1971 USLTA Indoor Circuit

The 1971 USLTA Indoor Circuit, also known as the U.S. Indoor Winter Circuit, was a professional tennis circuit held in the United States that year. It consisted of six tournaments and was organized by Bill Riordan and sanctioned by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA).[1][2] A $40,000 bonus pool was made available via the circuit sponsor Gillette for the top 10 points finishers.[3] Total prize money for the tour, including the bonus, was $220,000.[4]

1971 USLTA Indoor Circuit
Details
DurationJanuary 25 – March 11
Edition1st
Tournaments6
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesRomania Ilie Năstase (3)
Most tournament finalsRomania Ilie Năstase (4)
1970
1972

Schedule

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January

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Week of Tournament Champion Runner-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
25 Jan Midlands International
Omaha, Nebraska, US
$15,000 - Carpet (i) – 16S/8D
  Ilie Năstase
6–4, 6–3, 6–1
  Cliff Richey   Thomaz Koch
  Jim McManus
  Tom Gorman
  Frank Froehling
  Haroon Rahim
  Dick Stockton
  Clark Graebner
  Thomaz Koch
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
  Jim McManus
  Jim Osborne

February

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Week of Tournament Champion Runner-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
4 Feb Pontiac International
Washington D.C., US
$6,500 – carpet (i) – 16S
  Jaime Fillol
6–1, 3–6, 6–4, 6–7, 6–4
  Thomaz Koch   Cliff Richey
  Manuel Orantes
  Richard Russell
  Steve Fiske
  Patricio Cornejo
  Haroon Rahim
9 Feb Clean Air Classic
Hawthorne, New Jersey, US
New York City, New York, US
$30,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D
  Željko Franulović
6–2, 5–7, 6–4, 7–5
  Clark Graebner   Thomaz Koch
  Ilie Năstase
  Jim Osborne
  Haroon Rahim
  Tom Gorman
  Cliff Richey
  Juan Gisbert, Sr.
  Manuel Orantes
7–6, 6–2
  Jimmy Connors
  Haroon Rahim
20 Feb U.S. National Indoor Championships
Salisbury, Maryland, US
$50,000 – hard – 64S/32D
  Clark Graebner
2–6, 7–6, 1–6, 7–6, 6–0
  Cliff Richey   Haroon Rahim
  Gerald Battrick
  Jaime Fillol
  Clark Graebner
  Manuel Orantes
  Tom Gorman
  Juan Gisbert, Sr.
  Manuel Orantes
7–6, 6–2
  Clark Graebner
  Thomaz Koch
25 Feb Macon International
Macon, Georgia, US
$25,000 – carpet (i) – 42S/22D
  Željko Franulović
6–4, 7–5, 5–7, 3–6, 7–6(5–4)
  Ilie Năstase   Clark Graebner
  Jaime Fillol
  Edison Mandarino
  Tom Edlefsen
  Juan Gisbert, Sr.
  Tom Gorman
  Clark Graebner
  Thomaz Koch
6–3, 6–3
  Željko Franulović
  Jan Kodeš

March

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Week of Tournament Champion Runner-up Semifinalists Quarterfinalists
1 Mar National Indoor Championships
Hampton, Virginia, US
$35,000 – carpet (i) – 32S/16D
SinglesDoubles
  Ilie Năstase
7–5, 6–4, 7–6(5–0)
  Clark Graebner   Željko Franulović
  Ion Țiriac
  Frank Froehling
  Jaime Fillol
  Jan Kodeš
  Thomaz Koch
  Ilie Năstase
  Ion Țiriac
6–4, 4–6, 7–5
  Clark Graebner
  Thomaz Koch

Bonus pool

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Rank Player Bonus
1.   Clark Graebner $10,000
2.   Ilie Năstase $7,500
3.   Željko Franulović $5,000

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Don Lee (October 14, 1970). "Midlands tennis tourney here will remain 'men only' event". Omaha World-Herald. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Happer, Marshall (2021). Pioneers of the Game. New York: New Chapter Press. pp. 83–93. ISBN 9781937559953.
  3. ^ Tom Foster (March 8, 1971). "Nastase tops Graebner for Coliseum tennis title". Daily Press. pp. 11–12 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Fine edge helps out". The Province. AP. January 28, 1971. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com. A $40,000 bonus by the Gillette Company Wednesday boosted to $220,000 the total prize money for the U.S. Indoor Winter Tennis Circuit.