1972 World Championship Tennis circuit

1972 World Championship Tennis circuit
	Newcombe won 6 tour titles
Details
Duration	6 February 1972 – 26 November 1972
Edition	5th
Tournaments	24
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titles	John Newcombe (6)
Most tournament finals	Rod Laver (7) ; Ken Rosewall (7)
Points leader	John Newcombe
	← 1971 1973 →

The 1972 World Championship Tennis circuit was one of the two rival professional male tennis circuits of 1972. It was organized by World Championship Tennis (WCT). The circuit included twenty-three regular events, and two circuit finals, one taking place in May, counting for the second half of the 1971 season, and the first part of the 1972 season, and a smaller one taking place in November, counting for the second half of the 1972 season, from July through November.^[1]

Schedule

This is the complete schedule of events on the 1972 WCT circuit, with player progression documented until the quarterfinals stage.^[2]

Key

WCT Finals
Regular series

February

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
6 Feb	Fidelity WCT Richmond, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Rod Laver 2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3	Cliff Drysdale	Arthur Ashe John Newcombe	Robert Lutz Roy Emerson Charlie Pasarell Roger Taylor
6 Feb		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 7–6	John Newcombe Tony Roche	Arthur Ashe John Newcombe	Robert Lutz Roy Emerson Charlie Pasarell Roger Taylor
8 Feb	U.S. Professional Indoor Philadelphia, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Rod Laver 4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2	Ken Rosewall	Arthur Ashe Tom Okker	Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Jeff Borowiak Robert Lutz
8 Feb		Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz 6–3, 6–7, 6–3	John Newcombe Tony Roche	Arthur Ashe Tom Okker	Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Jeff Borowiak Robert Lutz
20 Feb	Canadian Open (WCT) Toronto, Ontario, Canada Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Rod Laver 6–1, 6–4	Ken Rosewall	Tom Okker Charlie Pasarell	Roger Taylor Roy Emerson Fred Stolle Marty Riessen
20 Feb		Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels 6–4, 4–6, 6–4	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	Tom Okker Charlie Pasarell	Roger Taylor Roy Emerson Fred Stolle Marty Riessen

March

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
5 Mar	Saga Bay Tennis Classic Hollywood, United States Regular series Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Ken Rosewall 3–6, 6–2, 6–4	Cliff Drysdale	Fred Stolle Charlie Pasarell	Roger Taylor Ismail El Shafei Mark Cox Arthur Ashe
5 Mar		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–5, 6–4	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	Fred Stolle Charlie Pasarell	Roger Taylor Ismail El Shafei Mark Cox Arthur Ashe
16 Mar	Kemper International Tennis Tournament Chicago, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Tom Okker 4–6, 6–2, 6–3	Arthur Ashe	Robert Lutz Ken Rosewall	Charlie Pasarell Marty Riessen John Alexander Robert Lutz
16 Mar		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 6–3	Roy Emerson Rod Laver	Robert Lutz Ken Rosewall	Charlie Pasarell Marty Riessen John Alexander Robert Lutz

April

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
9 Apr	River Oaks Tennis Tournament Houston, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Rod Laver 6–2, 6–4	Ken Rosewall	Tom Okker Roger Taylor	William Bowrey John Alexander John Newcombe Nikola Pilić
9 Apr		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 6–3, 6–3	Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle	Tom Okker Roger Taylor	William Bowrey John Alexander John Newcombe Nikola Pilić
16 Apr	Rothmans International Quebec Quebec City, Canada Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Marty Riessen 7–5, 6–2, 7–5	Rod Laver	Cliff Drysdale Arthur Ashe	Charlie Pasarell Roger Taylor Roy Emerson Ken Rosewall
16 Apr		Bob Carmichael Ray Ruffels 4–6, 6–3, 7–5	Terry Addison John Alexander	Cliff Drysdale Arthur Ashe	Charlie Pasarell Roger Taylor Roy Emerson Ken Rosewall
23 Apr	Charlotte Tennis Classic Charlotte, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Ken Rosewall 2–6, 6–2, 6–2	Cliff Richey	Cliff Drysdale John Alexander	Mark Cox William Bowrey Tom Okker Marty Riessen
23 Apr		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–4, 4–6, 7–6	John Newcombe Tony Roche	Cliff Drysdale John Alexander	Mark Cox William Bowrey Tom Okker Marty Riessen
30 Apr	United Bank Classic Denver, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S Singles	Rod Laver 4–6, 6–3, 6–4	Marty Riessen	Roy Emerson Tom Okker	Robert Lutz John Newcombe Arthur Ashe John Alexander
30 Apr		Roy Emerson Rod Laver 1–6, 6–4, 6–3	Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor	Roy Emerson Tom Okker	Robert Lutz John Newcombe Arthur Ashe John Alexander

May

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
1 May	Alan King Tennis Classic Las Vegas, United States Regular series $50,000 – hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 6–3, 6–4	Cliff Drysdale	Marty Riessen Frank Froehling	Rod Laver Roger Taylor Tom Okker Ken Rosewall
1 May		Roy Emerson Rod Laver default	John Newcombe Tony Roche	Marty Riessen Frank Froehling	Rod Laver Roger Taylor Tom Okker Ken Rosewall
10 May	WCT Finals Dallas, United States WCT Finals $50,000 – carpet (i) – 8S Singles	Ken Rosewall 4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6	Rod Laver	Marty Riessen Arthur Ashe	John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Tom Okker Robert Lutz

July

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
1 Jul	Holton Tennis Classic St. Louis, United States Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 6–3, 6–3	Nikola Pilić	Cliff Drysdale Charlie Pasarell	Tony Roche Tom Okker Marty Riessen Cliff Richey
1 Jul		John Newcombe Tony Roche 7–6, 6–2	John Alexander Phil Dent	Cliff Drysdale Charlie Pasarell	Tony Roche Tom Okker Marty Riessen Cliff Richey
12 Jul	Washington Star International Washington, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Tony Roche 3–6, 7–6, 6–4	Marty Riessen	Ray Ruffels John Newcombe	John Alexander Cliff Richey Arthur Ashe Ismail El Shafei
12 Jul		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 3–6, 6–3, 6–2	John Newcombe Tony Roche	Ray Ruffels John Newcombe	John Alexander Cliff Richey Arthur Ashe Ismail El Shafei
29 Jul	First National Tennis Classic Louisville, United States Regular series Clay – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Arthur Ashe 6–4, 6–4	Mark Cox	John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale	Marty Riessen Tony Roche Tom Okker Nikola Pilić
29 Jul		John Alexander Phil Dent 6–4, 6–3	Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz	John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale	Marty Riessen Tony Roche Tom Okker Nikola Pilić

August

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
6 Aug	U.S. Pro Tennis Championships Boston, United States Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Robert Lutz 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4	Tom Okker	Cliff Drysdale Arthur Ashe	Rod Laver Marty Riessen Nikola Pilić Tony Roche
6 Aug		Tony Roche John Newcombe 6–3, 1–6, 7–6	Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz	Cliff Drysdale Arthur Ashe	Rod Laver Marty Riessen Nikola Pilić Tony Roche
13 Aug	Cleveland Classic Cleveland, United States Regular series Hard – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Mark Cox 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4	Ray Ruffels	Roger Taylor Cliff Drysdale	Ken Rosewall Nikola Pilić Marty Riessen Ismail El Shafei
13 Aug		Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor 7–6, 6–3	Frank Froehling Charlie Pasarell	Roger Taylor Cliff Drysdale	Ken Rosewall Nikola Pilić Marty Riessen Ismail El Shafei
20 Aug	Colonial Nat'l Invitation Tennis Tournament Fort Worth, United States Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 5–7, 1–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4	Ken Rosewall	Tom Okker Arthur Ashe	John Alexander Tony Roche Graham Stilwell Marty Riessen
20 Aug		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 6–2	Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle	Tom Okker Arthur Ashe	John Alexander Tony Roche Graham Stilwell Marty Riessen

September

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
11 Sep	Rothmans International Montreal, Quebec, Canada Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Arthur Ashe 7–5, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3	Roy Emerson	Ismail El Shafei Tom Okker	John Newcombe Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Cliff Richey
11 Sep		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–1, 4–6, 7–6	Robert Maud Ken Rosewall	Ismail El Shafei Tom Okker	John Newcombe Marty Riessen Cliff Drysdale Cliff Richey

October

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
1 Oct	Redwood Bank Pacific Coast Championships Alamo, United States Regular series Hard – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 6–1, 6–1, 7–5	Cliff Drysdale	Tom Okker Arthur Ashe	Terry Addison Mark Cox John Alexander Roy Emerson
1 Oct		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 7–6, 6–4	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	Tom Okker Arthur Ashe	Terry Addison Mark Cox John Alexander Roy Emerson
22 Oct	Rothmans International Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Regular series Carpet – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 7–5	Marty Riessen	Mark Cox Robert Lutz	Roy Emerson Tom Okker Brian Fairlie Arthur Ashe
22 Oct		John Newcombe Fred Stolle 7–6, 6–0	Cliff Drysdale Allan Stone	Mark Cox Robert Lutz	Roy Emerson Tom Okker Brian Fairlie Arthur Ashe
29 Oct	Canada Dry International Essen, West Germany Regular series Carpet (i) – 32S/16D Singles	Nikola Pilić 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 7–6	Robert Lutz	Cliff Richey Ismail El Shafei	John Newcombe Wilhelm Bungert Tom Okker Arthur Ashe

November

Week	Tournament	Champions	Runners-up	Semifinalists	Quarterfinalists
5 Nov	Swedish Pro Tennis Championships Gothenburg, Sweden Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	John Newcombe 6–0, 6–3, 6–1	Roy Emerson	Tom Okker Mark Cox	Allan Stone Roger Taylor Haroon Rahim Jeff Borowiak
5 Nov		Tom Okker Marty Riessen 6–2, 7–6	Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie	Tom Okker Mark Cox	Allan Stone Roger Taylor Haroon Rahim Jeff Borowiak
18 Nov	Rotterdam Indoors Rotterdam, Netherlands Regular series Carpet (i) – $50,000 – 32S/16D Singles – Doubles	Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–2, 6–1	Tom Okker	John Newcombe Mark Cox	Charlie Pasarell Robert Lutz Robin Drysdale Marty Riessen
18 Nov		Roy Emerson John Newcombe 6–2, 6–3	Arthur Ashe Robert Lutz	John Newcombe Mark Cox	Charlie Pasarell Robert Lutz Robin Drysdale Marty Riessen
26 Nov	WCT Winter Finals Rome, Italy WCT Finals Carpet (i) – $25,000 – 8S Singles	Arthur Ashe 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 7–6	Robert Lutz	Tom Okker Cliff Drysdale	Nikola Pilić Marty Riessen Mark Cox John Newcombe

Statistical information

These tables present the number of singles (S), and doubles (D) titles won by each player and each nation during the season, within all the tournament categories of the 1972 WCT circuit: the WCT Finals, and the regular series tournaments.^[2] The players/nations are sorted by: 1) total number of titles (a doubles title won by two players representing the same nation counts as only one win for the nation); 2) importance of those titles (a WCT Finals win equalling two regular tournaments wins); 3) a singles > doubles hierarchy; 4) alphabetical order (by family names for players).

Titles won by player

Total titles	Player	Finals	Regular series		All titles
Total titles	Player	S	S	D	S	D
10	John Newcombe		6	4	6	4
	Tom Okker		1	9	1	9
	Marty Riessen		1	9	1	9
7	Rod Laver		5	2	5	2
5	Arthur Ashe	1	3	1	4	1
3	Ken Rosewall	1	2		3	0
	Tony Roche		1	2	1	2
	Roy Emerson			3	0	3
2	Robert Lutz		1	1	1	1
	Bob Carmichael			2	0	2
	Ray Ruffels			2	0	2
1	Mark Cox		1		1	0
	Nikola Pilić		1		1	0
	Stan Smith		1		1	0
	John Alexander			1	0	1
	Jimmy Connors			1	0	1
	Phil Dent			1	0	1
	Cliff Drysdale			1	0	1
	Pancho Gonzales			1	0	1
	Fred Stolle			1	0	1
	Roger Taylor			1	0	1

Titles won by nation

Total titles	Nation	Finals	Regular series		All titles
Total titles	Nation	S	S	D	S	D
22	Australia	1	13	8	14	8
19	United States	1	6	12	7	12
10	Netherlands		1	9	1	9
2	United Kingdom		1	1	1	1
1	Yugoslavia		1		1	0
1	South Africa			1	0	1

Standings

These are the standings of the top twenty singles players on the WCT circuit, at the end of the 1971 World Championship Tennis circuit, and after each edition of the WCT Finals in the 1972 season.

1971 Standings
#	Player
1	Rod Laver
2	Tom Okker
3	Ken Rosewall
4	Cliff Drysdale
5	Arthur Ashe
6	John Newcombe
7	Marty Riessen
8	Robert Lutz
9	Roy Emerson
10	Andrés Gimeno
11	Charlie Pasarell
12	John Alexander
13	Dennis Ralston
14	Ray Ruffels
=	Ismail El Shafei
=	Nikola Pilić
17	Robert Maud
18	Mark Cox
19	Roger Taylor
20	Fred Stolle

1972 Standings (May)
#	Player
1	Rod Laver
2	Ken Rosewall
3	Tom Okker
4	Cliff Drysdale
5	Marty Riessen
6	Arthur Ashe
7	Robert Lutz
8	John Newcombe
9	Roy Emerson
=	Charlie Pasarell
11	John Alexander
12	Roger Taylor
13	Andrés Gimeno
14	Mark Cox
15	Jeff Borowiak
16	Fred Stolle
=	Nikola Pilić
18	Ismail El Shafei
19	Bob Carmichael
20	Ray Ruffels

1972 Standings (November)
#	Player
1	John Newcombe
2	Arthur Ashe
3	Tom Okker
4	Mark Cox
5	Cliff Drysdale
=	Marty Riessen
7	Robert Lutz
=	Nikola Pilić
9	Roy Emerson
=	Tony Roche
=	Ismail El Shafei
12	Cliff Richey
13	Charlie Pasarell
14	Ray Ruffels
15	Ken Rosewall
=	Roger Taylor
17	John Alexander
18	Bob Carmichael
=	Allan Stone
=	Haroon Rahim
=	Jeff Borowiak

References

^ John Barrett, ed. (1973). World of Tennis '73 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 141–148. ISBN 9780671216238.
^ ^a ^b "1972 Grand Prix and WCT circuits calendar". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

External links

[wot1973-1] John Barrett, ed. (1973). World of Tennis '73 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 141–148. ISBN 9780671216238.

[ATPCalendar-2] "1972 Grand Prix and WCT circuits calendar". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

[1]

[2]

v t e Men's tennis seasons
Seasons & ILTF Circuit	1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
ILTF Independent Tour ITF Independent Tour	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
National Tennis League	1968 1969
World Championship Tennis	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978–81: not held 1982 1983 1984
ILTF Grand Prix ITF Grand Prix	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
ATP Tour	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025