French Pro Championship#1939

{{Infobox tennis tournament

|name = French Pro Championships

|type = defunct

|founded = 1930

|ended = 1968

|location = Paris, France

|venue = Stade Roland Garros (1930–39,1956–1962,1968)
Palais des Sports (1950–1953)
Stade Pierre de Coubertin (1963–67)

|surface = Clay, Hard, Wood

|website =

}}

The French Pro Championship was a major tennis tournament founded in 1930 by the "Association Française des Professeurs de Tennis (AFPT)" and ran annually until 1968 when it was discontinued.

History

In 1930 the "Association Française des Professeurs de Tennis (AFPT)" held its first pro tournament, titled "Championnat International de France Professionnel" (French Pro Championships) June 18–22, 1930,Le Tennis en France 1875–1955 and is considered as a part of the professional major from 1927 to 1967 till the advent of Open Era. The tournament only had a men's draw.{{citation needed|reason=|date=November 2015}}

From 1930 the French Pro Championship were always played at Paris, on outdoor clay at Roland Garros except from 1963 to 1967 where it was held at Stade Pierre de Coubertin on indoor wood. Ken Rosewall holds the record for 8 wins overall and 7 consecutive wins.

There was a professional tournament at Roland Garros in 1952 held on a round robin basis, in which Segura finished first, winning the decider over Pancho Gonzales, Kramer third, and Budge fourth. There is no indication yet of recognition by the AFPT as the official French Pro.

There were tournaments played on indoor cement in 1950 and 1953 at the Palais des Sports. They are listed in the table below, but there is no suggestion that they were seen as official French Pro titles.

Champions

= Singles =

class="wikitable"
style="width:70px"|Year

!style="width:170px"|Champion

!style="width:170px"|Runner-up

!style="width:170px" class="unsortable"|Score

!style="width:170px"|Venue

!style="width:70px"|Surface

colspan=6 align="center"| Professional Era
1930{{flagicon|TCH}} Karel Koželuh{{flagicon|IRL}} Albert Burke6–1, 6–2, 6–1 {{cite web|title=French Pro Championships|url=http://www.tennis.co.nf/frenchpro.htm|website=www.tennis.co.nf|access-date=2017-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903204233/http://www.tennis.co.nf/frenchpro.htm|archive-date=2017-09-03|url-status=dead}}Roland GarrosClay
1931{{flagicon|FRA}} Martin Plaa{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon6–3, 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 Roland GarrosClay
1932{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon{{flagicon|FRA}} Martin Plaa6–4, 3–6, 8–6, 6–4 Roland GarrosClay
1933{{efn|name=_1933|In History of the Pro Tennis Wars{{cite web |title=Tennis Server - Between The Lines - Archive 2004 - 2015 |url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines-archive.html |website=tennisserver.com |access-date=31 July 2020}} Ray Bowers gives a detailed account of the first twenty years of the professional tennis tours, from a modest beginning in 1926 with Suzanne Lenglen and Vincent Richards as the main attractions, on through 1945. No mention is made of a French Pro tournament in 1933. The only professional competition played that year at Roland Garros was a USA-France meeting, September 22–24, in the Davis Cup format won by the USA 4–1 where Cochet overcame Bruce Barnes, Tilden defeated Plaa and Cochet, Barnes beat Plaa, and Americans then closed out the doubles. Many sources, probably incorrectly, considered the Tilden-Cochet match as a final of a supposed French Pro.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1123053 |title=Cochet as professional. |newspaper=The Courier-mail |issue=25 |date=25 September 1933 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}}}colspan=5 align=center style="background:#efefef"| Not held
1934{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Tilden{{flagicon|FRA}} Martin Plaa6–2, 6–4, 7–5 Roland GarrosClay
1935{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ellsworth Vines{{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Hans Nüsslein10–8, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 Roland GarrosClay
1936{{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Cochet{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon6–3, 6–1, 6–1 Roland GarrosClay
1937{{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Hans Nüsslein{{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Cochet6–2, 8–6, 6–3 Roland GarrosClay
1938{{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Hans Nüsslein{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Tilden6–0, 6–1, 6–2 Roland GarrosClay
1939{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Don Budge{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ellsworth Vines6–2, 7–5, 6–3 Roland GarrosClay
1940–1949colspan=5 align=center style="background:#efefef"| Not held
1950{{efn|name=_1950_1953|In 1953, from Saturday November 21 to Sunday November 22, a 4-man (Sedgman winner, Gonzales runner-up, Segura 3rd and Budge 4th) professional tournament was held in Paris on indoor red cement at the Palais des Sports but there is no mention that this tournament was a French Pro: in particular in the January 1954 edition of Tennis de France, the French magazine, run by Philippe Chatrier (future president of the ILTF) who made the report of this tournament by interviewing the winner Frank Sedgman. Joe McCauley included this tournament in his list of French Pro tournaments but in the precis to his book History of Professional Tennis mentions that it may not have been considered at the time as an official French Pro. In January 1950 at the same site Pancho Segura defeated Jack Kramer.}}{{flagicon|ECU}} Pancho Segura*{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack KramerPalais des SportsHard (i)
1951colspan=5 align=center style="background:#efefef"| Not held
1952{{efn|name=_1950_1953}}{{flagicon|ECU}} Pancho Segura*{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack Kramer6-3, 6-2Michel Lejard (June 28, 1952). "Segura volontaire a pris une option sur le tournoi des "Pros"". L'Equipe (in French). p. 6. Segura b. Kramer : 6-3, 7-5.Roland GarrosClay
1953{{efn|name=_1950_1953}}{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman*{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho GonzalesPalais des SportsHard (i)
1954–1955colspan=5 align=center style="background:#efefef"| Not held
1956{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho Gonzales6–3, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 6–2 Roland GarrosClay
1957colspan=5 align=center style="background:#efefef"| Not held
1958{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–0 Roland GarrosClay
1959{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman6–4, 6–4, 6–4 Roland GarrosClay
1960{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad6–2, 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 Roland GarrosClay
1961{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|USA}} Pancho Gonzales2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 Roland GarrosClay
1962{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Andrés Gimeno3–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–2 Roland GarrosClay
1963{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver6–8, 6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1964{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1965{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver6–3, 6–2, 6–4 Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1966{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver6–3, 6–2, 14–12 Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1967{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver{{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Andrés Gimeno6–4, 8–6, 4–6, 6–2 Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
colspan=6 align="center"| Open Era
1968{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver{{flagicon|AUS}} John Newcombe6–2, 6–2, 6–3Roland GarrosClay

Notes:

{{notelist}}

= Doubles =

class="wikitable"
style="width:70px" |Year

! style="width:170px" |Champion

! style="width:170px" |Runner-up

! style="width:170px" class="unsortable" |Score

! style="width:170px" |Venue

! style="width:70px" |Surface

colspan="6" align="center" | Professional Era
1930{{flagicon|TCH}} Karel Koželuh
{{flagicon|GER|1919}} Roman Najuch
{{flagicon|IRL}} Albert Burke
{{flagicon|IRL}} Edmund Burke
6–4, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1Roland GarrosClay
1931style="background:#efefef" align="center" |

|

|

|Roland Garros

|Clay

1932

|

|

|

|Roland Garros

|Clay

1933

| colspan="5" align=center style="background:#efefef" |Not held

1934

|

|

|

|Roland Garros

|Clay

1935{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Tilden
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ellsworth Vines
{{flagicon|IRL}} Albert Burke
{{flagicon|GER|1933}} Hans Nüsslein
6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4Roland GarrosClay
1936{{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Cochet
{{flagicon|IRL}} Albert Burke
{{flagicon|FRA}} Martin Plaa
{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon
6–1, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3Roland GarrosClay
1937{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Lester Stoefen
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Tilden
{{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Cochet
{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon
6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3Roland GarrosClay
1938{{flagicon|FRA}} Martin Plaa
{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon
{{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Hans Nüsslein
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Tilden
6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4Roland GarrosClay
1939{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Don Budge
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ellsworth Vines
{{flagicon|FRA}} Henri Cochet
{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Ramillon
6–4, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4Roland GarrosClay
1940–1949colspan="5" style="background:#efefef" align="center" | Not held
1950

|

|

|

|Palais des Sports

|Hard (i)

1951

| colspan="5" align=center style="background:#efefef" |Not held

1952

|

|

|

|Roland Garros

|Clay

1953

|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Don Budge*
{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman*

|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho Gonzales
{{flagicon|ECU}} Pancho Segura

|2–6, 9–7, 6–4

|Palais des Sports

|Hard (i)

1954–1955colspan="5" style="background:#efefef" align="center" | Not held
1956{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho Gonzales
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rex Hartwig
{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman
6–3, 2–6, 6–1Roland GarrosClay
1957colspan="5" style="background:#efefef" align="center" | Not held
1958{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho Gonzales
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
6–4, 2–6, 6–1Roland GarrosClay
1959{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert
{{flagicon|AUS}} Mervyn Rose
{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman
14–12, 6–4, 6–2Roland GarrosClay
1960{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Sedgman
6–4, 6–0, 6–1Roland GarrosClay
1961{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pancho Gonzales
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Trabert
6–1, 6–3, 8–10, 13–11Roland GarrosClay
1962{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|AUS}} Mal Anderson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper
6–1, 6–3, 6–3Roland GarrosClay
1963{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|AUS}} Mal Anderson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver
6–2, 7–5, 8–6Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1964{{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|CHI}} Luis Ayala
{{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Andrés Gimeno
6–8, 6–4, 6–4Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1965{{flagicon|AUS}} Mal Anderson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Butch Buchholz
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver
10–8, 4–6, 8–6, 2–6, 10–8Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1966{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Butch Buchholz
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver
{{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Barthès
{{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Andrés Gimeno
6–3, 6–3, 6–4Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
1967{{flagicon|FRA}} Pierre Barthès
{{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Andrés Gimeno
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver
{{flagicon|AUS}} Fred Stolle
6–3, 6–4Stade Pierre de CoubertinWood (i)
colspan="6" align="center" | Open Era
1968{{flagicon|AUS}} Roy Emerson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{flagicon|AUS}} Fred Stolle
1–6, 3–6, 11–9, 6–3, 6–2Roland GarrosClay

Source:{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pages=256-257}}

Bristol Cup and other French professional events

{{Main|Bristol Cup}}

Before 1930 some tournaments were sometimes labelled "Professional Championships of France": the Bristol Cup (held from 1920 to 1932), the most important pro tournament in the world in the 1920s, was sometimes referred as the French ProLowe's Lawn Tennis Annual as well as the World Pro tournament held at Deauville in 1925.Ayres' Lawn Tennis Almanack 1925 Therefore, two different tournaments were both considered as French Pro Championships in 1925 (World Pro at Deauville and Bristol Cup at Cannes) and from 1930 to 1932 (Roland Garros and Bristol Cup at Beaulieu).{{cite book|last1=Alan|first1=Little|title=The Golden Days of Tennis on the French Riviera 1874–1939|date=2014|publisher=Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum|location=London|isbn=9780906741542|page=452}}

Records

=Men's singles=

Source: French Pro Championships, (1930–68): The Tennisbase included {{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Tournament Records: French Pro Championships|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=tournament&accion=tourneyRecords&cnt=&fase=&tipoTorneoTeam=&nomTorneo=FRENCH%20PRO%20CH.#datosHonor|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=14 December 2017|location=Madrid, Spain}}

class=wikitable
style="text-align:left;"|Most titles

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

|style="text-align:center;"|8

style="text-align:left;"|Most finals

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|8

style="text-align:left;"|Most consecutive titles

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{center|(1960 - 1966)}}

|style="text-align:center;"|7

style="text-align:left;"|Most consecutive finals

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall
{{center|(1960 - 1966)}}

|style="text-align:center;"|7

style="text-align:left;"|Most matches played

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|32

style="text-align:left;"|Most matches won

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|30

style="text-align:left;"|Most consecutive matches won

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|25

style="text-align:left;"|Most editions played

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|11

style="text-align:left;"|Best winning %

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| style="text-align:center;"|93.75%

style="text-align:left;"|Title won with the fewest games lost

|{{flagicon|TCH}} Karel Koželuh

|style="text-align:center;"|20
(1930)

style="text-align:left;"|Youngest champion

|{{flagicon|USA}} Don Budge

| style="text-align:center;"|23y, 7m, 14d
(1939)

style="text-align:left;"|Oldest champion

|{{flagicon|USA}} Bill Tilden

| style="text-align:center;"|41y, 7m, 7d
(1934)

{{5-set tennis

| match desc = 1963 (55 games)

| header text = Longest final

| player1 = {{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall

| player2 = {{flagicon|AUS}} Rod Laver

| p1 s1 = 6

| p2 s1 = 8

| p1 s2 = 6

| p2 s2 = 4

| p1 s3 = 5

| p2 s3 = 7

| p1 s4 = 6

| p2 s4 = 3

| p1 s5 = 6

| p2 s5 = 4

}}

{{5-set tennis

| match desc = 1938 (21 games)

| header text = Shortest final

| player1 = {{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Hans Nüsslein

| player2 = {{flagicon|USA}} Bill Tilden

| p1 s1 = 6

| p2 s1 = 0

| p1 s2 = 6

| p2 s2 = 1

| p1 s3 = 6

| p2 s3 = 2

}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book |last=McCauley |first=Joe |title=The History of Professional Tennis |publisher=The Short Run Book Company Limited |year=2000 |location=Windsor}}

{{Grand Slam Tournaments}}

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Category:Major tennis tournaments

Category:Defunct tennis tournaments in France

Category:Professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era