Moscow International Indoor Championships Explained

Moscow International Indoor Championships
USSR International Indoor Championships
Type:defunct
Tour:ILTF World Circuit
(1956–72)
ILTF Independent Tour
(1973–75)
Location:Moscow, Soviet Union
Surface:Wood (indoors)
Carpet (indoors)

The Moscow International Indoor Championships[1] was a men's and women's open international indoor tennis tournament founded in 1956 as the Moscow International Covered Court Championships.[2] The tournament was organised by the Tennis Federation of the USSR was played initially on wood courts switching to carpet courts later in Moscow, Soviet Union until 1975.

The event occasionally carried the joint denomination of USSR International Covered Court Championships or USSR International Indoor Championships.[2] The championships were part ILTF European Circuit a sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit until 1972 then became part of the ILTF Independent Tour from 1973 until it was discontinued.[2]

History

In the mid-1950s confrontational relations between the Western Bloc and Soviet Union eased in part the Khrushchev Thaw a policy of de-Stalinization by then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev,[3] meant that Soviet players were free to travel to overseas international tournaments, while foreign players could take part in a limited number of tournaments within the USSR, mainly in the capital Moscow.

The two prominent international tournaments for foreign players to participate in were the Moscow International Indoor Championships, usually late winter in February to early spring in March.[2] The second international tennis event was Moscow International Championships or (USSR International Championships) usually staged in the summer at the end of July, beginning of August and was played on clay courts.[2] Additionally two closed tournaments were also held in Moscow for Soviet players only the Moscow Indoor Championships and the Moscow Outdoor Championships.[2]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1956 Sergei Andreev7-9, 6–4, 6–2.
1957 Sergei Andreev6-4, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.
1958 Jacques Brichant6-2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2.
1960 Wilhelm Bungert6-1, 6–1, 6–0.
1961 Tomas Lejus Alan Mills6-2, 6–3, 5–7, 7–5.
1962 Tomas Lejus (2) Sergio Jacobini7-5, 8–6, 6–4.
1963 Tomas Lejus (3) Jan Leschly6-0, 1–6, 6–3, 6–2.
1964 Alexander Metreveli Tomas Lejus7-5, 6–4, 1–6, 2–6, 7–5.
1965 Tomas Lejus (4) Alexander Metreveli6-4, 7–5, 8–6.
1967 Alexander Metreveli4-6, 17–15, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7.
1968 Alexander Metreveli (2) Tomas Lejus6-4, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4.
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Tomas Lejus (5) Vladimir Karlovich Palman 6-4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.
1971 Alexander Metreveli (3)6-3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2.
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973 Teimuraz Kakulia Balazs Taroczy5-7, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.
1974 Vladimir Korotkov6-1, 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.
1975 Anatoli Volkov (2) Jewgeni Bobojedow6-3, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3.

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1957 Vera Puzejova Olga Miskova Gazdikova6-3, 6-1
1958 Christiane Mercelis Suzanne Schmitt9-7, 6-0
1959 Christiane Mercelis (2) Suzanne Schmitt7-5, 6-2
1960 Irina Ryazanova6-4, 7-5
1961 Irina Ryazanova (2) Silvana Lazzarino6-8, 6–4, 6-0
1962 Anna Dmitrieva Lea Pericoli6-2, 7-5
1963 Anna Dmitrieva (2)? RR event
1964 Anna Dmitrieva (3)8-6, 6-2
1965 Helga Schultze Tiiu Kivi2-6, 8–6, 6-3
1966 Galina Baksheeva Maria Kull 6-0, 6–8, 7-5
1967 Anna Dmitrieva (4) Galina Baksheeva9-7, 6-4
1968 Virginia Wade Galina Baksheeva6-1, 6–8, 6-4
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Olga Morozova Betty Stöve6-2, 6-2
1970 Helga Niessen Olga Morozova7-5, 2–6, 6-3
1971 Olga Morozova (2) Maria Kull6-1, 7-5
1972 Evgenia Biryukova Anna Dmitrieva6-4, 6-3
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973 Olga Morozova (3)Galina Baksheeva6-2, 6-3
1974 Olga Morozova (4) Marina Kroshina 6-3, 6-1

Notes and References

  1. News: Winnie Slams The Russians . 13 October 2023 . . The Wikipedia Library - Newspaper Archive.Com . 21 Feb 1969 . London, England . 31 . en.
  2. Web site: Tournaments: Moscow International Covered Court - Indoor Championships. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . Madrid, Spain . 13 October 2023. subscription.
  3. Web site: Osipova . Zinaida . When the Soviets Domesticated the West . Origins . Ohio State University . 13 October 2023 . en . September 2019.