U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships

The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships is an annual ATP Tour tennis tournament. Founded in 1910, it has been held in nearly two dozen cities, and since 2001 has been held in Houston, Texas.[1] It currently pays out US$474,000 with the winner receiving US$85,900.[2] It is the only remaining ATP World Tour-level tournament in the United States to be played on clay courts.

U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship
Tournament information
LocationHouston, Texas
United States
VenueRiver Oaks Country Club
CategoryGrand Prix Tour (1970–89)
ATP World Series
(1990–1999)
ATP International Series
(2000–2008)
ATP World Tour 250 series
(2009–2018)
ATP Tour 250 series
(2019–present)
SurfaceMaroon clay / outdoors
Draw28S / 16D
Prize money$642,735 (2023)
Websitemensclaycourt.com
Current champions (2023)
SinglesUnited States Frances Tiafoe
DoublesAustralia Max Purcell
Australia Jordan Thompson

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) persuaded the USLTA that a National Clay Court Championship would promote the construction of more clay courts in the West. Clay courts were cheaper to install and maintain than grass courts, and the hope was that these lower costs would accelerate the growth of the game's popularity. The first National Clay Court Championships were held at the Omaha Field Club; a crowd of 5,000 watched 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. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour as part of the Grand Prix Super Series of events (1974–1977). During the stint in Indianapolis, from 1969 through 1986, the tournament was a combined men's and women's event.

From 2001 to 2007, the event was held at the Houston Westside Tennis Club. 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 2007, the U.S. Tennis Association sought a new venue and entertained bids from Atlanta, Georgia; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. But in May 2007, the USTA announced that the tournament would simply move downtown to River Oaks Country Club in the River Oaks neighborhood. The new venue has a stadium with seating for 3,000 with temporary seating for 500 for the second court.[3] Its Har-Tru clay, of a maroon color, was renewed in 2005 and 2008.

Past finals edit

 
River Oaks Country Club

Singles edit

Bill Tilden holds the record for most titles (7).
Bill Tilden and Frank Parker share the record of most finals (8).

Year City Champions Runners-up Score
1910 Omaha, Nebraska   Melville H. Long   Walter Merrill Hall 6–0, 6–1, 6–1
1911   Walter T. Hayes   Percy D. Siverd 7–5, 6–2, 6–1
1912 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   Richard N. Williams   Walter T. Hayes 6–3, 6–1, 8–6
1913 Omaha, Nebraska   John R. Strachan   Walter Merrill Hall 6–0, 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1914 Cincinnati, Ohio   Clarence Griffin   Elia Fottrell 3–6, 6–8, 8–6, 6–0, 6–2
1915 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   Richard N. Williams (2)   Clarence Griffin Default
1916 Cleveland, Ohio   Willis E. Davis   Conrad B. Doyle 6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1917   Samuel Hardy   Charles Garland 3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3
1918 Chicago, Illinois   Bill Tilden   Charles Garland 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1919   William Johnston[4]   Bill Tilden 6–0, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2
1920   Roland Roberts   Vincent Richards 6–3, 6–1, 6–3
1921   Walter T. Hayes   Alexander Squair 6–0, 6–2, 6–4
1922 Indianapolis, Indiana   Bill Tilden (2)   Zenzo Shimizu 7–5, 6–3, 6–1
1923   Bill Tilden (3)   Manuel Alonso 6–2, 6–8, 6–1, 7–5
1924 St. Louis, Missouri   Bill Tilden (4)   Harvey Snodgrass 6–2, 6–1, 6–1
1925   Bill Tilden (5)   George Lott 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2, 8–6
1926 Detroit, Michigan   Bill Tilden (6)   Brian I. C. Norton Default
1927   Bill Tilden (7)   John F. Hennessey 6–4, 6–1, 6–2
1928 Not held
1929 Indianapolis, Indiana   Emmett Paré   J. Gilbert Hall 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 3–6, 6–1
1930 Kansas City, Missouri   Bryan Grant   Wilbur F. Coen, Jr. 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1931 St. Louis, Missouri   Ellsworth Vines   Keith Gledhill 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1932 Memphis, Tennessee   George Lott   Bryan Grant 3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1933 Chicago, Illinois   Frank Parker   Gene Mako 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1934   Bryan Grant (2)   Donald Budge 6–2, 8–6, 6–3
1935   Bryan Grant (3)   Frank Parker 4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3, 6–0
1936 River Forest, Illinois   Bobby Riggs   Frank Parker 6–1, 6–8, 6–4
1937 Chicago, Illinois   Bobby Riggs (2)   Joe Hunt 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1938 River Forest, Illinois   Bobby Riggs (3)   Gardnar Mulloy 6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 6–1, 7–5
1939 Chicago, Illinois   Frank Parker   Gardnar Mulloy 6–3, 6–0, 5–7, 6–1
1940   Donald McNeill   Bobby Riggs 6–1, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3
1941 River Forest, Illinois   Frank Parker (2)   Bobby Riggs 6–3, 7–5, 6–8, 4–6, 6–3
1942 St. Louis, Missouri   Seymour Greenberg   Harris Everett 5–7, 7–5, 7–9, 7–5, 8–6
1943 Detroit, Michigan   Seymour Greenberg (2)   William Talbert 6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1944   Pancho Segura   William Talbert 6–3, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1945 Chicago, Illinois   William Talbert   Pancho Segura 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
1946 River Forest, Illinois   Frank Parker (3)   William Talbert 6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1947 Salt Lake City, Utah   Frank Parker (4)   Ted Schroeder 8–6, 6–2, 6–4
1948 River Forest, Illinois   Pancho Gonzalez   Nick Carter 7–5, 6–2, 6–3
1949   Pancho Gonzalez (2)   Frank Parker 6–1, 3–6, 8–6, 6–3
1950   Herbert Flam   Ted Schroeder 6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1951   Tony Trabert   Arthur Larsen 6–8, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6
1952   Arthur Larsen   Richard Savitt 4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1953   Vic Seixas   Hamilton Richardson 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1954   Bernard Bartzen   Tony Trabert 6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
1955 Atlanta, Georgia   Tony Trabert (2)   Bernard Bartzen 10–8, 6–1, 6–4
1956 River Forest, Illinois   Herbert Flam (2)   Edward Moylan 3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 6–3
1957   Vic Seixas (2)   Herbert Flam 1–6, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3
1958   Bernard Bartzen   Sam Giammalva 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1959   Bernard Bartzen (2)   Whitney Reed 6–0, 8–6, 9–7
1960   Barry MacKay   Bernard Bartzen 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–0
1961   Bernard Bartzen (3)   Donald Dell 6–1, 2–6, 6–2, 6–0
1962 Chicago, Illinois   Chuck McKinley   Fred Stolle 6–3, 8–6, 6–4
1963 River Forest, Illinois   Chuck McKinley (2)   Dennis Ralston 6–2, 6–2, 6–4
1964   Dennis Ralston   Chuck McKinley 6–2, 6–2, 6–1
1965   Dennis Ralston (2)   Cliff Richey 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
1966 Milwaukee, Wisconsin   Cliff Richey   Frank Froehling III 13–11, 6–1, 6–3
1967   Arthur Ashe   Marty Riessen 4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
1968   Clark Graebner   Stan Smith 6–3, 7–5, 6–0
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969 Indianapolis, Indiana   Željko Franulović   Arthur Ashe 8–6, 6–3, 6–4
1970   Cliff Richey (2)   Stan Smith 6–2, 10–8, 3–6, 6–1
1971   Željko Franulović (2)   Cliff Richey 6–3, 6–4, 0–6, 6–3
1972   Bob Hewitt   Jimmy Connors 7–6, 6–1, 6–2
1973   Manuel Orantes   Georges Goven 6–4, 6–1, 6–4
1974   Jimmy Connors   Björn Borg 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1975   Manuel Orantes (2)   Arthur Ashe 6–2, 6–2
1976   Jimmy Connors (2)   Wojtek Fibak 6–2, 6–4
1977   Manuel Orantes (3)   Jimmy Connors 6–1, 6–3
1978   Jimmy Connors (3)   José Higueras 7–5, 6–1
1979   Jimmy Connors (4)   Guillermo Vilas 6–1, 2–6, 6–4
1980   José Luis Clerc   Mel Purcell 7–5, 6–3
1981   José Luis Clerc (2)   Ivan Lendl 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1982   José Higueras   Jimmy Arias 7–5, 5–7, 6–3
1983   Jimmy Arias   Andrés Gómez 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1984   Andrés Gómez   Balázs Taróczy 6–0, 7–6
1985   Ivan Lendl   Andrés Gómez 6–1, 6–3
1986   Andrés Gómez (2)   Thierry Tulasne 6–4, 7–6
1987   Mats Wilander   Kent Carlsson 7–5, 6–3
1988 Charleston, South Carolina   Andre Agassi   Jimmy Arias 6–2, 6–2
1989   Jay Berger   Lawson Duncan 6–4, 6–3
1990 Kiawah Island, South Carolina   David Wheaton   Mark Kaplan 6–4, 6–4
1991 Charlotte, North Carolina   Jaime Yzaga   Jimmy Arias 6–3, 7–5
1992   MaliVai Washington   Claudio Mezzadri 6–3, 6–3
1993   Horacio de la Peña   Jaime Yzaga 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1994 Birmingham, Alabama   Jason Stoltenberg   Gabriel Markus 6–3, 6–4
1995 Pinehurst, North Carolina   Thomas Enqvist   Javier Frana 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1996   Fernando Meligeni   Mats Wilander 6–4, 6–2
1997 Orlando, Florida   Michael Chang   Grant Stafford 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1998   Jim Courier   Michael Chang 7–5, 3–6, 7–5
1999   Magnus Norman   Guillermo Cañas 6–0, 6–3
2000   Fernando González   Nicolás Massú 6–2, 6–3
2001 Houston, Texas   Andy Roddick   Hyung-Taik Lee 7–5, 6–3
2002   Andy Roddick (2)   Pete Sampras 7–6(11–9), 6–3
2003   Andre Agassi (2)   Andy Roddick 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
2004   Tommy Haas   Andy Roddick 6–3, 6–4
2005   Andy Roddick (3)   Sébastien Grosjean 6–2, 6–2
2006   Mardy Fish   Jürgen Melzer 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
2007   Ivo Karlović   Mariano Zabaleta 6–4, 6–1
2008   Marcel Granollers   James Blake 6–4, 1–6, 7–5
2009   Lleyton Hewitt   Wayne Odesnik 6–2, 7–5
2010   Juan Ignacio Chela   Sam Querrey 5–7, 6–4, 6–3
2011   Ryan Sweeting   Kei Nishikori 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
2012   Juan Mónaco   John Isner 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
2013   John Isner   Nicolás Almagro 6–3, 7–5
2014   Fernando Verdasco   Nicolás Almagro 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
2015   Jack Sock   Sam Querrey 7–6(11–9), 7–6(7–2)
2016   Juan Mónaco (2)   Jack Sock 3–6, 6–3, 7–5
2017   Steve Johnson   Thomaz Bellucci 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(7–5)
2018   Steve Johnson (2)   Tennys Sandgren 7–6(7–2), 2–6, 6–4
2019   Cristian Garín   Casper Ruud 7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–3
2020–2021 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022   Reilly Opelka   John Isner 6–3, 7–6(9–7)
2023   Frances Tiafoe   Tomás Martín Etcheverry 7–6(7–1), 7–6(8–6)

Doubles (open era) edit

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1969   Bill Bowrey
  Clark Graebner
  Dick Crealy
  Allan Stone
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1970   Arthur Ashe
  Clark Graebner
  Ilie Năstase
  Ion Țiriac
2–6, 6–4, 6–4
1971   Željko Franulović
  Jan Kodeš
  Clark Graebner
  Erik van Dillen
7–6, 5–7, 6–3
1972   Bob Hewitt
  Frew McMillan
  Patricio Cornejo
  Jaime Fillol
6–2, 6–3
1973   Bob Carmichael
  Frew McMillan
  Manuel Orantes
  Ion Țiriac
6–3, 6–4
1974   Jimmy Connors
  Ilie Năstase
  Jürgen Fassbender
  Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
6–7, 6–3, 6–4
1975   Juan Gisbert
  Manuel Orantes
  Wojciech Fibak
  Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
7–5, 6–0
1976   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
  Fred McNair
  Sherwood Stewart
6–2, 6–2
1977   Patricio Cornejo
  Jaime Fillol
  Dick Crealy
  Cliff Letcher
6–7, 6–4, 6–3
1978   Gene Mayer
  Hank Pfister
  Jeff Borowiak
  Chris Lewis
6–3, 6–1
1979   Gene Mayer
  John McEnroe
  Jan Kodeš
  Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 7–6
1980   Kevin Curren
  Steve Denton
  Wojciech Fibak
  Ivan Lendl
3–6, 7–6, 6–4
1981   Kevin Curren
  Steve Denton
  Raúl Ramírez
  Van Winitsky
6–3, 5–7, 7–5
1982   Sherwood Stewart
  Ferdi Taygan
  Robbie Venter
  Blaine Willenborg
6–4, 7–5
1983   Mark Edmondson
  Sherwood Stewart
  Carlos Kirmayr
  Cássio Motta
6–3, 6–2
1984   Ken Flach
  Robert Seguso
  Heinz Günthardt
  Balázs Taróczy
7–6, 7–5
1985   Ken Flach
  Robert Seguso
  Pavel Složil
  Kim Warwick
6–4, 6–4
1986   Andrés Gómez
  Hans Gildemeister
  John Fitzgerald
  Sherwood Stewart
6–4, 6–3
1987   Laurie Warder
  Blaine Willenborg
  Joakim Nyström
  Mats Wilander
6–0, 6–3
1988   Pieter Aldrich
  Danie Visser
  Jorge Lozano
  Todd Witsken
7–6, 6–3
1989   Mikael Pernfors
  Tobias Svantesson
  Agustín Moreno
  Jaime Yzaga
6–4, 4–6, 7–5
1990   Scott Davis
  David Pate
  Jim Grabb
  Leonardo Lavalle
6–2, 6–3
1991   Rick Leach
  Jim Pugh
  Bret Garnett
  Greg Van Emburgh
6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1992   Steve DeVries
  David Macpherson
  Bret Garnett
  Jared Palmer
6–4, 7–6
1993   Rikard Bergh
  Trevor Kronemann
  Javier Frana
  Leonardo Lavalle
6–1, 6–2
1994   Todd Woodbridge
  Mark Woodforde
  Jared Palmer
  Richey Reneberg
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1995   Mark Woodforde
  Todd Woodbridge
  Alex O'Brien
  Sandon Stolle
6–2, 6–4
1996   Pat Cash
  Patrick Rafter
  Ken Flach
  David Wheaton
6–2, 6–3
1997   Mark Merklein
  Vince Spadea
  Alex O'Brien
  Jeff Salzenstein
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1998   Grant Stafford
  Kevin Ullyett
  Michael Tebbutt
  Mikael Tillström
4–6, 6–4, 7–5
1999   Jim Courier
  Todd Woodbridge
  Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
7–6(7–4), 6–4
2000   Leander Paes
  Jan Siemerink
  Justin Gimelstob
  Sébastien Lareau
6–3, 6–4
2001   Mahesh Bhupathi
  Leander Paes
  Kevin Kim
  Jim Thomas
7–6(7–4), 6–2
2002   Mardy Fish
  Andy Roddick
  Jan-Michael Gambill
  Graydon Oliver
6–4, 6–4
2003   Mark Knowles
  Daniel Nestor
  Jan-Michael Gambill
  Graydon Oliver
6–4, 6–3
2004   Richey Reneberg
  Christo van Rensburg
  Brian MacPhie
  David Witt
2–6, 6–3, 6–2
2005   Mark Knowles
  Daniel Nestor
  Martín García
  Luis Horna
6–3, 6–4
2006   Michael Kohlmann
  Alexander Waske
  Julian Knowle
  Jürgen Melzer
5–7, 6–4, 10–5
2007   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  Mark Knowles
  Daniel Nestor
7–6(7–3), 6–4
2008   Ernests Gulbis
  Rainer Schüttler
  Pablo Cuevas
  Marcel Granollers
7–5, 7–6(7–3)
2009   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  Jesse Levine
  Ryan Sweeting
6–1, 6–2
2010   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  Stephen Huss
  Wesley Moodie
6–3, 7–5
2011   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  John Isner
  Sam Querrey
6–7, 6–2, [10–5]
2012   James Blake
  Sam Querrey
  Treat Conrad Huey
  Dominic Inglot
7–6(16–14), 6–4
2013   Jamie Murray
  John Peers
  Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
1–6, 7–6(7–3), [12–10]
2014   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  David Marrero
  Fernando Verdasco
4–6, 6–4, [11–9]
2015   Ričardas Berankis
  Teymuraz Gabashvili
  Treat Huey
  Scott Lipsky
6–4, 6–4
2016   Bob Bryan
  Mike Bryan
  Víctor Estrella Burgos
  Santiago González
4–6, 6–3, [10–8]
2017   Julio Peralta
  Horacio Zeballos
  Dustin Brown
  Frances Tiafoe
4–6, 7–5, [10–6]
2018   Max Mirnyi
  Philipp Oswald
  Andre Begemann
  Antonio Šančić
6–7(2–7), 6–4, [11–9]
2019   Santiago González
  Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi
  Ken Skupski
  Neal Skupski
3–6, 6–4, [10–6]
2020–2021 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022   Matthew Ebden
  Max Purcell
  Ivan Sabanov
  Matej Sabanov
6–3, 6–3
2023   Max Purcell
  Jordan Thompson
  Julian Cash
  Henry Patten
4–6, 6–4, [10–5]

Records edit

Men's singles edit

Most titles   Bill Tilden 7
Most finals   Bill Tilden 8
Most consecutive titles   Bill Tilden
(1922-1927)
6
Most consecutive finals   Bill Tilden
(1922-1927)
6
Title with the least games lost   Andre Agassi 23
(2003)
Most matches played   Tut Bartzen 64
Most matches won   Frank Parker 56
Most consecutive matches won   Bill Tilden 36
Most editions played   Seymour Greenberg 16
  Grant Golden
Best winning %   Bill Tilden 97.96%
Youngest champion   Frank Parker 17y, 5m, 3d
(1933)
Oldest champion   Samuel Hardy 40y, 7m, 18d
(1917)
Longest final
1942 (66 games)
  Seymour Greenberg 5 7 7 7 8
  Harris Everett 7 5 9 5 6
Shortest final
1999 (15 games)
  Magnus Norman 6 6
  Guillermo Cañas 0 3

Source: The Tennisbase[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Clifford Terry (July 11, 1965). "Tennis by the quartz". Chicago Tribune. pp. Sunday Magazine, 16–19.
  2. ^ "Tournament profile". Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
  3. ^ Robertson, Dale (May 8, 2007). "Clay Courts finds new home at River Oaks". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  4. ^ "W.M. Johnston Wins Two Tennis Titles". The Toronto World. Chicago. July 21, 1919. p. 8.
  5. ^ Garcia, Gabriel. "US Clay Court Championships Tournament Records". thetennisbase.com. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved November 25, 2017.

Sources edit

  • 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 edit

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

29°45′11″N 95°25′26″W / 29.753°N 95.424°W / 29.753; -95.424