French Pro Championship

The French Pro Championship was a major tennis tournament founded in 1930 by the "Association Française des Professeurs de Tennis (AFPT)" and ran annually until 1968 when it was discontinued.

History In 1930, the "Association Française des Professeurs de Tennis (AFPT)" held its first pro tournament, titled "Championnat International de France Professionnel" (French Pro Championships) June 18–22, 1930,Le Tennis en France 1875–1955 and is considered as a part of the professional major from 1927 to 1967 till the advent of Open Era. The tournament only had a men's draw.

From 1930 the French Pro Championship were always played at Paris, on outdoor clay at Roland Garros except from 1963 to 1967 where it was held at Stade Pierre de Coubertin on indoor wood. Ken Rosewall holds the record for 8 wins overall and 7 consecutive wins.

There was a professional tournament at Roland Garros in 1952 held on a round robin basis, in which Segura finished first, winning the decider over Pancho Gonzales, Kramer third, and Budge fourth. There is no indication yet of recognition by the AFPT as the official French Pro.

There were tournaments played on indoor cement in 1950 and 1953 at the Palais des Sports. They are listed in the table below, but there is no suggestion that they were seen as official French Pro titles.

Champions

Singles YearChampionRunner-upScoreVenueSurface Professional Era1930 Karel Koželuh Albert Burke 6–1, 6–2, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1931 Martin Plaa Robert Ramillon 6–3, 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 Roland Garros Clay1932 Robert Ramillon Martin Plaa 6–4, 3–6, 8–6, 6–4 Roland Garros Clay1933 Not held1934 Bill Tilden Martin Plaa 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 Roland Garros Clay1935 Ellsworth Vines Hans Nüsslein 10–8, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1936 Henri Cochet Robert Ramillon 6–3, 6–1, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1937 Hans Nüsslein Henri Cochet 6–2, 8–6, 6–3 Roland Garros Clay1938 Hans Nüsslein Bill Tilden 6–0, 6–1, 6–2 Roland Garros Clay1939 Don Budge Ellsworth Vines 6–2, 7–5, 6–3 Roland Garros Clay1940–1949 Not held1950 Pancho Segura* Jack Kramer Palais des Sports Hard (i)1951 Not held1952 Pancho Segura* Jack Kramer 6-3, 6-2Michel Lejard (June 28, 1952). "Segura volontaire a pris une option sur le tournoi des "Pros"". L'Equipe (in French). p. 6. Segura b. Kramer : 6-3, 7-5. Roland Garros Clay 1953 Frank Sedgman* Pancho Gonzales Palais des Sports Hard (i)1954–1955 Not held1956 Tony Trabert Pancho Gonzales 6–3, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 6–2 Roland Garros Clay 1957 Not held1958 Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–0 Roland Garros Clay1959 Tony Trabert Frank Sedgman 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 Roland Garros Clay1960 Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 6–2, 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1961 Ken Rosewall Pancho Gonzales 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 Roland Garros Clay1962 Ken Rosewall Andrés Gimeno 3–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–2 Roland Garros Clay1963 Ken Rosewall Rod Laver 6–8, 6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1964 Ken Rosewall Rod Laver 6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1965 Ken Rosewall Rod Laver 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1966 Ken Rosewall Rod Laver 6–3, 6–2, 14–12 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1967 Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno 6–4, 8–6, 4–6, 6–2 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i) Open Era1968 Rod Laver John Newcombe 6–2, 6–2, 6–3Roland Garros Clay

Notes:

Doubles YearChampionRunner-upScoreVenueSurface Professional Era1930 Karel Koželuh Roman Najuch Albert Burke Edmund Burke 6–4, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1931Roland GarrosClay1932Roland GarrosClay1933Not held1934Roland GarrosClay1935 Bill Tilden Ellsworth Vines Albert Burke Hans Nüsslein 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4 Roland Garros Clay1936 Henri Cochet Albert Burke Martin Plaa Robert Ramillon 6–1, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 Roland Garros Clay1937 Lester Stoefen Bill Tilden Henri Cochet Robert Ramillon 6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 Roland Garros Clay1938 Martin Plaa Robert Ramillon Hans Nüsslein Bill Tilden 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 Roland Garros Clay1939 Don Budge Ellsworth Vines Henri Cochet Robert Ramillon 6–4, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 Roland Garros Clay1940–1949 Not held1950Palais des SportsHard (i)1951Not held1952Roland GarrosClay1953 Don Budge* Frank Sedgman* Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura2–6, 9–7, 6–4Palais des SportsHard (i)1954–1955 Not held1956 Pancho Gonzales Tony Trabert Rex Hartwig Frank Sedgman 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay 1957 Not held1958 Lew Hoad Tony Trabert Pancho Gonzales Ken Rosewall 6–4, 2–6, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1959 Lew Hoad Tony Trabert Mervyn Rose Frank Sedgman 14–12, 6–4, 6–2 Roland Garros Clay1960 Lew Hoad Tony Trabert Ken Rosewall Frank Sedgman 6–4, 6–0, 6–1 Roland Garros Clay1961 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Pancho Gonzales Tony Trabert 6–1, 6–3, 8–10, 13–11 Roland Garros Clay1962 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Mal Anderson Ashley Cooper 6–1, 6–3, 6–3 Roland Garros Clay1963 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Mal Anderson Rod Laver 6–2, 7–5, 8–6 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1964 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Luis Ayala Andrés Gimeno 6–8, 6–4, 6–4 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1965 Mal Anderson Ken Rosewall Butch Buchholz Rod Laver 10–8, 4–6, 8–6, 2–6, 10–8 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1966 Butch Buchholz Rod Laver Pierre Barthès Andrés Gimeno 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i)1967 Pierre Barthès Andrés Gimeno Rod Laver Fred Stolle 6–3, 6–4 Stade Pierre de Coubertin Wood (i) Open Era1968 Roy Emerson Rod Laver Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 1–6, 3–6, 11–9, 6–3, 6–2Roland Garros Clay Source:

Bristol Cup and other French professional events

Before 1930 some tournaments were sometimes labelled "Professional Championships of France": the Bristol Cup (held from 1920 to 1932), the most important pro tournament in the world in the 1920s, was sometimes referred as the French ProLowe's Lawn Tennis Annual as well as the World Pro tournament held at Deauville in 1925.Ayres' Lawn Tennis Almanack 1925 Therefore, two different tournaments were both considered as French Pro Championships in 1925 (World Pro at Deauville and Bristol Cup at Cannes) and from 1930 to 1932 (Roland Garros and Bristol Cup at Beaulieu).

Records

Men's singles Source: French Pro Championships, (1930–68): The Tennisbase included

Most titles Ken Rosewall8Most finals Ken Rosewall8Most consecutive titles Ken Rosewall7Most consecutive finals Ken Rosewall7Most matches played Ken Rosewall32Most matches won Ken Rosewall30Most consecutive matches won Ken Rosewall25Most editions played Ken Rosewall11Best winning % Ken Rosewall93.75%Title won with the fewest games lost Karel Koželuh20(1930)Youngest champion Don Budge23y, 7m, 14d(1939)Oldest champion Bill Tilden41y, 7m, 7d(1934)

See also French Pro Championship draws – Professional Era (1930–1967) U.S. Pro Tennis Championships Wembley Championships Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era

References

Bibliography