The 1971 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1971. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT) and was the first edition of the circuit. Points were awarded to players based on their tournament results (ten points for the tournament winner, seven points for the runner–up, four points for the semifinalists, two points for the quarterfinalists and one point for reaching the second round). The circuit included twenty regular events and a WCT circuit final taking place in Houston/Dallas in November for the eight players with the highest points total. Each tournament had a minimum prize money of $50,000.

Overview

WeekTournamentLocationDrawPrize moneySurfaceChampionsRunners-up 9 Feb U.S. Pro Indoor Philadelphia, US 32 $62,500 Carpet / indoor John Newcombe Rod Laver 7 Mar Australian Open Championships Sydney, Australia 64 $50,000 Grass / outdoor Ken Rosewall Arthur Ashe 22 Mar Sportface International Chicago, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor John Newcombe Arthur Ashe 29 Mar Aventura Tennis Classic Miami, US 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Cliff Drysdale Rod Laver 26 Apr Rawlings Classic Dallas, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor John Newcombe Arthur Ashe 3 May Italian Open Rome, Italy 48 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Rod Laver Jan Kodeš 10 May Aryamehr Cup Tehran, Iran 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Marty Riessen John Alexander 7 Jun W.D. & H.O. Wills Bristol, England 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Unfinished (rain) 12 Jul Washington Star Open International Washington, US 64 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Ken Rosewall Marty Riessen 19 July Louisville Classic Louisville, Kentucky, US 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale 26 Jul Rothmans International Quebec City, Canada 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Tom Okker Rod Laver 2 Aug U.S. Professional Championships Boston, US 32 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Ken Rosewall Cliff Drysdale 9 Aug Rothmans Canadian Open Toronto, Canada 64 $50,000 Clay / outdoor John Newcombe Tom Okker 16 Aug Colonial Pro Championships Fort Worth, US 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Rod Laver Marty Riessen 27 Sep Redwood Bank Pacific Coast Open Berkeley, US 64 $50,000 Hard / outdoor Rod Laver Ken Rosewall 3 Oct Rothmans International Vancouver, Canada 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Ken Rosewall Tom Okker 11 Oct Profi–Tennis–Weltmeistershaft Cologne, Germany 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Bob Lutz Jeff Borowiak 18 Oct Spanish Open Barcelona, Spain 32 $50,000 Clay / outdoor Manuel Orantes Bob Lutz 30 Oct Stockholm Open Indoors Stockholm, Sweden 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Arthur Ashe Jan Kodeš 8 Nov Rothmans Open Bologna, Italy 32 $50,000 Carpet / indoor Rod Laver Arthur Ashe 19 Nov Dallas WCT Finals Houston/Dallas, US 8 $100,000 Carpet / indoor Ken Rosewall Rod Laver

Schedule The schedule of the tournaments on the 1971 WCT circuit, with player progression documented from the quarterfinals stage onward.

February WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists9 Feb U.S. Pro Indoor Philadelphia, United StatesCarpet (i) – $62,500 – 32S/16D Singles John Newcombe7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–1), 6–4 Rod Laver Arthur Ashe Cliff Drysdale Brian Fairlie Dennis Ralston Tom Okker Roy Emerson

March WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists7 Mar Australian Open Sydney, AustraliaGrand Slam Grass – $50,000 – 64S/32D Singles – Doubles Ken Rosewall6–1, 7–5, 6–3 Arthur Ashe Bob Lutz Tom Okker Mark Cox Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen Roy Emerson John Newcombe Tony Roche6–2, 7–6 Tom Okker Marty Riessen22 Mar Sportface International Chicago, United States Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D John Newcombe4–6, 7–6 6–2, 6–3 Arthur Ashe Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Ray Ruffels Charlie Pasarell Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno Tom Okker Marty Riessen7–6, 4–6, 7–6 John Newcombe Tony Roche29 Mar Aventura Tennis Classic Miami, United StatesHard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Cliff Drysdale6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 Rod Laver Tony Roche Roy Emerson Nikola Pilić Dennis Ralston Tom Okker John Newcombe John Newcombe Tony Roche7–6, 7–6 Roy Emerson Rod Laver

April WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists26 Apr Rawlings Classic Dallas, United StatesCarpet (i) – 32S/16D John Newcombe7–6, 6–4 Arthur Ashe Tom Okker Marty Riessen Mark Cox Bob Maud Cliff Drysdale Bob Lutz Tom Okker Marty Riessen6–3, 6–4 Bob Lutz Charlie Pasarell

May WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists3 May Italian Open Rome, ItalyClay – 64S/32D Singles – Doubles Rod Laver7–5, 6–3, 6–3 Jan Kodeš Arthur Ashe Tom Okker Stan Smith John Newcombe Roy Emerson Cliff Drysdale John Newcombe Tony Roche6–3, 6–4 Andrés Gimeno Roger Taylor10 May Aryamehr Cup Teheran, Iran Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Marty Riessen6–7, 6–1, 6–3, 7–6 John Alexander John Newcombe Arthur Ashe Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno Tony Roche Roy Emerson John Newcombe Tony Roche6–4, 6–7, 6–1 Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels

June WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists7 Jun Wills Open Bristol, England Clay – $48,000 – 32S/16D Tournament not completed (rain) Arthur Ashe Cliff Drysdale Rod Laver Bob Maud Ken Rosewall Tom Okker Marty Riessen Roy EmersonTournament not completed (rain)

July WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists12 Jul Washington Star International Washington, United States Clay – $50,000 – 64S / 32D Singles – Doubles Ken Rosewall6–2, 7–5, 6–1 Marty Riessen Stan Smith John Newcombe Dennis Ralston Ismail El Shafei Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 6–2 Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels19 Jul First National Tennis Classic Louisville, United States Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Tom Okker3–6, 6–4, 6–1 Cliff Drysdale Nikola Pilić Ray Ruffels John Alexander Dennis Ralston Roy Emerson Ismail El Shafei Roy Emerson Rod LaverNot played Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle26 Jul Rothmans International Quebec Quebec City, Canada Carpet (i) – 32S / 16D Singles – Doubles Tom Okker6–3, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4 Rod Laver Bob Lutz Cliff Drysdale Charlie Pasarell Roy Emerson Arthur Ashe Ray Ruffels Roy Emerson Rod Laver7–6, 6–2 Tom Okker Marty Riessen

August WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists2 Aug U.S. Pro Tennis Championships Boston, United States Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Ken Rosewall6–4, 6–3, 6–0 Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen John Newcombe Arthur Ashe Rod Laver Tom Okker John Alexander Roy Emerson Rod Laver6–4, 6–4 Tom Okker Marty Riessen9 Aug Rothmans Canadian OpenToronto, Canada Clay – 64S/32D John Newcombe7–6, 3–6, 6–2, 7–6 Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Andrés Gimeno Roger Taylor Marcelo Lara Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen Marty Riessen Tom Okker6–3, 6–3, 6–1 Arthur Ashe Dennis Ralston16 Aug Colonial National Invitational Fort Worth, United StatesHard – 32S/16D Rod Laver2–6, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3 Marty Riessen Roy Emerson Cliff Drysdale Charlie Pasarell Ken Rosewall John Alexander Dennis Ralston Roy Emerson Rod Laver6–4, 7–5 Tom Okker Marty Riessen

September WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists27 Sep Redwood Bank Pacific Coast Open Berkeley, United States Hard – $50,000 – 64S/32D Singles – Doubles Rod Laver6–4, 6–4, 7–6 Ken Rosewall Tom Okker Arthur Ashe Bob Lutz Marty Riessen Cliff Richey Cliff Drysdale Roy Emerson Rod Laver6–3, 6–3 Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle

October WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists3 Oct Rothmans International Vancouver Vancouver, Canada Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles Ken Rosewall6–2, 6–2, 6–4 Tom Okker Roy Emerson Rod Laver Marty Riessen Nikola Pilić Bob Carmichael Andrés Gimeno Roy Emerson Rod Laver5–7, 6–7, 6–0, 7–5, 7–6 John Alexander Phil Dent11 Oct World Professional Tennis Championship Cologne, West Germany Bob Lutz6–3, 6–7, 6–3, 6–1 Jeff Borowiak Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno Mark Cox Ken Rosewall Tom Okker Marty Riessen6–7, 3–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–4 Roy Emerson Rod Laver18 Oct Torneo Godó Barcelona, Spain Clay – $70,000 – 64S/32D Manuel Orantes6–4, 6–3, 6–4 Bob Lutz Marty Riessen Martin Mulligan Ken Rosewall Rod Laver John Newcombe Fred Stolle Željko Franulović Juan Gisbert7–6, 6–2, 7–6 Cliff Drysdale Andrés Gimeno30 Oct Stockholm Open Stockholm, Sweden Hard – $50,000 – 64S/32D Singles – Doubles Arthur Ashe6–1, 3–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 Jan Kodeš Andrés Gimeno Cliff Drysdale Tom Okker Rod Laver Mark Cox John Alexander Tom Gorman Stan Smith6–3, 6–4 Arthur Ashe Bob Lutz

November WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists8 Nov Bologna Indoor Bologna, Italy Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 41S/16D Doubles Rod Laver6–3, 6–4, 6–4 Arthur Ashe Charlie Pasarell Ken Rosewall Bob Lutz Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle6–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 Robert Maud Frew McMillan19 Nov WCT Finals Dallas, United States Carpet (i) – $100,000 – 8S Singles Ken Rosewall6–4, 1–6, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4) Rod Laver Tom Okker Arthur Ashe John Newcombe Bob Lutz Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen

Standings

Key Qualified for Tour Finals Rk Name Country Tournaments played Tournaments won Matches won Matches lost Points Prize money (USD)1 Rod Laver 19 4 54 14 87.25 289,8412 Tom Okker 20 2 52 17 75 120,5643 Ken Rosewall 18 4 51 14 74 137,6874 Cliff Drysdale 20 1 52 18 69.25 69,0785 Arthur Ashe 20 1 43 18 68.25 99,7466 John Newcombe 12 4 36 8 60 97,7647 Marty Riessen 20 1 41 19 55 76,0698 Bob Lutz 20 1 31 19 41 58,3929 Roy Emerson 19 – 31 18 34 46,05210 Andrés Gimeno 18 – 29 18 30 34,512 Source: World of Tennis '72

See also 1971 Grand Prix circuit Association of Tennis Professionals International Tennis Federation

Notes

References

External links Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) official website International Tennis Federation (ITF) official website