River Oaks International Tennis Tournament

River Oaks International
Defunct tennis tournament
TourGrand Prix (1971)
WCT (1972–1977)
Grand Prix (1978–1981)
WCT (1982–1984)
Founded1931
Abolished2007
Editions73
LocationHouston, Texas, U.S.
VenueRiver Oaks Country Club
SurfaceClay / outdoor

The River Oaks International Tennis Tournament, also known as the River Oaks Invitational Tennis Tournament, was a men's tennis tournament held in early spring from 1931 until 2007 at the River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas, USA.[1] The tournament was the oldest in the country to still be played at its original site, in the original stadium. The tournament was founded by cotton broker Jack Norton.[2] From the very beginning, the River Oaks International was an invitational amateur tournament, and was not associated with the professional tennis associations. From the start, the field was filled with a few stars and then local candidates filled out the rest of the field. The inaugural edition in April 1931, which made a loss of $1,500, was won by 19-year-old Ellsworth Vines.[3][4] The tournament was not held during the World War II years 1942–1945.[5]

In 1971 the tournament was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit while from 1973 until 1977 it formed part of the World Championship Tennis circuit.[2][6] One of the landmark tournament events was in 1974, the championship match was broadcast before a national audience; thirty-four-year-old Rod Laver, met heir apparent, seventeen-year-old Björn Borg. Laver, who in 1961 became the first foreign player to win the singles title, won in straight sets and became the first man to hold four singles championships at River Oaks.[7]

In 2008, the River Oaks International was merged with one of the oldest, and last remaining clay court tournaments in the United States, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.[8][9]

Finals

Singles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1931 Ellsworth Vines Bruce Barnes 6–3, 6–4, 10–8
1932 Wilmer Allison Jake Hess 8–6, 6–3, 6–2
1933 Frank Parker George Lott 7–5, 10–12, 6–4, 6–2
1934 Lester Stoefen Wilmer Allison 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1935 Bryan Grant Wilmer Allison 6–3, 1–6, 6–4, 6–4
1936 Bryan Grant Wilmer Allison 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–0
1937 Bryan Grant Wilmer Allison 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
1938 Wayne Sabin Ernest Sutter 6–4, 4–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
1939 Frank Guernsey Frank Kovacs 4–6, 7–5, 6–1, 6–3
1940 Robert Riggs Bryan Grant 7–5, 6–3, 7–5
1941 Frank Kovacs Bryan Grant 6–4, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1942 No competition (due to WWII)
1943
1944
1945
1946 Gardnar Mulloy William Talbert 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1947 Jack Kramer Gardnar Mulloy 6–1, 6–0, 6–2
1948 Frank Parker William Talbert 9–7, 6–2, 6–1
1949 Ted Schroeder William Talbert 6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
1950 Robert Falkenburg Ted Schroeder 6–0, 15–13, 3–6, 6–4
1951 Arthur Larsen Herbert Flam 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 10–8
1952 Gardnar Mulloy Arthur Larsen 6–3, 3–6, 3–6, 8–6, 6–4
1953 Gardnar Mulloy Vic Seixas 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
1954 Dick Savitt Ham Richardson 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 7–5
1955 Tony Trabert Vic Seixas 6–0, 6–1, 6–4
1956 Ham Richardson Vic Seixas 7–5, 6–0, 3–6, 6–4
1957 Herbert Flam Mervyn Rose 7–5, 6–1, 6–4
1958 Barry MacKay (tennis) Luis Ayala 8–10, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3
1959 Bernard Bartzen Dick Savitt 2–6, 7–5, 4–6, 0–2 retired
1960 Barry MacKay (tennis) Neale Fraser 7–5, 6–3, 6–4
1961 Rod Laver Roy Emerson 7–5, 7–5, 1–6, 6–3
1962 Rod Laver Roy Emerson 6–1, 7–5, 7–5
1963 Manuel Santana Chuck McKinley 6–4, 13-11, 3–6, 2–6, 6–4
1964 Roy Emerson Nikola Pilić 6–1, 6–4, 6–2
1965 Ramanathan Krishnan Cliff Richey 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
1966 Marty Mulligan Nikola Pilić 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 0–6, 4–5
1967 John Newcombe Tony Roche 6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1968 Cliff Richey Boro Jovanović 6–4, 6–1, 6–0
1969 Željko Franulović Rafael Osuna 7–5, 6–3, 6–2
1970 Clark Graebner Cliff Richey 2–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3, 6–2
1971 Cliff Richey Clark Graebner 6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1972 Rod Laver Ken Rosewall 6–2, 6–4
1973 Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle 6–4, 6–1, 7–5
1974 Rod Laver Björn Borg 7–6, 6–2
1975 Ken Rosewall Cliff Drysdale 6–4, 6–7, 6–4
1976 Harold Solomon Ken Rosewall 6–4, 1–6, 6–1
1977 Adriano Panatta Vitas Gerulaitis 7–6, 6–7, 6–1
1978 Brian Gottfried Ilie Năstase 3.6, 6–2, 6–1
1979 José Higueras Gene Mayer 6–3, 2–6, 7–6
1980 Ivan Lendl Eddie Dibbs 6–1, 6–3
1981 Guillermo Vilas Sammy Giammalva Jr. 6–2, 6–4
1982 Ivan Lendl José Luis Clerc 3–6, 7–6, 6–0, 1–4 retired
1983 Ivan Lendl Paul McNamee 6–2, 6–0, 6–3
1984 Mark Dickson Sammy Giammalva Jr. 6–3, 6–2
1985 Paul McNamee Anders Järryd 7–6, 4–6, 6–4
1986 Jimmy Arias Mats Wilander 6–2, 2–6, 6–1
1987 Jimmy Arias Jonas Svensson 6–2, 6–4
1988 Henri Leconte Michael Chang 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
1989 Magnus Gustafsson Bruno Orešar 6–2, 6–0
1990 Richey Reneberg Magnus Gustafsson 6–4, 6–4
1991 Magnus Gustafsson Magnus Larsson 6–7, 7–6, 6–1
1992 Bryan Shelton Jeff Tarango 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1993 Richey Reneberg Todd Martin 5–7, 6–3, 6–3
1994 Magnus Larsson Richey Reneberg 6–4, 6–2
1995 Mikael Tillström Richard Fromberg 6–3, 6–4
1996 Christian Ruud Jeff Tarango 3–6, 6–3, 7–5
1997 Jason Stoltenberg Alex O'Brien 6–2, 4–6, 7–5
1998 Mariano Zabaleta Xavier Malisse 7–6, 6–2
1999 Vince Spadea Jason Stoltenberg 6–4, 6–2
2000 Magnus Larsson Roger Federer 3–6, 6–1, 7–5
2001 Andrei Pavel Christian Ruud 6–3, 6–4
2002 Michel Kratochvil Wayne Ferreira 6–4, 4–6, 7–6
2003 James Blake Wayne Ferreira 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
2004 Jiří Novák &
Hugo Armando		 Title shared
2005 James Blake Dmitri Tursunov 6–2, 6–3
2006 Victor Hănescu Juan Mónaco 6–7, 6–4, 7–5
2007 Dmitri Tursunov Nicolás Massú 2–6, 1–0 retired
2008 see U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships

See also

References

  1. ^ "River Oaks: Showcase Of Tennis". Sports Illustrated. April 20, 1959. pp. 22–26.
  2. ^ a b Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 307. ISBN 9780047960420.
  3. ^ Dale Robertson (April 4, 2004). "River Oaks stages 70th edition of quaint event that boasts legend-filled history". www.chron.com. Houston Chronicle.
  4. ^ "River Oaks Tennis Title Won by Vines". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Apr 13, 1931.
  5. ^ Dale Robertson (April 7, 2012). "On tennis: Players love center court at River Oaks". The Houston Chronicle.
  6. ^ "River Oaks Tennis To Have New Look". Schenectady Gazette. Apr 2, 1973.
  7. ^ "Laver Snaps River Oaks Tennis Jinx". The Pittsburgh Press. Apr 17, 1961.
  8. ^ "U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships". www.mensclaycourt.com. ROCC.
  9. ^ "River Oaks tennis tourney finds way to endure". The Houston Chronicle. April 5, 2009.
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