Tournament of Champions (tennis)

History

The tournaments were held on the grass courts of Forest Hills, New York, at West Side Tennis Club between 1957 and 1959, and Australian versions were held on grass courts at White City Stadium, Sydney 1957, at Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in 1958, and at White City again in 1959. The 1957 and 1958 Forest Hills tournaments were both a round robin format, while the 1959 Forest Hills tournament was an elimination format with 10 players. The 1958 Kooyong Tournament of Champions was a round robin format, while the 1957 and 1959 White City, Sydney tournaments were an elimination format.

The 1958 Kooyoong Tournament of Champions, with 10,000 AUS£ prize money, was the richest tournament of the series.

The 1957 Forest Hills Tournament of Champions was broadcast live nationally in the U.S. on the CBS television network with complete broadcast coverage, the only professional tournament in the U.S. known to achieve this status prior to the Open Era. (The 1965 CBS Dallas pro tennis tournament was filmed and broadcast one match at a time as a weekly series.) The Forest Hills Tournament of Champions in 1957, 1958, and 1959 all featured a Pancho Gonzales vs. Lew Hoad singles match on the final day. The 1959 Forest Hills Tournament of Champions offered the largest winners' cheques of the year. The current designation by the West Side Tennis Club of the 1957-59 Forest Hills TOC is "WCT Tournament of Champions". Kramer's contemporary brochures described the Ampol series, of which the 1959 Forest Hills TOC was a part, with the term "World Championship Tennis".

Sponsors

The Australian Tournament of Champions (TOC) was sponsored by Ampol Petroleum as the Ampol Tournament of Champions. The prize money for the 1957 Sydney TOC was 7,500 AUS£, for the 1958 Kooyong TOC it was 10,000 AUS£, and for the 1959 Sydney TOC it was 5,000 AUS£.

Singles

Forest Hills Tournament of Champions

Australian Tournament of Champions

Draws

Forest Hills 1957

| title-1= | title-2=RR W–L | title-3=Set W–L | title-4=Game W–L | title-5=Standings | seed-1= | team-1-abbrev=USA Gonzales | team-1=USA Pancho Gonzales | match-w/l-1=5–0 | set-w/l-1=15–4 | game-w/l-1=115–88 | standings-1=1 | seed-2= | team-2-abbrev=AUS Sedgman | team-2=AUS Frank Sedgman | match-w/l-2=3–2 | set-w/l-2=11–9 | game-w/l-2=103–91 | standings-2=2 | seed-3= | team-3-abbrev=AUS Hoad | team-3=AUS Lew Hoad | match-w/l-3=2–3 | set-w/l-3=10–9 | game-w/l-3=103–99 | standings-3=3 | seed-4= | team-4-abbrev=AUS Rosewall | team-4=AUS Ken Rosewall | match-w/l-4=2–3 | set-w/l-4=7–12 | game-w/l-4=105–117 | standings-4=3 | seed-5= | team-5-abbrev=USA Trabert | team-5=USA Tony Trabert | match-w/l-5=2–3 | set-w/l-5=10–11 | game-w/l-5=124–126 | standings-5=3 | seed-6= | team-6-abbrev=ECU Segura | team-6=ECU Pancho Segura | match-w/l-6=1–4 | set-w/l-6=6–14 | game-w/l-6=87– | standings-6=6

|color-row-1= |1v2=5–7, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |1v3=9–7, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |1v4=6–2, 8–6, 6–4 |1v5=6–3, 3–6, 11–9, 6–3 |1v6=6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |color-row-2= |2v1=7–5, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6 |2v3=3–6, 4–6, 4–6 |2v4=4–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–2 |2v5=2–6, 6–4, 8–6, 6–3 |2v6=7–5, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1 |color-row-3= |3v1=7–9, 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 |3v2=6–3, 6–4, 6–4 |3v4=3–6, 7–9, 6–4, 3–6 |3v5=4–6, 12–10, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6 |3v6=6–1, 7–5, 6–2 |color-row-4= |4v1=2–6, 6–8, 4–6 |4v2=6–4, 5–7, 2–6, 2–6 |4v3=6–3, 9–7, 4–6, 6–3 |4v5=4–6, 12–14, 4–6 |4v6=6–3, 6–1, 6–8, 2–6, 13–11 |color-row-5= |5v1=3–6, 6–3, 9–11, 3–6 |5v2=6–2, 4–6, 6–8, 3–6 |5v3=6–4, 10–12, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |5v4=6–4, 12–10, 6–4 |5v6=4–6, 5–7, 11–9, 6–4, 5–7 |color-row-6= |6v1=4–6, 3–6, 4–6 |6v2=5–7, 6–4, 0–6, 1–6 |6v3=1–6, 5–7, 2–6 |6v4=3–6, 1–6, 8–6, 6–2, 11–13 |6v5=6–4, 7–5, 9–11, 4–6, 7–5 Sources

Forest Hills 1958

| title-1= | title-2=RR W–L | title-3=Set W–L | title-4=Game W–L | title-5=Standings | seed-1= | team-1-abbrev=USA Gonzales | team-1=USA Pancho Gonzales | match-w/l-1=5–1 | set-w/l-1=11–4 | game-w/l-1=119–100 | standings-1=1 | seed-2= | team-2-abbrev=AUS Rosewall | team-2=AUS Ken Rosewall | match-w/l-2=5–1 | set-w/l-2=11–4 | game-w/l-2=97–70 | standings-2=2 | seed-3= | team-3-abbrev=USA Trabert | team-3=USA Tony Trabert | match-w/l-3=4–2 | set-w/l-3=9–6 | game-w/l-3=80–77 | standings-3=3 | seed-4= | team-4-abbrev=AUS Hoad | team-4=AUS Lew Hoad | match-w/l-4=4–2 | set-w/l-4=9–7 | game-w/l-4=90–84 | standings-4=4 | seed-5= | team-5-abbrev=ECU Segura | team-5=ECU Pancho Segura | match-w/l-5=2–4 | set-w/l-5=6–8 | game-w/l-5=77–86 | standings-5=5 | seed-6= | team-6-abbrev=AUS Sedgman | team-6=AUS Frank Sedgman | match-w/l-6=1–5 | set-w/l-6=4–10 | game-w/l-6=69–82 | standings-6=6 | seed-76= | team-7-abbrev=AUS Hartwig | team-7=AUS Rex Hartwig | match-w/l-7=0–6 | set-w/l-7=1–12 | game-w/l-7=56–89 | standings-7=7

|color-row-1= |1v2=19–17, 5–7, 6–4 |1v3=6–4, 6–8, 8–6 |1v4=15–13, 3–6, 4–6 |1v5=13–11, 6–2 |1v6=10–8, 6–2 |1v7=6–3, 6–3 |color-row-2= |2v1=17–19, 7–5, 4–6 |2v3=6–2, 6–2 |2v4=6–2, 9–7 |2v5=4–6, 6–1, 6–1 |2v6=6–4, 2–6, 6–3 |2v7=6–3, 6–3 |color-row-3= |3v1=4–6, 8–6, 6–8 |3v2=2–6, 2–6 |3v4=2–6, 6–3, 6–2 |3v5=2–6, 6–4, 6–4 |3v6=8–6, 8–6 |3v7=6–2, 8–6 |color-row-4= |4v1=13–15, 6–3, 6–4 |4v2=2–6, 7–9 |4v3=6–2, 3–6, 2–6 |4v5=6–2, 9–7 |4v6=6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |4v7=3–6, 6–1, 6–3 |color-row-5= |5v1=11–13, 2–6 |5v2=6–4, 1–6, 1–6 |5v3=6–2, 4–6, 4–6 |5v4=2–6, 7–9 |5v6=6–1, 6–4 |5v7=8–6, 13–11 |color-row-6= |6v1=8–10, 2–6 |6v2=4–6, 6–2, 3–6 |6v3=6–8, 6–8 |6v4=4–6, 6–3, 4–6 |6v5=1–6, 4–6 |6v7=9–7, 6–2 |color-row-7= |7v1=3–6, 3–6 |7v2=3–6, 3–6 |7v3=2–6, 6–8 |7v4=6–3, 1–6, 3–6 |7v5=6–8, 11–13 |7v6=7–9, 2–6 Sources

Forest Hills 1959

| team-width=175 | RD1-seed03= | RD1-team03=AUS Mervyn Rose | RD1-score03-1=2 | RD1-score03-2=4 | RD1-score03-3= | RD1-score03-4= | RD1-score03-5= | RD1-seed04= | RD1-team04=AUS Mal Anderson | RD1-score04-1=6 | RD1-score04-2=6 | RD1-score04-3= | RD1-score04-4= | RD1-score04-5= | RD1-seed13= | RD1-team13=AUS **Ashley Cooper ** | RD1-score13-1=6 | RD1-score13-2=6 | RD1-score13-3= | RD1-score13-4= | RD1-score13-5= | RD1-seed14= | RD1-team14=USA Sam Giammalva | RD1-score14-1=1 | RD1-score14-2=3 | RD1-score14-3= | RD1-score14-4= | RD1-score14-5= | RD2-seed01= | RD2-team01=AUS Lew Hoad | RD2-score01-1=6 | RD2-score01-2=6 | RD2-score01-3=6 | RD2-score01-4= | RD2-score01-5= | RD2-seed02= | RD2-team02=AUS Mal Anderson | RD2-score02-1=8 | RD2-score02-2=3 | RD2-score02-3=4 | RD2-score02-4= | RD2-score02-5= | RD2-seed04= | RD2-team04=AUS Ken Rosewall | RD2-score04-1=6 | RD2-score04-2=7 | RD2-score04-3= | RD2-score04-4= | RD2-score04-5= | RD2-seed03= | RD2-team03=ECU Pancho Segura | RD2-score03-1=1 | RD2-score03-2=5 | RD2-score03-3= | RD2-score03-4= | RD2-score03-5= | RD2-seed05= | RD2-team05=USA Tony Trabert | RD2-score05-1=6 | RD2-score05-2=28 | RD2-score05-3=6 | RD2-score05-4= | RD2-score05-5= | RD2-seed06= | RD2-team06=AUS Frank Sedgman | RD2-score06-1=8 | RD2-score06-2=26 | RD2-score06-3=2 | RD2-score06-4= | RD2-score06-5= | RD2-seed08= | RD2-team08=USA Pancho Gonzales | RD2-score08-1=6 | RD2-score08-2=6 | RD2-score08-3= | RD2-score08-4= | RD2-score08-5= | RD2-seed07= | RD2-team07=AUS Ashley Cooper | RD2-score07-1=3 | RD2-score07-2=2 | RD2-score07-3= | RD2-score07-4= | RD2-score07-5= | RD3-seed01= | RD3-team01=AUS Lew Hoad | RD3-score01-1=5 | RD3-score01-2=6 | RD3-score01-3=7 | RD3-score01-4=6 | RD3-score01-5= | RD3-seed02= | RD3-team02=AUS Ken Rosewall | RD3-score02-1=7 | RD3-score02-2=4 | RD3-score02-3=5 | RD3-score02-4=4 | RD3-score02-5= | RD3-seed03= | RD3-team03=USA Tony Trabert | RD3-score03-1=2 | RD3-score03-2=1 | RD3-score03-3=8 | RD3-score03-4=8 | RD3-score03-5= | RD3-seed04= | RD3-team04=USA Pancho Gonzales | RD3-score04-1=6 | RD3-score04-2=6 | RD3-score04-3=6 | RD3-score04-4=10 | RD3-score04-5= | RD4-seed01= | RD4-team01=AUS Lew Hoad | RD4-score01-1=6 | RD4-score01-2=5 | RD4-score01-3=6 | RD4-score01-4=6 | RD4-score01-5= | RD4-seed02= | RD4-team02=USA Pancho Gonzales | RD4-score02-1=1 | RD4-score02-2=7 | RD4-score02-3=2 | RD4-score02-4=1 | RD4-score02-5=

References

Sources

References

1. (6 July 1959). "The Kramer cast lacks a plot The pro tennis troupe winds up its U.S. tour at Forest Hills amid apathy. The author suggests a future remedy".
2. (29 January 1958). "Hoad Fancied For Ampol Round Robin". Canberra Times.
3. Sports Illustrated, 8 July 1957, https://vault.si.com/vault/1957/07/08/coming-events-july-5-through-july-14
4. "History Timeline".
5. Kramer 1959 tour fall brochure. https://douglasstewart.com.au/product/jack-kramer-presents-world-championship-tennis/
6. (1 February 1957). "Tournament of Champions". Western Herald.
7. (15 January 1958). "Draw For Ampol Tennis Fixed". [[Canberra Times]].
8. (23 September 1959). "World Tennis Championship". Cumberland Argus.
9. (July 22, 1957). "Gonzales thinks he can beat Hoad consistently". Bergen Evening Record.