The Grand Prix tennis circuit was a professional tennis tour for male players that existed from 1970 to 1989. The Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis (WCT) were the two predecessors to the current tour for male players, the ATP Tour, with the Grand Prix being more prominent.
World Championship Tennis (WCT) was a tour for professional male tennis players established in 1968 and lasted until the emergence of the ATP Tour in 1990. A number of tennis tournaments around the world were affiliated with WCT and players were ranked in a special WCT ranking according to their results in those tournaments.
The Rotterdam Open is a professional men's tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is part of the ATP Tour 500 series on the ATP Tour and has been held annually at the Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The racket sport traditionally named lawn tennis, invented in Croydon, England now commonly known simply as tennis, is the direct descendant of what is now denoted real tennis or royal tennis, which continues to be played today as a separate sport with more complex rules. Most rules of (lawn) tennis derive from this precursor and it is reasonable to see both sports as variations of the same game. Most historians believe that tennis was originated in the monastic cloisters in northern France in the 12th century, but the ball was then struck with the palm of the hand; hence, the name jeu de paume. It was not until the 16th century that rackets came into use, and the game began to be called "tennis." It was popular in England and France, and Henry VIII of England was a big fan of the game, now referred to as real tennis.
The WCT Finals was a men's tennis tournament that served as the season-ending championship for the World Championship Tennis circuit. From 1971–1989 the event was held annually in Texas on indoor carpet courts. The 1971 quarterfinals and semifinals were played in Houston, and final played at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The 1972–1979 editions were played at Moody Coliseum, and the 1980–1989 tournaments at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The 1974 edition was the first tennis tournament to experiment with electronic line calling. The first edition of the WCT Finals was in November 1971, just a few days before the equivalent event of the rival Grand Prix circuit. But the second edition occurred just six months later to accommodate NBC's new tennis coverage; the tournament final between Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver is credited as "the match that made tennis in the United States" because its unprecedented domestic television audience of 23 million fueled a massive increase in the sport's popularity. The ensuing editions were also held in the spring. John McEnroe had the most overall success, winning a record five titles. Because of the popularity of the 1972 final, another edition, less important and with half the prize money, was held in November in Rome. The prize money offered to the winner, Arthur Ashe, was US$25,000 compared to the US$50,000 won by Ken Rosewall for the main edition in May. A decade later there were three editions of the WCT Finals; the most important one in Dallas, and the others in autumn in Naples, Italy, and in winter in Detroit. The tournament was sponsored by Buick between 1985 and 1986, a brand of General Motors, and was called the "Buick WCT Finals".
The Richmond WCT, also known by its sponsored names Fidelity Bankers Invitational and United Virginia Bank Tennis Classic, was a men's tennis tournament played in Richmond, Virginia in the United States from 1966 through 1984. The first six editions, from 1966 through 1971, were invitational tournaments and were held at the Richmond Arena. In 1972 the event became part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) Tour and moved to the Richmond Coliseum. All editions were held on indoor carpet courts.
The U.S. Pro Indoor is a defunct professional tennis tournament held in Philadelphia, United States from 1968 to 1998. It played on indoor carpet courts, and indoor hard courts. It was part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit, between 1970 and 1986 it was a major ranking tournament of the Grand Prix Super Series, after which it became an ATP Championship Series (1990–99), then an ATP International Series Gold tournament of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. It was held annually first at the Spectrum, and then at the CoreStates Center. It was originally named the Philadelphia Indoor Open Tournament prior to the open era.
The 1982 Volvo Grand Prix was a professional tennis circuit held that year. It incorporated the four grand slam tournaments, the Grand Prix tournaments. The circuit was administered by the Men's International Professional Tennis Council (MIPTC). On 30 April 1981 World Championship Tennis (WCT) announced its withdrawal from the Grand Prix circuit, which it had been incorporated into since 1978, and the re-establishment of its own tour calendar for the 1982 season. To counter the threat of player leaving the Grand Prix tour for the WCT the MIPTC introduced a mandatory commitment to play at least 10 Grand Prix Super Series tournaments.
The 1981 Volvo Grand Prix was the only men's professional tennis circuit held that year. It consisted of the four Grand Slam tournaments and the Grand Prix tournaments. The World Championship Tennis (WCT) Tour was incorporated into the Grand Prix circuit. The WCT tour consisted of eight regular tournaments, a season's final, three tournaments categorized as special events and a doubles championship. In total 89 tournaments were held divided over 29 countries. The circuit was administered by the Men's International Professional Tennis Council (MIPTC).
The 1980 Volvo Grand Prix was a men's professional tennis circuit held that year. It incorporated the four grand slam tournaments, the Grand Prix tournaments. The Grand Prix circuit is a precursor to the ATP Tour.
The 1972 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 1972 World Championship Tennis circuit. It was the inaugural edition of the tournament and took place from April 24 through April 30, 1972. First-seeded Rod Laver won the first edition of both the doubles and singles competition. There was criticism by players, including Arthur Ashe, that the playing conditions on the Sporface carpet courts were too fast.
The 1973 Denver WCT, also known as the 1973 United Bank Tennis Classic for sponsorship reasons, was the second edition of the tennis event. It was held on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado. The tournament was held between the April 23 and April 30, 1973. The tournament was part of the World Championship Tennis tour, and was part of the Group B circuit. As a result the defending champions Rod Laver, of the doubles and singles, along with his doubles partner Roy Emerson, were ineligible to compete. Ninth-seeded Mark Cox won the singles title.
The 1982 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1982. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). On 30 April 1981 WCT announced its withdrawal from the Grand Prix circuit, which it had been incorporated into since 1978, and the establishment of its own full calendar season for 1982. According to WCT owner Lamar Hunt the reasons for the withdrawal were the restrictions placed on them by the Men's Professional Council, the administrators of the Grand Prix circuit. The 1982 WCT circuit consisted of a Spring Tour, with nine tournaments, a Summer/Fall Tour, with five tournaments, and a Winter Tour with six tournaments. Each tour segment had its own finals tournament. Total prize money, including bonuses, for the circuit was $7,933,000 which represented an increase of approximately $5 million compared to 1981.
The 1986 WCT Tournament of Champions, also known by its sponsored name Shearson Lehman Brothers Tournament of Champions, was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City in the United States. The event was part of the 1986 Grand Prix circuit and was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). It was the tenth edition of the tournament and was held from May 5 through May 11, 1986. Fourth-seeded Yannick Noah won the singles title.
The 1972 Charlotte Tennis Classic, also known by its sponsored name North Carolina National Bank Tennis Classic, was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts that was part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit. It was the second edition of the tournament and was held from April 18 through April 23, 1972 at the Julian J. Clark Tennis Stadium, owned by the Olde Providence Racquet Club in Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States. Second-seeded Ken Rosewall won the singles title.
The 1977 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 3 star category of the 1977 Grand Prix circuit. It was the sixth edition of the tournament and took place from April 18 through April 24, 1977. First-seeded Björn Borg won the singles competition.
The 1979 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 1979 Grand Prix circuit. It was the eighth edition of the tournament and took place from February 19 through February 25, 1979. Sixth-seeded Wojciech Fibak won the singles competition.
The 1980 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 1980 Grand Prix circuit. It was the ninth edition of the tournament and took place from February 18 through February 24, 1980. Second-seeded Gene Mayer won the singles competition.
The 1981 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 1981 Grand Prix circuit. It was the tenth edition of the tournament and took place from March 2 through March 8, 1981. First-seeded Gene Mayer won the singles competition.
The 1982 United Bank Classic, also known as the Denver WCT, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Denver, Colorado in the United States that was part of the 1982 Grand Prix circuit. It was the 11th and last edition of the tournament and took place from February 1 through February 7, 1982. Unseeded John Sadri won the singles competition.
Rod Laver 
Marty Riessen 
Mark Cox 
Björn Borg 
Wojciech Fibak 
Andrés Gómez 
Tom Okker 
Jun Kamiwazumi 
Bob Hewitt 
Heinz Günthardt 
Andrew Pattison 
