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1976 World Championship Tennis circuit

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1976 World Championship Tennis circuit
Ashe (left) was prize money leader
Details
Duration5 January 1976 – 9 May 1976
Edition9th
Tournaments26
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesUnited States Arthur Ashe (5)
Most tournament finalsUnited States Arthur Ashe (6)
Prize money leaderUnited States Arthur Ashe ($253,013)
Points leaderUnited States Arthur Ashe (860)
1975
1977

The 1976 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional men's tennis circuits of 1976. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT) and consisted of a schedule of 25 tournaments leading up to a singles WCT Finals play-off in Dallas and a doubles play-off in Kansas City in May. A total of 54 players participated, 30 players less than in the previous three years, and the group system used in the previous editions was replaced by a single pool. The U.S. Pro Indoor was the only tournament in which all players participated, all other tournaments had a 16 men draw. The season final was played by the eight best performers and was won by the Swede Björn Borg who defeated Guillermo Vilas from Argentina in four sets.[1] The total prize money for the 1976 WCT circuit was $2,400,000, including a $320,000 Avis Challenge Cup round–robin special event played in Hawaii in January and May.[2]

The Aetna World Cup between teams of the US and Australia was played in March in Hartford and was won by the US 6–1.[3]

Overview

[edit]
Date Tournament Location Draw Prize Money Surface Champion Runner-up Score
5 Jan Monterrey WCT Monterrey, Mexico 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Eddie Dibbs United States Harold Solomon 7–6, 6–2
7 Jan Columbus WCT Columbus, Ohio, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe Rhodesia Andrew Pattison 3–6, 6–3, 7–6
12 Jan Indianapolis WCT Indianapolis, U.S. 16S / 8D Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe United States Vitas Gerulaitis 6–2, 6–7, 6–4
14 Jan Phoenix Cup Atlanta, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Romania Ilie Năstase United States Jeff Borowiak 6–2, 6–4
26 Jan U.S. Pro Indoor Philadelphia, U.S. 64S / 32D $118,600 Carpet (i) United States Jimmy Connors Sweden Björn Borg 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–0
2 Feb Barcelona WCT Barcelona, Spain 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Eddie Dibbs South Africa Cliff Drysdale 6–1, 6–1
4 Feb Richmond WCT Richmond, Virginia, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe United States Brian Gottfried 6–2, 6–4
9 Feb Lagos WCT Lagos, Nigeria[a] 16S / 8D $60,000 Clay United States Dick Stockton United States Arthur Ashe 6–3, 6–2
10 Feb Toronto WCT Toronto, Canada 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Sweden Björn Borg United States Vitas Gerulaitis 2–6, 6–3, 6–1
17 Feb St. Louis WCT St. Louis, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Argentina Guillermo Vilas India Vijay Amritraj 4–6, 6–0, 6–4
17 Feb Rome WCT Rome, Italy 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe United States Bob Lutz 6–2, 0–6, 6–3
23 Feb Fort Worth WCT Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Argentina Guillermo Vilas Australia Phil Dent 6–7, 6–1, 6–1
23 Feb Rotterdam WCT Rotterdam, Netherlands 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Arthur Ashe United States Bob Lutz 6–3, 6–3
8 Mar Memphis WCT Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) India Vijay Amritraj United States Stan Smith 6–2, 0–6, 6–0
8 Mar Mexico City WCT Mexico City, Mexico 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Mexico Raúl Ramírez United States Eddie Dibbs 7–6, 6–2
15 Mar Washington WCT Washington, D.C., U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Harold Solomon New Zealand Onny Parun 6–3, 6–1
15 Mar Jackson WCT Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Australia Ken Rosewall Mexico Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 6–3
29 Mar Caracas WCT Caracas, Venezuela 16S / 8D $60,000 Clay Mexico Raúl Ramírez Romania Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4
29 Mar São Paulo WCT São Paulo, Brazil 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Sweden Björn Borg Argentina Guillermo Vilas 7–6(7–4), 6–2
5 Apr Johannesburg WCT Johannesburg, South Africa 16S / 8D Hard New Zealand Onny Parun South Africa Cliff Drysdale 7–6, 6–3
5 Apr Houston WCT Houston, U.S. 16S / 8D $25,000 Clay United States Harold Solomon Australia Ken Rosewall 6–1, 4–6, 6–1
12 Apr Monte Carlo WCT Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France 16S / 8D $60,000 Clay Argentina Guillermo Vilas Poland Wojciech Fibak 6–1, 6–1, 6–4
13 Apr Charlotte WCT Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. 16S / 8D Clay Australia Tony Roche United States Vitas Gerulaitis 6–3, 3–6, 6–1
19 Apr Stockholm WCT Stockholm, Sweden 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) Poland Wojciech Fibak Romania Ilie Năstase 6–4, 7–6(8–6)
19 Apr Denver WCT Denver, U.S. 16S / 8D $60,000 Carpet (i) United States Jimmy Connors Australia Ross Case 7–6, 6–2
4 May Dallas WCT Finals Dallas, U.S. 8S $100,000 Carpet (i) Sweden Björn Borg Argentina Guillermo Vilas 1–6, 6–1, 7–5, 6–1

Schedule

[edit]

The schedule of events on the 1976 WCT circuit, with player progression documented until the quarterfinals stage.[5]

January

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
5 Jan Monterrey WCT
Monterrey, Mexico
$60,000 – carpet (i) – 16S/8D
United States Eddie Dibbs
7–6, 6–2
United States Harold Solomon United States Vitas Gerulaitis
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Emilio Montaño
Australia Geoff Masters
United States Cliff Richey
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
7 Jan Columbus WCT
Columbus, Ohio, US
$60,000 – carpet (i) – 16S/8D
United States Arthur Ashe
3–6, 6–3, 7–6
Rhodesia Andrew Pattison Australia Phil Dent
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Australia Kevin Warwick
United States Dick Stockton
Netherlands Tom Okker
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
7–6, 6–4
United States Arthur Ashe
Netherlands Tom Okker
12 Jan Indianapolis WCT
Indianapolis, US
$60,000 – carpet (i) – 16S/8D
United States Arthur Ashe
6–2, 6–7, 6–4
United States Vitas Gerulaitis Australia Ray Ruffels
United States Stan Smith
United States Marty Riessen
Australia Syd Ball
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United States Bob Lutz
United States Robert Lutz
United States Stan Smith
6–2, 6–4
United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Tom Gorman
14 Jan Phoenix Cup
Atlanta, US
$60,000 – carpet (i) – 16S/8D
Romania Ilie Năstase
6–2, 6–4
United States Jeff Borowiak Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Australia John Alexander
Sweden Björn Borg
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Zimbabwe Andrew Pattison
Poland Wojciech Fibak
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
6–3, 6–4
Poland Wojciech Fibak
Germany Karl Meiler
26 Jan U.S. Pro Indoor
Philadelphia, US
$118,000 – carpet (i) – 64S/32D
United States Jimmy Connors
7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–0
Sweden Björn Borg Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Dick Stockton
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Tom Gorman
Australia Rod Laver
Australia Rod Laver
United States Dennis Ralston
6–3, 5–7, 7–6(7–5)
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan

February

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
2 Feb Barcelona WCT
Barcelona, Spain
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 16S/8D
United States Eddie Dibbs
6–1, 6–1
South Africa Cliff Drysdale Australia Dick Crealy
United Kingdom Mark Cox
United States Erik van Dillen
New Zealand Brian Fairlie
Germany Karl Meiler
Poland Wojciech Fibak
United States Robert Lutz
United States Stan Smith
6–3, 6–3
Poland Wojciech Fibak
Germany Karl Meiler
4 Feb United Virginia Bank Classic
Richmond, US
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 32S/16D
United States Arthur Ashe
6–2, 6–4
United States Brian Gottfried Mexico Raúl Ramírez
Netherlands Tom Okker
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
United States Billy Martin
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 7–5
United States Arthur Ashe
Netherlands Tom Okker
9 Feb Lagos Tennis Classic
Lagos, Nigeria
Clay – 16S/8D
United States Dick Stockton
6–3, 6–2
United States Arthur Ashe United States Bob Lutz
United States Jeff Borowiak
Germany Karl Meiler
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Harold Solomon
Australia Dick Crealy
10 Feb Toronto Indoor
Toronto, Canada
Sweden Björn Borg
2–6, 6–3, 6–1
United States Vitas Gerulaitis Romania Ilie Năstase
United States Marty Riessen
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Australia Tony Roche
India Vijay Amritraj
Chile Jaime Fillol
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–7(3–7), 6–2, 6–3
Soviet Union Alexander Metreveli
Romania Ilie Năstase
17 Feb Rome WCT
Rome, Italy
Carpet
United States Arthur Ashe
6–2, 0–6, 6–3
United States Bob Lutz United States Dick Stockton
Italy Adriano Panatta
Netherlands Tom Okker
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
United Kingdom Mark Cox
United States Stan Smith
United States Robert Lutz
United States Stan Smith
6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–4
Australia Dick Crealy
South Africa Frew McMillan
17 Feb St. Louis Tennis Classic
St. Louis, US
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 32S/16D
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
4–6, 6–0, 6–4
India Vijay Amritraj Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Billy Martin
United States Brian Gottfried
Australia John Alexander
Australia Ken Rosewall
Spain Manuel Orantes
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 6–2
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
23 Feb Rotterdam WCT
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 32S/16D
United States Arthur Ashe
6–3, 6–3
United States Bob Lutz Netherlands Tom Okker
Australia Rod Laver
Poland Wojciech Fibak
Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš
Czechoslovakia Jiří Hřebec
United States Stan Smith
Australia Rod Laver
South Africa Frew McMillan
6–1, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–5)
United States Arthur Ashe
Netherlands Tom Okker
24 Feb Colonial National Invitational
Fort Worth, US
Carpet (i) – 32S/16D
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
6–7, 6–1, 6–1
Australia Phil Dent United States Sandy Mayer
United States Roscoe Tanner
United States Harold Solomon
United States Sherwood Stewart
United States Tom Gorman
United States Cliff Richey
United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Sandy Mayer
6–4, 7–5
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Harold Solomon

March

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
8 Mar U.S. Indoor National Championships
Memphis, US
India Vijay Amritraj
6–2, 0–6, 6–0
United States Stan Smith United States Bob Lutz
Sweden Björn Borg
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
Australia John Newcombe
United States Roscoe Tanner
United States Marty Riessen
India Vijay Amritraj
India Anand Amritraj
6–3, 6–4
United States Marty Riessen
United States Roscoe Tanner
8 Mar Mexico City WCT
Mexico City, Mexico
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 16S/8D
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
7–6, 6–2
United States Eddie Dibbs Argentina Guillermo Vilas
Mexico Marcelo Lara
United States Brian Gottfried
Australia Ken Rosewall
United States Tom Gorman
Australia Syd Ball
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Egypt Ismail El Shafei
Australia Brian Fairlie
15 Mar Washington Indoor
Washington, US
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 16S/8D
United States Harold Solomon
6–3, 6–1
New Zealand Onny Parun Australia John Newcombe
United States Charlie Pasarell
United States Eddie Dibbs
South Africa Ray Moore
United Kingdom Mark Cox
Australia Allan Stone
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Harold Solomon
6–4, 7–5
United Kingdom Mark Cox
South Africa Cliff Drysdale
15 Mar Tennis South Invitational
Jackson, US
Carpet (i) – $60,000 – 16S/8D
Australia Ken Rosewall
6–3, 6–3
Mexico Raúl Ramírez India Vijay Amritraj
Australia Ross Case
United States Tom Gorman
United States Dick Stockton
United States Billy Martin
Australia Phil Dent
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
7–5, 4–6, 6–0
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
29 Mar Caracas WCT
Caracas, Venezuela
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 6–4
Romania Ilie Năstase United States Arthur Ashe
United States Jeff Borowiak
South Africa Ray Moore
United States Dick Stockton
United States Brian Gottfried
United States Erik van Dillen
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
7–5, 6–4
United States Jeff Borowiak
Romania Ilie Năstase
29 Mar São Paulo WCT
São Paulo, Brasil
Carpet (i) – $60,000
Sweden Björn Borg
7–6(7–4), 6–2
Argentina Guillermo Vilas Zimbabwe Andrew Pattison
Brazil Thomaz Koch
Chile Jaime Fillol
Australia Phil Dent
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
Australia Ross Case
Australia Geoff Masters
7–5, 6–1
United States Charlie Pasarell
Australia Allan Stone

April

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
5 Apr Johannesburg Indoor
Johannesburg, South Africa
New Zealand Onny Parun
7–6, 6–3
South Africa Cliff Drysdale Australia Ross Case
Netherlands Tom Okker
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
Australia Kim Warwick
Australia Geoff Masters
South Africa Ray Moore
United States Marty Riessen
United States Roscoe Tanner
6–2, 7–5
South Africa Frew McMillan
Netherlands Tom Okker
5 Apr Houston Open
Houston, US
United States Harold Solomon
6–4, 1–6, 6–1
Australia Ken Rosewall United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Bob Lutz
Australia Phil Dent
Romania Ilie Năstase
Australia John Alexander
Australia Rod Laver
Australia Ken Rosewall
6–4, 6–2
United States Charlie Pasarell
Australia Allan Stone
12 Apr Monte Carlo Open
Monte Carlo, Monaco
$60,000 – 16S/8D – clay
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
6–1, 6–1, 6–4
Poland Wojciech Fibak France François Jauffret
West Germany Karl Meiler
South Africa Ray Moore
Italy Adriano Panatta
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Sweden Björn Borg
Poland Wojciech Fibak
West Germany Karl Meiler
7–6, 6–1
Sweden Björn Borg
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
13 Apr Charlotte Tennis Classic
Charlotte, US
$60,000 – 16S/8D – clay
Australia Tony Roche
6–3, 3–6, 6–1
United States Vitas Gerulaitis United States Eddie Dibbs
Australia Ken Rosewall
United States Cliff Richey
Australia Ross Case
United States Dick Stockton
Australia Geoff Masters
Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
6–3, 7–5
United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Gene Mayer
19 Apr United Bank Tennis Classic
Denver, US
$60,000 – 16S/8D – carpet (i)
United States Jimmy Connors
7–6, 6–2
Australia Ross Case United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Billy Martin
Australia Geoff Masters
United States Charlie Pasarell
Australia John Alexander
Australia John Alexander
Australia Phil Dent
6–7, 6–2, 7–5
United States Jimmy Connors
United States Billy Martin
19 Apr Stockholm WCT
Stockholm, Sweden
Poland Wojciech Fibak
6–4, 7–6
Romania Ilie Năstase Italy Adriano Panatta
Netherlands Tom Okker
Sweden Björn Borg
Australia Mark Edmondson
Soviet Union Alex Metreveli
Argentina Guillermo Vilas
Soviet Union Alexander Metreveli
Romania Ilie Năstase
6–4, 7–5
Netherlands Tom Okker
Italy Adriano Panatta
28 Apr Masters Doubles WCT
Kansas City, US
Poland Wojciech Fibak
West Germany Karl Meiler
6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
United States Bob Lutz
United States Stan Smith

May

[edit]
Week Tournament Champions Runners-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
4 May WCT Finals
Dallas, United States
Tour Finals
$100,000 – carpet – 8S
Singles
Sweden Björn Borg
1–6, 6–1, 7–5, 6–1
Argentina Guillermo Vilas United States Harold Solomon
United States Dick Stockton
United States Eddie Dibbs
United States Robert Lutz
United States Arthur Ashe
Mexico Raúl Ramírez

Standings

[edit]
Player Tournaments Played Tournaments Won Matches Won Matches Lost Points Prize Money
United States Arthur Ashe * 8 5 26 3 860 $253,013
Mexico Raúl Ramírez * 8 2 18 6 705 $104,700
Argentina Guillermo Vilas * 7 3 19 4 695 $99,163
United States Eddie Dibbs * 8 2 19 6 675 $79,538
Sweden Björn Borg * 8 2 17 6 650 $135,838
United States Dick Stockton * 8 1 17 5 595 $62,475
United States Bob Lutz * 8 0 15 9 585 $69,013
United States Harold Solomon * 8 2 16 7 565 $75,038
United States Vitas Gerulaitis 8 0 12 10 540 $40,900
United States Brian Gottfried 8 0 14 8 535 $54,600

* Qualified for the WCT Finals.[2]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The tournament was halted at the semifinal stage due to a coup d'etat attempt in Nigeria and the final was played on April 2 in Caracas, Venezuela during the Caracas WCT tournament.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Solomon Makes Dallas Again With Field Set For WCT Finals, May 4–9" (PDF). World Championship Tennis. April 28, 1976.
  2. ^ a b John Barrett, ed. (1977). World of Tennis. London: Macdonald and Jane's. pp. 139–148. ISBN 978-0-354-09011-7.
  3. ^ "US tennis team wins World Cup". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 9 March 1976. p. 18.
  4. ^ Olaojo Aiyegbayo (12 July 2015). "The story of Lagos' ill-fated 1976 Professional Tennis Tournament". Africa is a Country.
  5. ^ atpworldtour.com. "1976 Grand Prix and WCT circuits calendar". Archived from the original on 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2013-08-19.
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