8–6, 6–2, 6–4
1948				7–5, 6–2, 6–3
1949		Pancho Gonzalez (2)		6–1, 3–6, 8–6, 6–3
1950				6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1951				6–8, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6
1952				4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1953				6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1954				6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
1955		Tony Trabert (2)		10–8, 6–1, 6–4
1956		Herbert Flam (2)		3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 6–3
1957		Vic Seixas (2)		1–6, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3
1958				3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1959		Bernard Bartzen (2)		6–0, 8–6, 9–7
1960				4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–0
1961		Bernard Bartzen (3)		6–1, 2–6, 6–2, 6–0
1962				6–3, 8–6, 6–4
1963		Chuck McKinley (2)		6–2, 6–2, 6–4
1964				6–2, 6–2, 6–1
1965		Dennis Ralston (2)		6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
1966				13–11, 6–1, 6–3
1967				4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
1968				6–3, 7–5, 6–0
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969				8–6, 6–3, 6–4
		Cliff Richey (2)		6–2, 10–8, 3–6, 6–1
		Željko Franulović (2)		6–3, 6–4, 0–6, 6–3
				7–6, 6–1, 6–2
				6–4, 6–1, 6–4
				5–7, 6–3, 6–4
		Manuel Orantes (2)		6–2, 6–2
		Jimmy Connors (2)		6–2, 6–4
		Manuel Orantes (3)		6–1, 6–3
		Jimmy Connors (3)		7–5, 6–1
		Jimmy Connors (4)		6–1, 2–6, 6–4
				7–5, 6–3
		José Luis Clerc (2)		4–6, 6–4, 6–2
				7–5, 5–7, 6–3
				6–4, 2–6, 6–4
				6–0, 7–6
				6–1, 6–3
		Andrés Gómez (2)		6–4, 7–6
				7–5, 6–3
				6–2, 6–2
				6–4, 6–3
				6–4, 6–4
				6–3, 7–5
				6–3, 6–3
				3–6, 6–3, 6–4
				6–3, 6–4
				6–3, 3–6, 6–3
				6–4, 6–2
				4–6, 6–2, 6–1
				7–5, 3–6, 7–5
				6–0, 6–3
				6–2, 6–3
				7–5, 6–3
		Andy Roddick (2)		7–6^(11–9), 6–3
		Andre Agassi (2)		3–6, 6–3, 6–4
				6–3, 6–4
		Andy Roddick (3)		6–2, 6–2
				3–6, 6–4, 6–3
				6–4, 6–1
				6–4, 1–6, 7–5
				6–2, 7–5
				5–7, 6–4, 6–3
				6–4, 7–6^(7–3)
				6–2, 3–6, 6–3
				6–3, 7–5
				6–3, 7–6^(7–4)
				7–6^(11–9), 7–6^(7–2)
		Juan Mónaco (2)		3–6, 6–3, 7–5
		Steve Johnson		6–4, 4–6, 7–6^(7–5)
		Steve Johnson (2)		7–6^(7–2), 2–6, 6–4
				7–6^(7–4), 4–6, 6–3
style=background:		2020–2021	Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
				6–3, 7–6^(9–7)
				7–6^(7–1), 7–6^(8–6)
				7–5, 4–6, 6–3

Doubles (open era)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1969			6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1970			2–6, 6–4, 6–4
1971			7–6, 5–7, 6–3
1972			6–2, 6–3
1973			6–3, 6–4
1974			6–7, 6–3, 6–4
1975			7–5, 6–0
1976			6–2, 6–2
1977			6–7, 6–4, 6–3
1978			6–3, 6–1
1979			6–4, 7–6
1980			3–6, 7–6, 6–4
1981			6–3, 5–7, 7–5
1982			6–4, 7–5
1983			6–3, 6–2
1984			7–6, 7–5
1985			6–4, 6–4
1986			6–4, 6–3
1987			6–0, 6–3
1988			7–6, 6–3
1989			6–4, 4–6, 7–5
1990			6–2, 6–3
1991			6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1992			6–4, 7–6
1993			6–1, 6–2
1994			6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1995			6–2, 6–4
1996			6–2, 6–3
1997			6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1998			4–6, 6–4, 7–5
1999			7–6^(7–4), 6–4
2000			6–3, 6–4
2001			7–6^(7–4), 6–2
2002			6–4, 6–4
2003			6–4, 6–3
2004			2–6, 6–3, 6–2
2005			6–3, 6–4
2006			5–7, 6–4, 10–5
2007			7–6^(7–3), 6–4
2008			7–5, 7–6^(7–3)
2009			6–1, 6–2
2010			6–3, 7–5
2011			6–7, 6–2, [10–5]
2012			7–6^(16–14), 6–4
2013			1–6, 7–6^(7–3), [12–10]
2014			4–6, 6–4, [11–9]
2015			6–4, 6–4
2016			4–6, 6–3, [10–8]
2017			4–6, 7–5, [10–6]
2018			6–7^(2–7), 6–4, [11–9]
2019			3–6, 6–4, [10–6]
style=background:	2020–2021	Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022			6–3, 6–3
2023			4–6, 6–4, [10–5]
2024			7–5, 6–1

Records

Men's singles

Most titles	Bill Tilden	7
Most finals	Bill Tilden	8
Most consecutive titles<	-- FOR 3 YEARS OR LESS USE FORMAT (year_1, year_2, year_3) -->	Bill Tilden	6
Most consecutive finals<	-- FOR 3 YEARS OR LESS USE FORMAT (year_1, year_2, year_3) -->	Bill Tilden	6
Title with the least games lost	Andre Agassi	23 (2003)<	--*Title with the least games lost: Andre Agassi, (23), (2003)-->
Most matches played	Tut Bartzen	64
Most matches won	Frank Parker	56
Most consecutive matches won	Bill Tilden	36
Most editions played	Seymour Greenberg	16
Grant Golden
Best winning %	Bill Tilden	97.96%
Youngest champion	Frank Parker	17y, 5m, 3d (1933)
Oldest champion	Samuel Hardy	40y, 7m, 18d (1917)

^[5]

See also

• Charleston Open – WTA clay court event held in the United States
• U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships
• River Oaks International Tennis Tournament

Sources

• References used for the Pre-Open Era locations and champions: United States Lawn Tennis Association Yearbook (1942–'44, '48–49, '51, '53. '55–56, '60, '64, '66 & '69), Spalding Lawn Tennis Annual (1916, '24–'28, '30–'31 & '39), Wright & Ditson's Lawn Tennis Annual (1911–'14, 1921, 1932–'33, '35 & '37), New York Times articles (1910–'14, '16, '18–'19 & '21–'22), From Club Court to Center Court by Phillip S. Smith (2007 Edition, page 67).

External links

• • ATP tournament profile
• Video of 1958 tournament in River Forest, IL

29.753°N -95.424°W

Notes and References

1. News: Clifford Terry . July 11, 1965 . Tennis by the quartz . Sunday Magazine, 16–19 . .
2. Web site: Tournament profile . Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
3. Web site: Robertson. Dale. Dale Robertson. Clay Courts finds new home at River Oaks. Houston Chronicle. May 8, 2007. December 11, 2014 .
4. News: W.M. Johnston Wins Two Tennis Titles. The Toronto World. July 21, 1919. Chicago. 8.
5. Web site: Garcia. Gabriel. US Clay Court Championships Tournament Records. thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. 25 November 2017. Madrid, Spain.