1974 French Open

Last updated
1974 French Open
Date3–16 June 1974
Edition73
Category44th Grand Slam (ITF)
Draw132S / 64D / 32X
Surface Clay / outdoor
LocationParis (XVIe), France
Venue Stade Roland Garros
Champions
Men's singles
Flag of Sweden.svg Björn Borg [1]
Women's singles
Flag of the United States.svg Chris Evert [2]
Men's doubles
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Crealy / Flag of Australia (converted).svg Onny Parun [3]
Women's doubles
Flag of the United States.svg Chris Evert / Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Olga Morozova [2]
Mixed doubles
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Martina Navratilova / Flag of Colombia.svg Iván Molina [2]
  1973  · French Open ·  1975  

The 1974 French Open was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor clay courts at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. The tournament ran from 3 June until 16 June. It was the 73th staging of the French Open, and the second Grand Slam tennis event of 1974. [4] [5]

Contents

Connors and Goolagong

World no. 2 Jimmy Connors and Evonne Goolagong were banned from playing in the 1974 French Open by Philippe Chatrier, president of the French Tennis Federation (FTF), because both had signed contracts to play in the World Team Tennis league in the United States. [a] [6] The schedule of the inaugural edition of the World Team Tennis conflicted with the dates of several European spring tournaments including the Italian and French Open. Both players had won the singles title at the 1974 Australian Open and were thus denied the opportunity to play for the Grand Slam that year. [b] Connors and Goolagong filed a suit at a French court seeking the right to participate but this was rejected on the grounds that there was no need for emergency action. [7] In September 1974 they sued the FTF seeking $200,000 in damages each as compensation for the ban. [8] [9] This wouldn't be until the 2017 French Open that both of the defending champions of that year's Australian Open also absent from the competition.

Finals

Men's singles

Flag of Sweden.svg Björn Borg [c] defeated Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Manuel Orantes, 2–6, 6–7(4–7), 6–0, 6–1, 6–1 [1]

Women's singles

Flag of the United States.svg Chris Evert defeated Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Olga Morozova, [d] 6–1, 6–2 [2]

Men's doubles

Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Crealy / Flag of New Zealand.svg Onny Parun defeated Flag of the United States.svg Bob Lutz / Flag of the United States.svg Stanley Smith, 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1 [3]

Women's doubles

Flag of the United States.svg Chris Evert / Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Olga Morozova defeated Flag of France.svg Gail Sherriff Chanfreau / Flag of Germany.svg Katja Burgemeister Ebbinghaus, 6–4, 2–6, 6–1 [2]

Mixed doubles

Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Martina Navratilova / Flag of Colombia.svg Iván Molina defeated Flag of Mexico.svg Rosie Reyes Darmon / Flag of Mexico.svg Marcello Lara, 6–3, 6–3 [2]

Prize money

EventWFSFQF4R3R2R1R
Singles [10] MenFF120,000FF60,000FF30,000FF15,000FF7,000FF4,000FF2,000FF1,000
WomenFF40,000FF20,000FF10,000FF5,000-FF4,000FF1,500FF1,000

Total prize money for the event was FF407,000.

Notes

  1. Connors signed to play for the Baltimore Banners and Goolagong played for the Pittsburgh Triangles.
  2. Connors would indeed go on to win the 1974 Wimbledon Championships and 1974 U.S. Open.
  3. Borg became the first Swedish tennis player (male or female) to win a Grand Slam singles title in the open era. In 1957 Sven Davidsson won Sweden's first Grand Slam singles title at French Open.
  4. Morozova was the first player (male or female) from the Soviet Union to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open Era.

References

  1. 1 2 "ATP – 1974 Roland Garros Men's Singles Draw". ATP.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "WTA Tournament Archive – 1974 Roland Garros" (PDF). WTA.
  3. 1 2 "ATP – 1974 Roland Garros Men's Doubles Draw". ATP.
  4. Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 389, 396, 400, 402–3. ISBN   978-0942257700.
  5. Gilles Delamarre (1991). Roland Garros : Le Livre du Tournoi du Centenaire. Paris: Fédération Française de Tennis. pp. 240–245. ISBN   2906450510.
  6. "Connors, Goolagong 'Can't Play'". The Palm Beach Post. May 22, 1974.
  7. "Connors–Goolagomg Law Suit Thrown Out By French Judge". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Jun 1, 1974.
  8. "Connors, Miss Goolagong File Suit". The New York Times. Sep 5, 1974.
  9. "Connors, Goolagong File Suit". Herald-Journal. May 31, 1974.
  10. John Barrett, ed. (1975). World of Tennis '75. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 35. ISBN   978-0362002171.
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