WCT Circuit
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1968–1989 |
| Edition | 18 |
| Achievements (singles) | |
The WCT Circuit [1] was a tour for professional male tennis players that commenced in 1968 (the organization and first players signed a contract at the end of 1967) it lasted until 1989 when it and ITF Grand Prix Circuit were both replaced by the new ATP Tour in 1990.[2] It was administered by World Championship Tennis. A number of tennis tournaments around the world were affiliated with the WCT and players were ranked in special WCT rankings according to their results in those tournaments.
The season-ending championship for the WCT Circuit was the WCT Finals.
History
[edit | edit source]The WCT Circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits started in 1968. In 1970 a rival the other being the ILTF Grand Prix Circuit was founded. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). In 1977 the circuits name was changed to the WCT World Series of Tennis.[3] In 1978 it was incorporated into ITF Grand Prix Circuit with its events known as the World Series of Tennis.[4] In April 1981 World Championship Tennis withdrew from Grand Prix Circuit. In 1982 it was re-established as an independent circuit until December 1984. In 1985 the circuit was once again incorporated into ITF Grand Prix Circuit until 1988. In 1989 it became an independent circuit once again. In 1990 both it and the Grand Prix Circuit were replaced by a single world wide ATP Tour.[5] with its last three events being absorbed into the 1990 ATP Tour in September that year World Championship Tennis ceased trading.
Seasons
[edit | edit source]WCT 1968
[edit | edit source]WCT 1969
[edit | edit source]WCT 1970
[edit | edit source]WCT 1971
[edit | edit source]WCT 1972
[edit | edit source]WCT 1973
[edit | edit source]WCT 1974
[edit | edit source]WCT 1975
[edit | edit source]WCT 1976
[edit | edit source]WCT 1977
[edit | edit source]WCT 1982
[edit | edit source]WCT 1983
[edit | edit source]WCT 1984
[edit | edit source]WCT 1985
[edit | edit source]WCT tournaments returned to the Grand Prix stage after a three-year absence during 1982–84. There were only four events. The titles were split between Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe, winning two each. While McEnroe entered into all four, Lendl played just two and won both. McEnroe won the WCT Houston title, beating Kevin Curren in the final.
The WCT Finals in Dallas saw the unexpected defeat of McEnroe in the quarterfinals by Joakim Nyström in three straight sets. The title was captured by Lendl, whose success completed a triplicate of titles in three weeks: Fort Myers on hard, Monte Carlo on clay and Dallas on the carpet. Other players have won three, even four, tournaments in successive weeks in the Open Era, but never on different surfaces.[citation needed]
In Atlanta, McEnroe won the final over Paul Annacone in three sets. The WCT Tournament of Champions in Forest Hills ended with much anticipated final between Lendl and McEnroe. Despite winning only two of his last 12 matches over McEnroe in ATP tournaments, Lendl beat McEnroe 6–3 6–3.
| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3 | Houston, USA | WCT Houston Shoot-Out | $300,000 Carpet |
United States John McEnroe d. South Africa Kevin Curren, 7–5, 6–1, 7–6 | John McEnroe d. Peter Fleming, 6–4, 6–0 Kevin Curren d. Shahar Perkiss, 6–2, 6–2 |
| April 14 | Dallas, USA | Buick WCT Finals | $500,000 Carpet |
United States Ivan Lendl d. United States Tim Mayotte, 7–6, 6–4, 6–1 | Ivan Lendl d. Jimmy Connors, 6–3, 2–1 ret. Tim Mayotte d. Joakim Nyström, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 |
| April 28 | Atlanta, USA | WCT Atlanta | $300,000 Carpet |
United States John McEnroe d. United States Paul Annacone, 7–6, 7–6, 6–2 | John McEnroe d. Mike Leach, 6–3, 6–3 Paul Annacone d. Kevin Curren, walkover |
| May 12 | Forest Hills, USA | Shearson Lehman Brothers Tournament of Champions | $500,000 Clay (Har-Tru) |
United States Ivan Lendl d. United States John McEnroe, 6–3, 6–3 | Ivan Lendl d. Aaron Krickstein, 6–1, 2–6, 6–1 John McEnroe d. Henrik Sundström, 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 |
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WCT 1986
[edit | edit source]The WCT Atlanta Championships tournament was marked by early exits of top seeds Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker in the first round. Edberg lost to Mikael Pernfors, and Becker lost to Tim Wilkison. In Dallas, Anders Järryd was the unexpected winner, having replaced the injured Ivan Lendl in the 12-player draw.
| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6 | Atlanta, USA | WCT Atlanta | $220,000 Carpet |
United States Kevin Curren d. United States Tim Wilkison, 7–6, 7–6 | Kevin Curren d. Brian Teacher, 6–4, 6–2 Tim Wilkison d. David Pate, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| Apr 13 | Dallas, USA | Buick WCT Finals | $500,000 Carpet |
Sweden Anders Järryd d. West Germany Boris Becker, 6–7, 6–1, 6–1, 6–4 | Anders Järryd d. Mats Wilander, 6–4, 7–5, 6–3 Boris Becker d. Stefan Edberg 7–6, 7–6, 4–6, 7–6 |
| May 11 | Forest Hills, Queens, USA | Shearson Lehman Brothers Tournament of Champions | $500,000 Clay (Har-Tru) |
France Yannick Noah d. Argentina Guillermo Vilas, 7–6, 6–0 | Yannick Noah d. Ivan Lendl, 6–3, 7–5 Guillermo Vilas d. Martín Jaite, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Oct 12 | Scottsdale, USA | WCT Scottsdale Open | $220,000 Hard |
United States John McEnroe d. United States Kevin Curren, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 | John McEnroe d. David Pate, 6–3, 6–3 Kevin Curren d. Todd Witsken, 7–5, 6–7, 6–4 |
| Nov 23 | Houston, USA | WCT Houston Shoot-Out | $220,000 Carpet |
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Živojinović d. United States Scott Davis, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 | Slobodan Živojinović d. Derrick Rostagno, 6–4, 6–4 Scott Davis d. Eliot Teltscher, 7–5, 6–4 |
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WCT 1987
[edit | edit source]| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12 | Dallas, USA | WCT Finals | $500,000 Carpet |
Czechoslovakia Miloslav Mečíř d. United States John McEnroe, 6–0, 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 | Miloslav Mečíř d. Andrés Gómez, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 6–2 John McEnroe d. Stefan Edberg, 7–6, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4 |
| May 10 | Forest Hills, USA | Shearson Lehman Brothers Tournament of Champions | $500,000 Clay (Har-Tru) |
Ecuador Andrés Gómez d. France Yannick Noah, 6–4, 7–6, 7–6 | Andrés Gómez d. Boris Becker, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 Yannick Noah d. Slobodan Živojinović, 6–3, 7–5 |
| Oct 11 | Scottsdale, USA | WCT Scottsdale Open | $232,000 Hard |
United States Brad Gilbert d. United States Eliot Teltscher, 6–2, 6–2 | Brad Gilbert d. Michael Chang 6–3, 6–4 Eliot Teltscher d. David Pate 7–6, 7–5 |
WCT 1988
[edit | edit source]| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3 | Dallas, USA | WCT Finals | $500,000 Carpet |
West Germany Boris Becker d. Sweden Stefan Edberg, 6–4, 1–6, 7–5, 6–2 | Boris Becker d. Brad Gilbert, 6–4, 6–2, 6–1 Stefan Edberg d. Yannick Noah, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| May 8 | Forest Hills, USA | Eagle Tournament of Champions | $485,000 Clay (Har-Tru) |
United States Andre Agassi d. Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Živojinović, 7–5, 7–6, 7–5 | Andre Agassi d. Aaron Krickstein, 6–3, 6–3 Slobodan Živojinović d. Luiz Mattar, 7–6, 6–3 |
| Oct 9 | Scottsdale, USA | WCT Eagle Classic | $297,000 Hard |
Sweden Mikael Pernfors d. United States Glenn Layendecker, 6–2, 6–4 | Mikael Pernfors d. Kevin Curren, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 Glenn Layendecker d. Jim Pugh, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
WCT 1989
[edit | edit source]1989 was the final year of the WCT tour. Only three events were organized, all of them were incorporated into the Nabisco Grand Prix and gaining ATP ranking points.
At the 19th (and last) WCT Finals in Reunion Arena, John McEnroe won his fifth Dallas title. His semifinal with Ivan Lendl produced the best match of the tournament, and McEnroe beat Lendl for the first time in over three years. The tournament was negatively impacted by the withdrawals of Boris Becker (who did not appear at all) and Andre Agassi (walking off the court during a second set match with McEnroe). Brad Gilbert entered the event to fill the gap for Becker and surprisingly made it to the final. Later in spring, Lendl captured last two WCT titles in Scottsdale and Forest Hills[6] to close the WCT era.
| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5 | Dallas, USA | WCT Finals | $500,000 Carpet |
United States John McEnroe d. United States Brad Gilbert, 6–3, 6–3, 7–6 | John McEnroe d. Ivan Lendl, 6–7, 7–6, 6–2, 7–5 Brad Gilbert d. Mikael Pernfors, 6–3, 6–7, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Mar 12 | Scottsdale, USA | WCT Eagle Classic | $297,000 Hard |
Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl d. Sweden Stefan Edberg, 6–2, 6–3 | Ivan Lendl d. Emilio Sánchez, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 Stefan Edberg d. Amos Mansdorf, 6–7, 6–4, 6–1 |
| May 8 | Forest Hills, USA | Eagle Tournament of Champions | $485,000 Clay (Har-Tru) |
Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl d. Peru Jaime Yzaga, 6–2, 6–1 | Ivan Lendl d. Andre Agassi, 6–2, 6–3 Jaime Yzaga d. Michael Chang, 6–4, 6–3 |
WCT 1990
[edit | edit source]There was no WCT tour in 1990, when the ATP established its own circuit named the ATP Tour, however there was one (final) tournament sanctioned by WCT.[7] The Forest Hills WCT at West Side Tennis Club was moved from green clay to hardcourts and run as special non-ATP Tour event. Ivan Lendl stamped his WCT dominance winning the last title.
| Date | Location | Tournament | Prize Money/ Surface |
Final | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26 | Forest Hills, USA | WCT Tournament of Champions | $500,000 Hard |
Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl d. United States Aaron Krickstein, 6–4, 6–7, 6–3 | Ivan Lendl d. Henri Leconte, 6–7, 6–3, 6–1, |
Season end Championships
[edit | edit source]The WCT Finals was a men's indoor carpet court tennis tournament that served as the season-ending championship on the annual WCT Circuit administered by World Championship Tennis. From 1971–1989 the event was held annually in Dallas, Texas, United States.
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ U.S.P.T.A. (1984) TENNIS. A Professional Guide. Chapter: History of Professional Tennis. Kodansha International. Tokyo. Japan. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).. page.39.
- ^ GBMR. The Relationships among Stakeholders in the Organization of Men's Professional Tennis Events. pp.141-151.
- ^ Barrett, John & Tingay, Lance (1978) World of Tennis: A BP Yearbook. WCT 1977. MacDonald and Jane's. London. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).. page. 173.
- ^ Barrett, John & Tingay, Lance (1979) World of Tennis: A BP Yearbook. The WCT Year. MacDonald and Jane's. London. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).. page. 173.
- ^ ATP Tour, (1990) Daily Express Newspaper. London. Websource: https://www.express.co.uk/latest/atp-tour?pageNumber=17. page.17.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).