1968 Men's NTL League
Laver won most title's this year
Details
Duration18 March – 2 November
Edition1st
Tournaments14
Categories(Pro)
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesAustralia Rod Laver (5)
Most tournament finalsAustralia Rod Laver (6)
1969

The 1968 Men's National Tennis League (NTL) [1] was the inaugural series of professional tennis tournaments founded by George McCall, among others: Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Andrés Gimeno, Pancho Gonzales and Fred Stolle.

History

In 1967 two new professional tennis organizations were formed: the National Tennis League,[2] organized by former U.S. Davis Cup captain George MacCall, and World Championship Tennis (WCT), which was founded by New Orleans promoter Dave Dixon and funded by Dallas oil and football tycoon Lamar Hunt. At the time the two professional tours signed a significant number of the world’s top players, professional and amateur.

In 1968 Men's National Tennis League offered prize money totaling $400,000 USD.[3] It began in March with the opening tournament held in Sao Paulo, Brazil that was won by Rod Laver and ended with the final tournament held in Lima, Peru in November that was won by Fred Stolle.

Legend

Pro tour

Key

Calendar

This is the complete schedule of events on the 1968 National Tennis League, with player progression partially documented until the quarterfinals stage.

January

No events

February

No events

March

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
18 MarchSao Paulo Pro Championships[4]
São Paulo, Brazil
Clay (i)
Singles
Australia Rod Laver
7–5, 5–7, 6–4
United States Pancho Gonzales
23 MarchBuenos Aires Pro Championships[5]
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Clay
Singles
Australia Rod Laver
7–5, 5–7, 6–4
United States Pancho Gonzales
3rd Place
Spain Andrés Gimeno
4th Place
Australia Fred Stolle
27 MarchNTL Bogotá Pro Championships[6]
Bogotà, Colombia
Clay (i)
Singles - Doubles
Spain Andrés Gimeno
11–13, 6–3, 6–4
Australia Fred Stolle
3rd Place
Australia Rod Laver
4th Place
United States Pancho Gonzales
Australia Rod Laver
Australia Fred Stolle
10–5
Spain Andrés Gimeno
United States Pancho Gonzales

April

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
10 AprilNTL Hollywood Pro Challenge Cup[7]
Hollywood, United States
Clay
Singles
Australia Roy Emerson
6–1, 6–1
Australia Ken Rosewall
3rd
United States Pancho Gonzales
4th Place
Australia Rod Laver
South Africa John Hammill
United States Crawford Henry
Cuba Rey Garrido
Australia Peter Cawthorn
18 April [8]BBC2 World Pro Invitation Championships
Wembley, Great Britain
Carpet (i)
Singles
Australia Rod Laver
6–3 10-8
Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Roy Emerson
United States Pancho Gonzales
20 AprilParis Pro Championships[9]
Paris, France
Singles - Doubles
Australia Ken Rosewall
6–3 6–4
Spain Andrés GimenoUnited States Pancho Gonzales
Australia Rod Laver

Australia Fred Stolle
Australia Roy Emerson

May

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
29 April-5 May [10]National Tennis League Professional Championships 1968[11]
Wembley, Great Britain
Wood (i)
Singles - Doubles
Australia Rod Laver
6–0, 6–1, 6–0
Australia Ken Rosewall
Australia Rod Laver
Australia Roy Emerson
12-10 6–4
Spain Andrés Gimeno
United States Pancho Gonzales
18 MayNTL Madison Square Garden Pro Championships
New York City, United States
Carpet (i)
Singles - Doubles
Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 6–3, 9–7, 6–4
Australia Ken RosewallAustralia Roy Emerson
6–2, 6–2
Spain Andrés Gimeno
8–10, 6–3, 7–5
Australia Lew Hoad
6–3, 6–1
United States Pancho Gonzales
15-13, 6–4
Peru Alex Olmedo
6–3, 6–4
Australia Fred Stolle
6–3, 6–3

June

No events

July

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
20 JulyNTL Los Angeles Pro Championships 1968[12]
Los Angeles, United States
Carpet (i)[13]
Singles - Doubles
United States Pancho Gonzales
1–6 6–3 6–4
Australia Rod Laver

August

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
2 AugustNTL Oakland Pro Championships 1968[14]
Oakland, United States
Singles - Doubles
Australia Fred Stolle
7–5, 6–3
United States Pancho Gonzales

September

No events

October

No events

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
28 Sep - 1 OctNTL Midland Pro Championships[15]
Midland, Texas, United States
Singles - Doubles
United States Pancho Gonzales
7–5, 6–3
Australia Roy EmersonSpain Andrés Gimeno
Australia Rod Laver
United States Pancho Segura
Australia Fred Stolle

November

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
3 November[16]NTL La Paz Pro Round Robin Championships 1968
La Paz, Bolivia
Clay
Singles
Australia Rod Laver
6–4 3–6 7–5
Spain Andrés GimenoAustralia Fred Stolle
Australia Roy Emerson
8 November[17]Sao Paulo Round Robin Pro Championships
Sao Paulo, Brasil
Clay (i)
Singles
Australia Rod Laver
7–5 5-7 6–4
Round Robin
Spain Andrés Gimeno
Australia Fred Stolle
Australia Roy Emerson
16 November[18]NTL Lima Pro Round Robin Championships 1968
Lima, Perù
Singles
Australia Fred Stolle
2–6 6–2 6–3
Spain Andrés GimenoAustralia Rod Laver
Australia Roy Emerson

December

No events

References

  1. Gitlin, Marty (2011). Billie Jean King: Tennis Star & Social Activist: Tennis Star & Social Activist. ABDO. p. 46. ISBN 9781617149467. National Tennis league 1968.
  2. Robertson, max (1974). Encyclopaedia of Tennis. Allen & Unwin. p. 74. ISBN 9780047960420.
  3. Prugh, Jeff (6 Mar 1968). "Pro Net League to Aid Minority Group Youths". The Los Angeles Times. los Angeles, California: newspapers.com. p. 26. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  4. Archives, Tennis. "Sao Paulo Pro Championships 1968". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives, 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  5. Archives, Tennis. "Buenos Aires Pro Championships 1968". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  6. Archives, Tennis. "Bogota Pro Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  7. "Hollywood NTL 1968". thetennisbase. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  8. "BBC2 PRO Tournament Draw". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base.
  9. Archives, Tennis. "Paris Pro Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  10. "NTL Wembley Pro Champs Invitation: Tournament Draw". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  11. Archives, Tennis. "Wembley Invitation 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  12. Archives, Tennis. "Los Angeles Professional Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  13. "Gonzales whips Stolle". Los Angeles Times. 18 July 1968. pp. Sports page 1.
  14. Archives, Tennis. "Oakland Pros 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  15. Collins, Bud; Trabert, Tony (2000). "1968 Results". In McCauley, Joe (ed.). THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL TENNIS. Windsor, England: The Short Run Book Company Ltd. p. 253.
  16. "NTL LA PAZ PRO CH. Tournament Roll of honour". thetennisbase.com. The Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  17. "SAO PAULO PRO Tournament Roll of honour". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  18. "NTL LIMA PRO CH. Tournament Roll of honour". thetennisbase.com. The Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.

Sources

  • McCauley, Joe; Trabert, Tony; Collins, Bud (2000). The History of Professional Tennis. The Short Run Book Company Limited. Exeter. England.
  • Robertson, Max (1974). Encyclopaedia of Tennis. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9780047960420.
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