U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships

U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship
2013 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
ATP World Tour
Location	Houston, Texas United States
Venue	River Oaks Country Club
Category	Grand Prix Tour (1970–89) (GP Championship Series in 1974–77) ATP World Series (1990–1997) ATP International Series (1998–2008) ATP World Tour 250 series (2009–current)
Surface	Maroon Clay / Outdoors
Draw	28S/32Q/16D
Prize money	$500,000
Website	Men's Clay Court

The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship is an annual ATP Tour tennis tournament that started in 1910. It is the last remaining ATP Tour-level tournament in the United States to be played on clay courts.

The tournament began in 1910 when the Western Lawn Tennis Association (a section of the United States Lawn Tennis Association now known as the USTA/Midwest) lobbied the USLTA that a National Clay Court Championship would help promote the establishment of more clay courts in the West. Clay courts were more economical to install and maintain than grass courts, and the hope was that the lower costs associated with court construction would allow for a more rapid expansion of the game. The first National Clay Court Championships were held at the Omaha Field Club with a crowd of 5,000 watching the finals. Participation and play on clay grew as a result of the event and others, and in 1914 the event was moved to the Cincinnati Tennis Club. It has since been played in numerous cities and is today held in Houston, Texas. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour as part of the Grand Prix Championship Series of events (1970-1986).

Relocation

The event was held at the Houston Westside Tennis Club from 2001-07. On May 8, 2007, the U.S. Tennis Association announced that the River Oaks Country Club in the River Oaks neighborhood would host the tournament starting in 2008, which will keep the event in Houston for several years. Other cities that competed for the event were Atlanta, Georgia, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The tournament pays out US$500,000 with the winner receiving US$79,000. The River Oaks venue features a stadium with seating for 3,000. Temporary seating for 500 will be installed for the second court.

In 2007, after a few years being held on the same red clay used at the French Open, the event was held on Har-Tru green clay. In 2008, the event went to a maroon color of Har-Tru clay as the River Oaks Country Club renovated their courts in 2005. After renovating their courts again in late 2008, the surface remained the same.

Champions

River Oaks Country Club

Open Era Finals

Year	City	Champion	Runner-up	Score
2013	Houston, Texas	John Isner	Nicolás Almagro	6–3, 7–5
2012		Juan Mónaco	John Isner	6–2, 3–6, 6–3
2011		Ryan Sweeting	Kei Nishikori	6–4, 7–6(7–3)
2010		Juan Ignacio Chela	Sam Querrey	5–7, 6–4, 6–3
2009		Lleyton Hewitt	Wayne Odesnik	6–2, 7–5
2008		Marcel Granollers	James Blake	6–4, 1–6, 7–5
2007		Ivo Karlović	Mariano Zabaleta	6–4, 6–1
2006		Mardy Fish	Jürgen Melzer	3–6, 6–4, 6–3
2005		Andy Roddick	Sébastien Grosjean	6–2, 6–2
2004		Tommy Haas	Andy Roddick	6–3, 6–4
2003		Andre Agassi	Andy Roddick	3–6, 6–3, 6–4
2002		Andy Roddick	Pete Sampras	7–6(11–9), 6–3
2001		Andy Roddick	Hyung-Taik Lee	7–5, 6–3
2000	Orlando, Florida	Fernando González	Nicolás Massú	6–2, 6–3
1999		Magnus Norman	Guillermo Cañas	6–0, 6–3
1998		Jim Courier	Michael Chang	7–5, 3–6, 7–5
1997		Michael Chang	Grant Stafford	4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1996	Pinehurst, North Carolina	Fernando Meligeni	Mats Wilander	6–4, 6–2
1995		Thomas Enqvist	Javier Frana	6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1994	Birmingham, Alabama	Jason Stoltenberg	Gabriel Markus	6–3, 6–4
1993	Charlotte, North Carolina	Horacio de la Peña	Jaime Yzaga	3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1992		MaliVai Washington	Claudio Mezzadri	6–3, 6–3
1991		Jaime Yzaga	Jimmy Arias	6–3, 7–5
1990	Kiawah Island, South Carolina	David Wheaton	Mark Kaplan	6–4, 6–4
1989	Charleston, South Carolina	Jay Berger	Lawson Duncan	6–4, 6–3
1988		Andre Agassi	Jimmy Arias	6–2, 6–2
1987	Indianapolis, Indiana	Mats Wilander	Kent Carlsson	7–5, 6–3
1986		Andrés Gómez	Thierry Tulasne	6–4, 7–6
1985		Ivan Lendl	Andrés Gómez	6–1, 6–3
1984		Andrés Gómez	Balázs Taróczy	6–0, 7–6
1983		Jimmy Arias	Andrés Gómez	6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1982		José Higueras	Jimmy Arias	7–5, 5–7, 6–3
1981		José Luis Clerc	Ivan Lendl	4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1980		José Luis Clerc	Mel Purcell	7–5, 6–3
1979		Jimmy Connors	Guillermo Vilas	6–1, 2–6, 6–4
1978		Jimmy Connors	José Higueras	7–5, 6–1
1977		Manuel Orantes	Jimmy Connors	6–1, 6–3
1976		Jimmy Connors	Wojtek Fibak	6–2, 6–4
1975		Manuel Orantes	Arthur Ashe	6–2, 6–2
1974		Jimmy Connors	Björn Borg	5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1973		Manuel Orantes	Georges Goven	6–4, 6–1, 6–4
1972		Bob Hewitt	Jimmy Connors	7–6, 6–1, 6–2
1971		Željko Franulović	Cliff Richey	6–3, 6–4, 0–6, 6–3
1970		Cliff Richey	Stan Smith	6–2, 10–8, 3–6, 6–1
1969		Željko Franulović	Arthur Ashe	8–6, 6–3, 6–4

Pre-Open Era Finals

Year	City	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1968	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Clark Graebner	Stan Smith	6–3, 7–5, 6–0
1967	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Arthur Ashe	Marty Riessen	4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
1966	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Cliff Richey	Frank Froehling II	13–11, 6–1, 6–3
1965	River Forest, Illinois	Dennis Ralston	Cliff Richey	6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
1964	River Forest, Illinois	Dennis Ralston	Chuck McKinley	6–2, 6–2, 6–1
1963	River Forest, Illinois	Chuck McKinley	Dennis Ralston	6–2, 6–2, 6–4
1962	Chicago, Illinois	Chuck McKinley	Fred Stolle	6–3, 8–6, 6–4
1961	River Forest, Illinois	Bernard Bartzen	Donald Dell	6–1, 2–6, 6–2, 6–0
1960	River Forest, Illinois	Barry MacKay	Bernard Bartzen	4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–0
1959	River Forest, Illinois	Bernard Bartzen	Whitney Reed	6–0, 8–6, 9–7
1958	River Forest, Illinois	Bernard Bartzen	Sam Giammalva	3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1957	River Forest, Illinois	Vic Seixas	Herbert Flam	1–6, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3
1956	River Forest, Illinois	Herbert Flam	Edward Moylan	3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 6–3
1955	Atlanta, Georgia	Tony Trabert	Bernard Bartzen	10–8, 6–1, 6–4
1954	River Forest, Illinois	Bernard Bartzen	Tony Trabert	6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
1953	River Forest, Illinois	Vic Seixas	Hamilton Richardson	6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1952	River Forest, Illinois	Arthur Larsen	Richard Savitt	4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1951	River Forest, Illinois	Tony Trabert	Arthur Larsen	6–8, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6
1950	River Forest, Illinois	Herbert Flam	Ted Schroeder	6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1949	River Forest, Illinois	Pancho Gonzalez	Frank Parker	6–1, 3–6, 8–6, 6–3
1948	River Forest, Illinois	Pancho Gonzalez	Nick Carter	7–5, 6–2, 6–3
1947	Salt Lake City, Utah	Frank Parker	Ted Schroeder	8–6, 6–2, 6–4
1946	River Forest, Illinois	Frank Parker	William Talbert	6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1945	Chicago, Illinois	William Talbert	Pancho Segura	6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
1944	Detroit, Michigan	Pancho Segura	William Talbert	6–3, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1943	Detroit, Michigan	Seymour Greenberg	William Talbert	6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1942	St. Louis, Missouri	Seymour Greenberg	Harris Everett	5–7, 7–5, 7–9, 7–5
1941	River Forest, Illinois	Frank Parker	Robert Riggs	6–3, 7–5, 6–8, 4–6, 6–3
1940	Chicago, Illinois	Donald McNeill	Robert Riggs	6–1, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3
1939	Chicago, Illinois	Frank Parker	Gardnar Mulloy	6–3, 6–0, 5–7, 6–1
1938	River Forest, Illinois	Robert Riggs	Gardnar Mulloy	6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 6–1, 7–5
1937	Chicago, Illinois	Robert Riggs	Joe Hunt	6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1936	River Forest, Illinois	Robert Riggs	Frank Parker	6–1, 6–8, 6–4
1935	Chicago, Illinois	Bryan Grant	Frank Parker	4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3, 6–0
1934	Chicago, Illinois	Bryan Grant	Donald Budge	6–2, 8–6, 6–3
1933	Chicago, Illinois	Frank Parker	Gene Mako	6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1932	Memphis, Tennessee	George Lott	Bryan Grant	3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1931	St. Louis, Missouri	Ellsworth Vines	Keith Gledhill	6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1930	Kansas City, Missouri	Bryan Grant	Wilbur F. Coen, Jr.	6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1929	Indianapolis, Indiana	Emmett Pare	J. Gilbert Hall	6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1
1928	Not Held
1927	Detroit, Michigan	William Tilden	John F. Hennessey	6–4, 6–1, 6–2
1926	Detroit, Michigan	William Tilden	Brian I. C. Norton	Default
1925	St. Louis, Missouri	William Tilden	George Lott	3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2, 8–6
1924	St. Louis, Missouri	William Tilden	Harvey Snodgrass	6–2, 6–1, 6–1
1923	Indianapolis, Indiana	William Tilden	Manuel Alonso	6–2, 6–8, 6–1, 7–5
1922	Indianapolis, Indiana	William Tilden	Zenzo Shimizu	7–5, 6–3, 6–1
1921	Chicago, Illinois	Walter T. Hayes	Alexander Squair	6–0, 6–2, 6–4
1920	Chicago, Illinois	Roland Roberts	Vincent Richards	6–3, 6–1, 6–3
1919	Chicago, Illinois	William Johnston	William Tilden	0–6, 1–6, 6–4, 2–6
1918	Chicago, Illinois	William Tilden	Charles Garland	6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1917	Cincinnati, Ohio	Samuel Hardy	Charles Garland	3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3
1916	Cleveland, Ohio	Willis E. Davis	Conrad B. Doyle	6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1915	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Richard N. Williams	Clarence Griffin	Default
1914	Cincinnati, Ohio	Clarence Griffin	Elia Fottrell	3–6, 6–8, 8–6, 6–0, 6–2
1913	Omaha, Nebraska	John R. Strachan	Walter Merrill Hall	6–0, 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1912	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Richard N. Williams	Walter T. Hayes	6–3, 6–1, 8–6
1911	Omaha, Nebraska	Walter T. Hayes	Percy D. Siverd	7–5, 6–2, 6–1
1910	Omaha, Nebraska	Melville H. Long	Walter Merrill Hall	6–0, 6–1, 6–1

Additional References

• References used for the Pre-Open Era locations and champions: United States Lawn Tennis Association Yearbook (1942-'44, '48-49, '51, '53. '55-56, '60, '64, '66 & '69), Spalding Lawn Tennis Annual (1916, '24-'28, '30-'31 & '39), Wright & Ditson's Lawn Tennis Annual (1911-'14, 1921, 1932-'33, '35 & '37), New York Times articles (1910-'14, '16, '18-'19 & '21-'22), From Club Court to Center Court by Phillip S. Smith (2007 Edition, page 67).

External links

• ATP World Tour
• Video of 1958 tournament in River Forest, IL

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Båstad	ATP International Series Tournament of the Year 2003, 2004 (shared with Båstad)	Succeeded by Båstad