The Moscow International Indoor Championships[1] was a men's and women's open international indoor tennis tournament founded in 1956 as the Moscow International Covered Court Championships.[2] The tournament was organised by the Tennis Federation of the USSR was played initially on wood courts switching to carpet courts later in Moscow, Soviet Union until 1975.
| Moscow International Indoor Championships USSR International Indoor Championships | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Tour | ILTF World Circuit (1956–72) ILTF Independent Tour (1973–75) |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Abolished | 1975 |
| Location | Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Surface | Wood (indoors) Carpet (indoors) |
The event occasionally carried the joint denomination of USSR International Covered Court Championships or USSR International Indoor Championships.[2] The championships were part ILTF European Circuit a sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit until 1972 then became part of the ILTF Independent Tour from 1973 until it was discontinued.[2]
History edit
In the mid-1950s confrontational relations between the Western Bloc and Soviet Union eased in part the Khrushchev Thaw a policy of de-Stalinization by then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev,[3] meant that Soviet players were free to travel to overseas international tournaments, while foreign players could take part in a limited number of tournaments within the USSR, mainly in the capital Moscow.
The two prominent international tournaments for foreign players to participate in were the Moscow International Indoor Championships, usually late winter in February to early spring in March.[2] The second international tennis event was Moscow International Championships or (USSR International Championships) usually staged in the summer at the end of July, beginning of August and was played on clay courts.[2] Additionally two closed tournaments were also held in Moscow for Soviet players only the Moscow Indoor Championships and the Moscow Outdoor Championships.[2]
Finals edit
Men's singles edit
(incomplete roll)
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ ILTF World Circuit ↓ | |||
| 1956 |  József Asbóth |
 Sergei Andreev |
7-9, 6–4, 6–2.[2] |
| 1957 |  Jiri Javorsky |
Sergei Andreev |
6-4, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2] |
| 1958 |  Robert Haillet |
Jacques Brichant |
6-2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2.[2] |
| 1960 | Gérard Pilet |
 Wilhelm Bungert |
6-1, 6–1, 6–0.[2] |
| 1961 | Tomas Lejus |
 Alan Mills |
6-2, 6–3, 5–7, 7–5.[2] |
| 1962 | Tomas Lejus (2) |
 Sergio Jacobini |
7-5, 8–6, 6–4.[2] |
| 1963 | Tomas Lejus (3) |
 Jan Leschly |
6-0, 1–6, 6–3, 6–2.[2] |
| 1964 | Alexander Metreveli |
Tomas Lejus |
7-5, 6–4, 1–6, 2–6, 7–5.[2] |
| 1965 | Tomas Lejus (4) |
Alexander Metreveli |
6-4, 7–5, 8–6.[2] |
| 1967 | Pierre Darmon |
Alexander Metreveli |
4-6, 17–15, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7.[2] |
| 1968 | Alexander Metreveli (2) |
Tomas Lejus |
6-4, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4.[2] |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| 1969 | Tomas Lejus (5) |
Vladimir Karlovich Palman |
6-4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2] |
| 1971 | Alexander Metreveli (3) |
Anatoli Volkov |
6-3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2] |
| ↓ ILTF Independent Tour ↓ | |||
| 1973 | Teimuraz Kakulia |
Balazs Taroczy |
5-7, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[2] |
| 1974 | Anatoli Volkov |
Vladimir Korotkov |
6-1, 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.[2] |
| 1975 | Anatoli Volkov (2) |
Jewgeni Bobojedow |
6-3, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3.[2] |
Women's singles edit
(incomplete roll)
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ ILTF World Circuit ↓ | |||
| 1957 | Vera Puzejova |
Olga Miskova Gazdikova |
6-3, 6-1 |
| 1958 |  Christiane Mercelis |
Suzanne Schmitt |
9-7, 6-0 |
| 1959 | Christiane Mercelis (2) |
Suzanne Schmitt |
7-5, 6-2 |
| 1960 | Irina Ryazanova |
Aline Nenot |
6-4, 7-5 |
| 1961 | Irina Ryazanova (2) |
Silvana Lazzarino |
6-8, 6–4, 6-0 |
| 1962 | Anna Dmitrieva |
Lea Pericoli |
6-2, 7-5 |
| 1963 | Anna Dmitrieva (2) |
? | RR event |
| 1964 | Anna Dmitrieva (3) |
Valeria Kuzmenko Titova |
8-6, 6-2 |
| 1965 | Helga Schultze |
Tiiu Kivi |
2-6, 8–6, 6-3 |
| 1966 | Galina Baksheeva |
Maria Kull |
6-0, 6–8, 7-5 |
| 1967 | Anna Dmitrieva (4) |
Galina Baksheeva |
9-7, 6-4 |
| 1968 | Virginia Wade |
Galina Baksheeva |
6-1, 6–8, 6-4 |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| 1969 | Olga Morozova |
 Betty Stöve |
6-2, 6-2 |
| 1970 | Helga Niessen |
Olga Morozova |
7-5, 2–6, 6-3 |
| 1971 | Olga Morozova (2) |
Maria Kull |
6-1, 7-5 |
| 1972 | Evgenia Biryukova |
Anna Dmitrieva |
6-4, 6-3 |
| ↓ ILTF Independent Tour ↓ | |||
| 1973 | Olga Morozova (3) |
Galina Baksheeva | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 1974 | Olga Morozova (4) |
Marina Kroshina |
6-3, 6-1 |
References edit
- ^ "Winnie Slams The Russians". The Daily Mirror. London, England: The Wikipedia Library - Newspaper Archive.Com. 21 Feb 1969. p. 31. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Tournaments: Moscow International Covered Court - Indoor Championships". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Osipova, Zinaida (September 2019). "When the Soviets Domesticated the West". Origins. Ohio State University. Retrieved 13 October 2023.