U.S. Pro Indoor

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U.S. Pro Indoor
Defunct tennis tournament
Event namePhiladelphia
TourILTF World Circuit (1962–68, 70)
WCT circuit (1969, 1971–77)
Grand Prix Tour (1978–89)
ATP Tour (1990–98)
Founded1962
Abolished1998
Editions37
LocationPhiladelphia, PA, U.S.
SurfaceHard (i) (1993/97–98)
Carpet (i) (1968–92/94–96)

The U.S. Professional Indoor Championships, also known as U.S. Pro Indoor,[1] was a professional tennis tournament founded in 1962 as the Philadelphia Invitational Indoor Tennis Championships. [2] The tournament was held in Philadelphia, United States from 1962 to 1998. It played on indoor carpet courts, and indoor hard courts. It was part of the ILTF World Circuit from 1962 to 1967 and again in 1970, the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit in 1968, 1969 and from 1971 to 1977 and the Grand Prix Tour from 1978 to 1989 before being held on the 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.

History[edit]

The tournament was founded in 1962 as the Philadelphia Invitational Indoor Tennis Championships.[3][4] This tournament until 1970 was part of the ILTF World Circuit.[4] In 1964 the tournament was also known as the Philadelphia Indoor Championships.[4][5] In 1969 the name was changed to the Philadelphia International Indoor Open Championships.[4] In 1970 the tournament was organised by the International Tennis Players Association (founded in 1965 as the International Professional Tennis Players Association)[6] and branded as the International Tennis Players Association Open Indoor[7] or ITPA Open Indoor. In 1971 the tournament was re-branded as the Philadelphia International Indoor Open Championships[8] also called the Philadelphia International Indoor[9]

In 1972 the United States Professional Indoor tennis championships were created in Philadelphia, United States, as part of the WCT circuit,[10][11] rival of the National Tennis League (NTL). As the first event of the season, the Philadelphia U.S. Professional Indoor attracted all WCT stars at the Philadelphia Spectrum at each of its yearly editions, with Rod Laver, John Newcombe or Marty Riessen winning the event in the early 1970s. After the WCT absorbed the NTL in 1970, the tournament continued to exist within the WCT tour until 1978, when the event officially became part of the Grand Prix Tour, precursor of the current ATP Tour.

As part of the Grand Prix's top tier tournaments until 1986, the Philadelphia event known as the U.S. Pro Indoor since 1973, saw American players dominating the fields in the 1970s and 1980s, with Tim Mayotte reaching four finals, World No. 1s Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe six finals each, and Czechoslovak Ivan Lendl three. In 1985, Swiss watch company Ebel S.A. started its six-year sponsorship of the event, the tournament becoming until 1990 the Ebel U.S. Pro Indoor.[12][13] The event entered the new ATP circuit in 1990 as part of the Championship Series, to see eighteen-year-old, and future US Open champion Pete Sampras win his first career title against Andrés Gómez.

In 1991, the event lost Ebel's sponsorship,[14] and went back to being the U.S. Pro Indoor for two editions, before Comcast became the sponsor of the event in 1992, effectively saving it from being discontinued.[15] In the following years, the Comcast U.S. Indoor's prize money was reduced to less than a million dollars, preventing the creation of attractive line ups, and gaining the nickname "Comatose U.S. Indoor".[16] In 1997, Advanta, already the sponsor of the 1971-created women's tournament of Philadelphia, the Advanta Championships, since 1995, took upon the sponsorship of the men's event, which also became the Advanta Championships. Pete Sampras won his third and fourth Philadelphia titles in the last two editions of the event, taking place on indoor hard courts at the CoreStates Center, before it was definitely discontinued in 1998.

Finals[edit]

Pete Sampras won his first career singles title in Philadelphia in 1990, defeating Andrés Gómez in the final – he eventually reached four more finals, winning three times

Singles[edit]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1962 United States Jon Douglas United States Ronald Holmberg 5–7, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 7–5
1963 United States Whitney Reed United States Frank Froehling 4–6, 6–1, 8–6, 6–4
1964 United States Chuck McKinley Mexico Rafael Osuna 6–3, 8–6, 5–7, 4–6, 6–3
1965 United States Charlie Pasarell New Zealand Ian Crookenden 6–8, 11–9, 8–6, 6–4
1966 United States Charlie Pasarell United States Arthur Ashe 13–11, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7
1967 United States Arthur Ashe United States Charlie Pasarell 7–5, 9–7, 6–3
1968 Spain Manuel Santana Denmark Jan Leschly 8–6, 6–3
1969 Australia Rod Laver Australia Tony Roche 7–5, 6–4, 6–4
1970 Australia Rod Laver (2) Australia Tony Roche 6–3, 8–6, 6–2
1971 Australia John Newcombe Australia Rod Laver 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–1), 6–4
1972 Australia Rod Laver (3) Australia Ken Rosewall 4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1973 United States Stan Smith United States Robert Lutz 7–6(7–2), 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 6–4
1974 Australia Rod Laver (4) United States Arthur Ashe 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1975 United States Marty Riessen United States Vitas Gerulaitis 7–6(7–1), 5–7, 6–2, 6–7(0–7), 6–3
1976 United States Jimmy Connors Sweden Björn Borg 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–0
1977 United States Dick Stockton United States Jimmy Connors 3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2
1978 United States Jimmy Connors (2) United States Roscoe Tanner 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1979 United States Jimmy Connors (3) United States Arthur Ashe 6–3, 6–4, 6–1
1980 United States Jimmy Connors (4) United States John McEnroe 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1981 United States Roscoe Tanner Poland Wojtek Fibak 6–2, 7–6(7–5), 7–5
1982 United States John McEnroe United States Jimmy Connors 6–3, 6–3, 6–1
1983 United States John McEnroe (2) Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl 4–6, 7–6(9–7), 6–4, 6–3
1984 United States John McEnroe (3) Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
1985 United States John McEnroe (4) Czechoslovakia Miloslav Mečíř 6–3, 7–6(7–5), 6–1
1986 Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl United States Tim Mayotte (walkover)
1987 United States Tim Mayotte United States John McEnroe 3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–1
1988 United States Tim Mayotte (2) Australia John Fitzgerald 4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–3
1989 Germany Boris Becker United States Tim Mayotte 7–6(7–4), 6–1, 6–3
1990 United States Pete Sampras Ecuador Andrés Gómez 7–6(7–4), 7–5, 6–2
1991 Czechoslovakia Ivan Lendl (2) United States Pete Sampras 5–7, 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1992 United States Pete Sampras (2) Israel Amos Mansdorf 6–1, 7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–6(7–2)
1993 Australia Mark Woodforde United States Ivan Lendl 5–4 (ret.)
1994 United States Michael Chang Netherlands Paul Haarhuis 6–3, 6–2
1995 Sweden Thomas Enqvist United States Michael Chang 0–6, 6–4, 6–0
1996 United States Jim Courier United States Chris Woodruff 6–4, 6–3
1997 United States Pete Sampras (3) Australia Patrick Rafter 5–7, 7–6(7–4), 6–3
1998 United States Pete Sampras (4) Sweden Thomas Enqvist 7–5, 7–6(7–3)

Doubles[edit]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1968 Not held
1969 Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Marty Riessen
Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
8–6, 6–4
1970 Romania Ilie Năstase
Romania Ion Țiriac
United States Arthur Ashe
United States Dennis Ralston
6–4, 6–3
1971 Competition stopped at the quarterfinals stage
1972 United States Arthur Ashe
United States Robert Lutz
Australia John Newcombe
Australia Tony Roche
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
1973 United States Brian Gottfried
United States Dick Stockton
Australia Roy Emerson
Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1974 South Africa Pat Cramer
United States Mike Estep
France Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau
France Georges Goven
6–1, 6–1
1975 United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
United States Dick Stockton
United States Erik van Dillen
3–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
1976 Australia Rod Laver
United States Dennis Ralston
South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–3)
1977 South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
Poland Wojtek Fibak
Netherlands Tom Okker
6–1, 1–6, 6–3
1978 South Africa Bob Hewitt
South Africa Frew McMillan
United States Vitas Gerulaitis
United States Sandy Mayer
6–4, 6–4
1979 Poland Wojtek Fibak
Netherlands Tom Okker
United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
5–7, 6–1, 6–3
1980 United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 7–6
1981 United States Sherwood Stewart
United States Marty Riessen
United States Brian Gottfried
Mexico Raúl Ramírez
6–2, 6–2
1982 United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
United States Sherwood Stewart
United States Ferdi Taygan
7–6, 6–4
1983 South Africa Kevin Curren
United States Steve Denton
United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
6–4, 7–6
1984 United States Peter Fleming
United States John McEnroe
France Henri Leconte
France Yannick Noah
6–2, 6–3
1985 Sweden Mats Wilander
Sweden Joakim Nyström
Poland Wojtek Fibak
United States Sandy Mayer
3–6, 6–2, 6–2
1986 United States Scott Davis
United States David Pate
Sweden Stefan Edberg
Sweden Anders Järryd
7–6, 3–6, 6–3, 7–5
1987 Spain Sergio Casal
Spain Emilio Sánchez
South Africa Christo Steyn
South Africa Danie Visser
3–6, 6–1, 7–6
1988 New Zealand Kelly Evernden
United States Johan Kriek
United States Kevin Curren
South Africa Danie Visser
7–6, 6–3
1989 United States Paul Annacone
South Africa Christo van Rensburg
United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
6–3, 7–5
1990 United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
Canada Grant Connell
Canada Glenn Michibata
3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1991 United States Rick Leach
United States Jim Pugh
Germany Udo Riglewski
Germany Michael Stich
6–4, 6–4
1992 Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
United States Jim Grabb
United States Richey Reneberg
6–4, 7–6
1993 United States Jim Grabb
United States Richey Reneberg
South Africa Marcos Ondruska
United States Brad Pearce
6–7, 6–3, 6–0
1994 Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
United States Jim Grabb
United States Jared Palmer
6–3, 6–4
1995 United States Jim Grabb
United States Jonathan Stark
Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
7–6, 6–7, 6–3
1996 Australia Todd Woodbridge
Australia Mark Woodforde
Zimbabwe Byron Black
Canada Grant Connell
7–6, 6–2
1997 Canada Sébastien Lareau
United States Alex O'Brien
South Africa Ellis Ferreira
United States Patrick Galbraith
6–3, 6–3
1998 Netherlands Jacco Eltingh
Netherlands Paul Haarhuis
Australia David Macpherson
United States Richey Reneberg
7–6, 6–7, 6–2

Records[edit]

Singles[edit]

Most titles Australia Rod Laver 4
United States Jimmy Connors
United States John McEnroe
United States Pete Sampras
Most finals United States Jimmy Connors 6
United States John McEnroe
Most consecutive titles United States John McEnroe
(1982–1985)
4
Most consecutive finals United States Jimmy Connors
(1976–1980)
5

Event names[edit]

A chronological list of this tournaments names:

  • Philadelphia Invitational Indoor Tennis Championships (1962–1965)
  • Philadelphia International Indoor Championships (1966–1968)
  • International Tennis Players Association Open Indoor (1970)
  • Philadelphia International Indoor Open Championships (1969, 1971)
  • U.S. Professional Indoor (1972–1984)
  • Ebel U.S. Pro Indoor (1985–1990)
  • U.S. Pro Indoor (1991–1992)
  • Comcast U.S. Indoor (1993-1996)
  • Advanta Championships (1997–1998)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tingay, Lance (1973). "Philadelphia - New Dimension In Tennis by Laurie Pignon". In Barrett, John (ed.). World Tennis' 73 A BP AND COMMERCIAL UNION YEARBOOK. London: The Queen Anne Press Ltd. pp. 142, 143. ISBN 0362000913.
  2. ^ McManus, Jim (2010). History of Tournaments: Professional Tennis Winners and Runner-ups. Pont Vedra Beach: MAC and Company Publishing. p. 300. ISBN 9781450728331.
  3. ^ McManus
  4. ^ a b c d "Tournaments: Philadelphia Indoor Invitation - Philadelphia Indoor Open Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ "McKinley Wins Meet". Jeffersonville Evening News. Jeffersonville, Indiana: Wikipedia Library - Newspaper Archive. Com. 17 February 1964. p. 7. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  6. ^ Kramer, Jack (1974). Robertson, Max (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. p. 74. ISBN 0047960426.
  7. ^ Tingay, Lance (1971). "US Tournaments". In Barrett, John (ed.). World Tennis' 71 A BP YEARBOOK. London: The Queen Anne Press Ltd. p. 240. ISBN 0362000913.
  8. ^ Amur, Neil Amur (11 February 1971). "Rosewall Is Upset by Davidson in First Round of Philadelphia Open Tennis". The New York Times. New York City. p. 62. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  9. ^ Tingay, Lance (1971). "US Tournaments". In Barrett, John (ed.). World Tennis' 71 A BP YEARBOOK. London: The Queen Anne Press Ltd. p. 145. ISBN 0362000913.
  10. ^ "Tournaments: U.S. Pro Indoor Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  11. ^ World Tennis' 73
  12. ^ Tuller, David (1987-06-07). "What's New In The Tennis Business". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  13. ^ Bill Fleischman (January 27, 1986). "U.S. Pro Indoor Has Come In From The Cold". Philly.com.
  14. ^ Macnow, Glen (1991-02-12). "Hard Times For Pro Indoor Title Sponsor Missing For First Time In Years". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  15. ^ Jensen, Mike (1991-11-08). "New Sponsorship Saves Spectrum Tournament". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  16. ^ Fleishman, Bill (1997-02-21). "1996 Finalist Wooruff To Skip Advanta". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-23.

External links[edit]