Wembley Championships Explained

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]

Name

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.

Past finals

YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSurface
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, 6–4Carpet (i)
Rod Laver 6–4, 6–1, 6–3Carpet (i)
Rod Laver 6–3, 6–4, 7–5Carpet (i)
Rod Laver 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4Carpet (i)
1972–1975 Not held
3–6, 7–6, 6–4Carpet (i)
6–4, 6–4, 6–3Carpet (i)
6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–2Carpet (i)
John McEnroe 6–3, 6–4, 7–5Carpet (i)
John McEnroe 6–4, 6–3, 6–3Carpet (i)
Jimmy Connors John McEnroe 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2Carpet (i)
John McEnroe 6–3, 6–2, 6–4Carpet (i)
John McEnroe Jimmy Connors 7–5, 6–1, 6–4Carpet (i)
19847–6, 6–2, 6–1Carpet (i)
Ivan Lendl 6–7, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4Carpet (i)
6–2, 6–3, 6–7, 4–6, 7–5Carpet (i)
1987 Ivan Lendl 6–3, 6–2, 7–5Carpet (i)
1988 Jonas Svensson 6–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0, 7–5Carpet (i)
6–2, 6–1, 6–1Carpet (i)
Jakob Hlasek Michael Chang 7–6, 6–3Carpet (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.

Doubles

YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSurface
Professional Era
1934 Wood (i)
1935 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 Wood (i)
1936 Not held
1937 Lester Stoefen
Bill Tilden
Wood (i)
1938Not held
1939Wood (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, 9–7Carpet (i)
Source:

See also

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wembley and Paris. Forgotten Victories: The Early Pro Tennis Wars. The Tennis Server. 10 August 2011. Ray Bowers. 1 March 2003.
  2. Web site: 1970: ATP World Tour. Results Archive. ATP World Tour. 9 March 2012.
  3. Book: Grasso. John. Historical Dictionary of Tennis. 2011. Scarecrow Press. 9780810872370. 25. en.
  4. Web site: British Pro Championships, Wembley. www.tennis.co.nf.
  5. News: Indoor Lawn Tennis at Wembley. The Indian Express. 19 March 1949.