1973 World Championship Tennis circuit explained

1973 World Championship Tennis circuit
Duration:	15 January 1973 – 9 May 1973
Edition:	6th
Tournaments:	23
Most Tournament Titles:	Stan Smith (7)
Most Tournament Finals:	Stan Smith (8)
Points Leader:	Stan Smith (75)
Previous:	1972
Next:	1974

The 1973 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1973. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). In April 1972 WCT signed an agreement with the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) as a result of which the 1973 men's tennis season was divided in a WCT section, which ran from January until May, and a Grand Prix circuit which was held from May onward. The WCT circuit divided the players into two groups of 32 players, with each group playing 11 tournaments of the 22 tournaments. The four highest ranked players from each group qualified for the season finals in Dallas.^[1] The total available prize money was almost $1,250,000.^[2]

Schedule

Key

Tour Finals
Group A Tournaments
Group B Tournaments

January

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
15 Jan	Saga Bay Classic Miami, United States Group A Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Rod Laver 7–6^(7–2), 6–3, 7–5			Roy Emerson Jim McManus Cliff Richey Stan Smith
15 Jan		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–4, 6–4	Terry Addison Colin Dibley		Roy Emerson Jim McManus Cliff Richey Stan Smith
18 Jan	Rothmans International Deeside and London, Great Britain Group B Hard (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Brian Fairlie 2–6, 6–2, 6–2, 7–6			Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Alex Metreveli Dick Crealy
18 Jan		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–3, 6–3	Arthur Ashe Roscoe Tanner		Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Alex Metreveli Dick Crealy
22 Jan	Michelob Pro–Celebrity La Costa, United States Group A Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Colin Dibley 6–3, 7–6^(8–6)	Stan Smith	Rod Laver Roy Emerson	Tom Edlefsen John Alexander Harold Solomon Phil Dent
22 Jan		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–7, 6–3, 6–4	Nikola Pilić Allan Stone	Rod Laver Roy Emerson	Tom Edlefsen John Alexander Harold Solomon Phil Dent
29 Jan	Astor Cup Professional Championships Milan, Italy Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Marty Riessen 7–6^(7–4), 6–0, 7–6^(7–3)			Dick Crealy Bob Carmichael Mark Cox Tom Okker
		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–3, 6–3	Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle		Dick Crealy Bob Carmichael Mark Cox Tom Okker
		Rod Laver 6–4, 6–3	Roy Emerson	John Alexander Dick Stockton	Cliff Richey Bob Lutz Stan Smith Phil Dent
		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 3–6, 6–3, 6–4	Terry Addison Colin Dibley	John Alexander Dick Stockton	Cliff Richey Bob Lutz Stan Smith Phil Dent

February

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Quarterfinalists
6 Feb	U.S. Professional Indoor Philadelphia, United States Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Stan Smith 7–6^(7–2), 7–6^(7–5), 4–6, 6–4		Cliff Richey Dick Stockton Rod Laver Colin Dibley
6 Feb		Brian Gottfried Dick Stockton 4–6, 6–3, 6–4	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	Cliff Richey Dick Stockton Rod Laver Colin Dibley
11 Feb	Rothmans International Toronto, Ontario, Canada Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Rod Laver 6–3, 6–4		Cliff Richey Allan Stone Ove Bengtson Dick Stockton
11 Feb		John Alexander Phil Dent 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–2	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	Cliff Richey Allan Stone Ove Bengtson Dick Stockton
12 Feb	Professional Championships Copenhagen, Denmark Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Roger Taylor 6–2, 6–3, 7–6^(7–1)		Mark Cox Jan Kodeš Erik van Dillen Dick Crealy
12 Feb		Tom Gorman Erik van Dillen 6–4, 6–4	Mark Cox Graham Stilwell	Mark Cox Jan Kodeš Erik van Dillen Dick Crealy
19 Feb	World Professional Championships Cologne, West Germany Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Jan Kodeš 6–1, 6–3, 6–1		Marty Riessen Ken Rosewall Haroon Rahim Ismail El Shafei
19 Feb		Mark Cox Graham Stilwell 7–6, 6–3	Tom Okker Marty Riessen	Marty Riessen Ken Rosewall Haroon Rahim Ismail El Shafei
26 Feb	Kemper International Chicago, United States Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Arthur Ashe 3–6, 7–6^(11–9), 7–6^(7–2)		Marty Riessen Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Ray Moore
26 Feb		Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 6–7, 6–4, 6–2	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	Marty Riessen Tom Okker Ken Rosewall Ray Moore

March

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Quarterfinalists
19 Mar		Stan Smith 6–3, 6–4		Onny Parun Dick Stockton Allan Stone Robert Maud
		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 7–6, 6–3	Robert Maud Andrew Pattison	Onny Parun Dick Stockton Allan Stone Robert Maud
		Tom Okker 6–3, 6–7^(4–7), 7–6^(7–3)		Ray Moore Mark Cox Dick Crealy Alex Metreveli
		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 4–6, 7–6, 6–2	Arthur Ashe Roscoe Tanner	Ray Moore Mark Cox Dick Crealy Alex Metreveli
26 Mar	Holton Tennis Classic St. Louis, United States Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Stan Smith 6–4, 3–6, 6–4		John Alexander Gerald Battrick Bob Lutz Cliff Richey
		Ove Nils Bengtson Jim McManus 6–2, 7–5	Terry Addison Colin Dibley	John Alexander Gerald Battrick Bob Lutz Cliff Richey
	Rothmans International Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Tom Gorman 3–6, 6–2, 7–5		Fred Stolle Erik van Dillen Pierre Barthès Ray Moore
		Pierre Barthès Roger Taylor 5–7, 6–3, 7–6	Tom Gorman Erik van Dillen	Fred Stolle Erik van Dillen Pierre Barthès Ray Moore

April

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Quarterfinalists
2 Apr	River Oaks International Tennis Tournament Houston, United States Group B Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Ken Rosewall 6–4, 6–1, 7–5		Arthur Ashe Vladimír Zedník Marty Riessen Brian Fairlie
		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–5, 7–5	Arthur Ashe Roscoe Tanner	Arthur Ashe Vladimír Zedník Marty Riessen Brian Fairlie
	Munich WCT Munich, West Germany Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Stan Smith 6–1, 7–5		Robert Lutz Rod Laver Ove Bengtson Dick Stockton
		Nikola Pilić Allan Stone 7–5, 5–7, 6–4	Cliff Drysdale Cliff Richey	Robert Lutz Rod Laver Ove Bengtson Dick Stockton
9 Apr	Brussels WCT Brussels, Belgium Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Stan Smith 6–2, 6–4, 6–1		Cliff Richey Cliff Drysdale Ove Bengtson John Alexander
		Robert Lutz Stan Smith 6–4, 7–6	John Alexander Phil Dent	Cliff Richey Cliff Drysdale Ove Bengtson John Alexander
	Cleveland Tennis Classic Cleveland, United States Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Ken Rosewall 6–3, 6–4		Arthur Ashe Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau Marty Riessen Jan Kodeš
		Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 6–2, 6–3	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	Arthur Ashe Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau Marty Riessen Jan Kodeš
16 Apr	Carolinas International Tennis Tournament Charlotte, United States Group B Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Ken Rosewall 6–3, 7–6^(7–1)		Tom Gorman Bob Carmichael Željko Franulović Marty Riessen
		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 3–6, 6–3	Tom Gorman Erik van Dillen	Tom Gorman Bob Carmichael Željko Franulović Marty Riessen
	Johannesburg WCT Johannesburg, South Africa Group A Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Brian Gottfried W/O		Robert Lutz Andrew Pattison Colin Dibley Gerald Battrick
		Robert Lutz Stan Smith 6–1, 6–4, 6–4	Frew McMillan Allan Stone	Robert Lutz Andrew Pattison Colin Dibley Gerald Battrick
23 Apr	United Bank Classic Denver, United States Group B Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Mark Cox 6–1, 6–1		Brian Fairlie Marty Riessen Tom Leonard Roger Taylor
		Arthur Ashe Roscoe Tanner 3–6, 6–3, 7–6	Tom Okker Marty Riessen	Brian Fairlie Marty Riessen Tom Leonard Roger Taylor
	Swedish Pro Tennis Championships Gothenburg, Sweden Group A Carpet – $50,000 – 32S/16D	Stan Smith 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–7, 6–4, 6–1	Nikola Pilić Allan Stone

May

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
3 May	Masters Doubles WCT Montreal, Quebec, Canada Tour Finals Carpet – $200,000 – 8D	Robert Lutz Stan Smith 6–2, 7–6^(7–1), 6–0			Addison / Dibley Pilić / Stone Cox / Stilwell Ashe / Tanner
9 May		Stan Smith 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4			John Alexander Roy Emerson Marty Riessen Roger Taylor

Statistical information

Titles won by player

Key

Tour Finals
Regular Tournaments
All titles

width=50	Total	width=200	Player	Singles	Doubles	Singles	Doubles	Singles	Doubles
10	align=left		1	1	6	2	7	3
8	align=left				3	5	3	5
6	align=left				1	5	1	5
6	align=left				1	5	1	5
5	align=left				3	2	3	2
5	align=left					5		5
3	align=left			1		2		3
2	align=left				1	1	1	1
2	align=left				1	1	1	1
2	align=left				1	1	1	1
2	align=left				1	1	1	1
2	align=left				1	1	1	1
2	align=left					2		2
1	align=left				1		1
1	align=left				1		1
1	align=left				1		1
1	align=left					1	1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1
1	align=left					1		1

Titles won by nation

Key

Tour Finals
Group A Tournaments
Group B Tournaments
All titles

width=50	Total	width=200	Nation	Singles	Doubles	Singles	Doubles	Singles	Doubles	Singles	Doubles
23	align=left		1	1	7	4	3	7	11	12
17	align=left				4	7	4	2	8	9
6	align=left						1	5	1	5
4	align=left						2	2	2	2
1	align=left						1		1
1	align=left							1		1
1	align=left					1				1
1	align=left					1				1

Standings

Key

Qualified for Tour Finals

Group A
Rk	Name	Country	Matches Played	Matches Won	Points	Prize Money (USD)
1	Stan Smith		46	41	75	154,100
2			44	37	63	78,200
3			29	20	28	41,350
3			33	22	28	31,300
5			34	23	27	24,350
6			31	20	25	23,200
7			27	17	21	41,800
8			20	10	20	20,300
9			23	13	18	22,750
10			22	13	17	14,300

Group B
Rk	Name	Country	Matches Played	Matches Won	Points	Prize Money (USD)
1			42	34	53	66,400
2			36	26	41	63,150
3			36	26	35	47,200
4			31	21	34	42,800
4			33	23	34	31,950
6			32	22	33	30,900
7			27	19	28	23,800
8			29	19	25	34,400
9			27	16	24	25,250
10			25	16	23	28,200

External links

ATP 1973 results archive

Notes and References

- Book: Collins Bud History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book . New Chapter Press . USA . 2nd . 2010. 0-942257-70-7 .
Book: World of Tennis '74. 1974. Queen Anne Press. London. 9780362001679. 167. John Barrett.