The Wembley Championships was a men's professional tennis tournament held from 1934–1990 with some periods of inactivity in between and is often considered to be one of the three major professional tennis tournaments from 1927–1967 until the advent of the open era. Ken Rosewall's and Rod Laver's six singles titles are the record for this event. The tournament only had a men's draw.

It was first held in 1934 at the Empire Pool at Wembley Park, Wembley, north-west London. In 1968, it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions. In 1970 it was the penultimate event on the Grand Prix Tennis Tour.

Name It was officially called the Wembley Professional Championships, although it was later named the London Indoor Professional Championships. In 1968 it was titled the Jack Kramer Tournament of Champions.

Past finals

YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSurface Professional Era1934 Ellsworth Vines Hans Nüsslein 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 8–6r1 Wood (i)1935 Ellsworth Vines Bill Tilden 6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6, 6–3 Wood (i)1936 Not held a1937 Hans Nüsslein Bill Tilden 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 Wood (i)1938 Not held b1939 Don Budge Hans Nüsslein 13–11, 2–6, 6–4r2 Wood (i)1940–1948 Not held1949 Jack Kramer Bobby Riggs 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 Wood (i)1950 Pancho Gonzales Welby Van Horn 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 Wood (i)1951 Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura 6–2, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 Wood (i)1952 Pancho Gonzales Jack Kramer 3–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 Wood (i)1953 Frank Sedgman Pancho Gonzales 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 Wood (i)1954–1955 Not held1956 Pancho Gonzales Frank Sedgman 4–6, 11–9, 11–9, 9–7 Wood (i)1957 Ken Rosewall Pancho Segura 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 Wood (i)1958 Frank Sedgman Tony Trabert 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 Wood (i)1959 Mal Anderson Pancho Segura 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 Wood (i)1960 Ken Rosewall Pancho Segura 5–7, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3 Wood (i)1961 Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 Wood (i)1962 Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 6–4, 5–7, 15–13, 7–5 Wood (i)1963 Ken Rosewall Lew Hoad 6–4, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 Wood (i)1964 Rod Laver Ken Rosewall 7–5, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6, 8–6 Wood (i)1965 Rod Laver Andrés Gimeno 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 Wood (i)1966 Rod Laver Ken Rosewall 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 Wood (i)1967 Rod Laver Ken Rosewall 2–6, 6–1, 1–6, 8–6, 6–2 Wood (i) Open Era1968 Ken Rosewall John Newcombe 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 Carpet (i)1969 Rod Laver Tony Roche 6–4, 6–1, 6–3 Carpet (i)1970 Rod Laver Cliff Richey 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 Carpet (i)1971 Ilie Năstase Rod Laver 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 Carpet (i)1972–1975 Not held1976 Jimmy Connors Roscoe Tanner 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 Carpet (i)1977 Björn Borg John Lloyd 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 Carpet (i)1978 John McEnroe Tim Gullikson 6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–2 Carpet (i)1979 John McEnroe Harold Solomon 6–3, 6–4, 7–5 Carpet (i)1980 John McEnroe Gene Mayer 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 Carpet (i)1981 Jimmy Connors John McEnroe 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 Carpet (i)1982 John McEnroe Brian Gottfried 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 Carpet (i)1983 John McEnroe Jimmy Connors 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 Carpet (i)1984 Ivan Lendl Andrés Gómez 7–6, 6–2, 6–1 Carpet (i)1985 Ivan Lendl Boris Becker 6–7, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 Carpet (i)1986 Yannick Noah Jonas Svensson 6–2, 6–3, 6–7, 4–6, 7–5 Carpet (i)1987 Ivan Lendl Anders Järryd 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 Carpet (i)1988 Jakob Hlasek Jonas Svensson 6–7, 3–6, 6–4, 6–0, 7–5 Carpet (i)1989 Michael Chang Guy Forget 6–2, 6–1, 6–1 Carpet (i)1990 Jakob Hlasek Michael Chang 7–6, 6–3 Carpet (i)

Notes:

a1936 tournament was cancelled due to Tilden and Vines playing in Japan. This was reported in London Daily Mail on 24 August 1936. There are sources that say Ellsworth Vines defeated Hans Nüsslein 6–4, 6–4, 6–2, but this must have been a different event.

bNo reports of a 1938 tournament in British newspapers (the Wembley event was always reported in major British newspapers). Ray Bowers in an article on The Tennis Server website states there was no event held. There are sources that tell us Hans Nüsslein defeated Bill Tilden 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, but this must have been held elsewhere.

r1 For 1934, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Vines 5-0 and Nüsslein 4-1 as final standings.

r1 For 1939, the tournament was played under Round Robin format with Budge 3-0 and Nüsslein, Tilden and Vines as 1-2 as final standings.

Doubles YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSurface Professional Era1934 Wood (i)1935 Bill Tilden Ellsworth Vines George Lott Lester Stoefen 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 Wood (i)1936 Not held1937 Hans Nüsslein Martin Plaa Lester Stoefen Bill Tilden Wood (i)1938Not held1939Wood (i)1938–1948 Not held1949 Jack Kramer Bobby Riggs Dinny Pails Pancho Segura 3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–1 Wood (i)1950 Don Budge Pancho Gonzales Bobby Riggs Welby Van Horn 8–6, 9–7, 4–6, 6–4 Wood (i)1951 Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura Bobby Riggs Welby Van Horn 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 Wood (i)1952 Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura Don Budge Jack Kramer 6–3, 6–1 Wood (i)1953 Don Budge Frank Sedgman Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 Wood (i)1954–1955 Not held1956 Pancho Gonzales Tony Trabert Rex Hartwig Frank Sedgman 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 Wood (i)1957 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Jack Kramer Pancho Segura 3–6, 6–8, 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 Wood (i)1958 Pancho Gonzales Ken Rosewall Jack Kramer Pancho Segura 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 Wood (i)1959 Lew Hoad Tony Trabert Ken Rosewall Pancho Segura 11–9, 9–7, 6–2 Wood (i)1960 Ken Rosewall Frank Sedgman Lew Hoad Tony Trabert 4–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–4, 6–2 Wood (i)1961 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Alex Olmedo Pancho Segura 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 Wood (i)1962 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Alex Olmedo Pancho Segura 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 Wood (i)1963 Alex Olmedo Frank Sedgman Butch Buchholz Barry MacKay 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 10–8 Wood (i)1964 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Butch Buchholz Rod Laver 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–1 Wood (i)1965 Butch Buchholz Rod Laver Frank Sedgman Pancho Segura 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 Wood (i)1966 Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Butch Buchholz Rod Laver 6–4, 8–6, 3–6, 6–2 Wood (i)1967 Rod Laver Fred Stolle Butch Buchholz Lew Hoad 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 Wood (i) Open Era1968 John Newcombe Tony Roche Andrés Gimeno Pancho Gonzales 6–3, 9–7 Carpet (i) Source:

See also Wembley Professional Championships draws - Professional Era (1934–1967) U.S. Pro Tennis Championships French Pro Championship Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era

References

Bibliography