Moscow International Indoor Championships

Moscow International Indoor Championships
USSR International Indoor Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit
(1956–72)
ILTF Independent Tour
(1973–75)
Founded1956 (1956)
Abolished1975 (1975)
LocationMoscow, Soviet Union
SurfaceWood (indoors)
Carpet (indoors)

The Moscow International Indoor Championships[1] was a men's and women's open international indoor tennis tournament founded in 1956 as the Moscow International Covered Court Championships.[2] The tournament was organised by the Tennis Federation of the USSR was played initially on wood courts switching to carpet courts later in Moscow, Soviet Union until 1975.

The event occasionally carried the joint denomination of USSR International Covered Court Championships or USSR International Indoor Championships.[2] The championships were part ILTF European Circuit a sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit until 1972 then became part of the ILTF Independent Tour from 1973 until it was discontinued.[2]

History

In the mid-1950s confrontational relations between the Western Bloc and Soviet Union eased in part the Khrushchev Thaw a policy of de-Stalinization by then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev,[3] meant that Soviet players were free to travel to overseas international tournaments, while foreign players could take part in a limited number of tournaments within the USSR, mainly in the capital Moscow.

The two prominent international tournaments for foreign players to participate in were the Moscow International Indoor Championships, usually late winter in February to early spring in March.[2] The second international tennis event was Moscow International Championships or (USSR International Championships) usually staged in the summer at the end of July, beginning of August and was played on clay courts.[2] Additionally two closed tournaments were also held in Moscow for Soviet players only the Moscow Indoor Championships and the Moscow Outdoor Championships.[2]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1956 József Asbóth Sergei Andreev 7-9, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1957 Jiri Javorsky Sergei Andreev 6-4, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1958 Robert Haillet Jacques Brichant 6-2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2.[2]
1960 Gérard Pilet Wilhelm Bungert 6-1, 6–1, 6–0.[2]
1961 Tomas Lejus Alan Mills 6-2, 6–3, 5–7, 7–5.[2]
1962 Tomas Lejus (2) Sergio Jacobini 7-5, 8–6, 6–4.[2]
1963 Tomas Lejus (3) Jan Leschly 6-0, 1–6, 6–3, 6–2.[2]
1964 Alexander Metreveli Tomas Lejus 7-5, 6–4, 1–6, 2–6, 7–5.[2]
1965 Tomas Lejus (4) Alexander Metreveli 6-4, 7–5, 8–6.[2]
1967 Pierre Darmon Alexander Metreveli 4-6, 17–15, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7.[2]
1968 Alexander Metreveli (2) Tomas Lejus 6-4, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Tomas Lejus (5) Vladimir Karlovich Palman 6-4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1971 Alexander Metreveli (3) Anatoli Volkov 6-3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973 Teimuraz Kakulia Balazs Taroczy 5-7, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[2]
1974 Anatoli Volkov Vladimir Korotkov 6-1, 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.[2]
1975 Anatoli Volkov (2) Jewgeni Bobojedow 6-3, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3.[2]

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1957 Vera Puzejova Olga Miskova Gazdikova 6-3, 6-1
1958 Christiane Mercelis Suzanne Schmitt 9-7, 6-0
1959 Christiane Mercelis (2) Suzanne Schmitt 7-5, 6-2
1960 Irina Ryazanova Aline Nenot 6-4, 7-5
1961 Irina Ryazanova (2) Silvana Lazzarino 6-8, 6–4, 6-0
1962 Anna Dmitrieva Lea Pericoli 6-2, 7-5
1963 Anna Dmitrieva (2) ? RR event
1964 Anna Dmitrieva (3) Valeria Kuzmenko Titova 8-6, 6-2
1965 Helga Schultze Tiiu Kivi 2-6, 8–6, 6-3
1966 Galina Baksheeva Maria Kull 6-0, 6–8, 7-5
1967 Anna Dmitrieva (4) Galina Baksheeva 9-7, 6-4
1968 Virginia Wade Galina Baksheeva 6-1, 6–8, 6-4
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Olga Morozova Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-2
1970 Helga Niessen Olga Morozova 7-5, 2–6, 6-3
1971 Olga Morozova (2) Maria Kull 6-1, 7-5
1972 Evgenia Biryukova Anna Dmitrieva 6-4, 6-3
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973 Olga Morozova (3) Galina Baksheeva 6-2, 6-3
1974 Olga Morozova (4) Marina Kroshina 6-3, 6-1

References

  1. ^ "Winnie Slams The Russians". The Daily Mirror. London, England: The Wikipedia Library - Newspaper Archive.Com. 21 Feb 1969. p. 31. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Tournaments: Moscow International Covered Court - Indoor Championships". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. ^ Osipova, Zinaida (September 2019). "When the Soviets Domesticated the West". Origins. Ohio State University. Retrieved 13 October 2023.