The 1968 World Championship Tennis circuit was the inaugural tour of the (WCT) one of the two rival professional male tennis tours of 1968 the other being the National Tennis League. The tour began on 22 January in Sydney, Australia and ended on 13 October in Durban, South Africa.
Calendar This is the complete schedule of events on the 1968 WCT circuit, with player progression documented until the quarterfinals stage.
January WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists20 Jan 1968 New South Wales Pro WCT Sydney, AustraliaSingles – Doubles Tony Roche96–33 Nikola Pilić N/A John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Butch Buchholz Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Dennis Ralston
February WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists1 Feb 1968 WCT World CupKansas City, St Louis, United States N/A 8 Feb 1968 Shreveport WCTShreveport, United States Dennis Ralston31–23, 31–25 Butch Buchholz Tony Roche John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Pierre Barthès Roger Taylor Nikola Pilić 9 Feb WCT Miami Pro Championships Miami, United States Butch Buchholz31–22, 31–26 Tony Roche Pierre Barthès Cliff Drysdale John Newcombe Nikola Pilić Roger Taylor Dennis Ralston 13 Feb 1968 Houston WCT Houston, United States Butch Buchholz31-28 Dennis Ralston N/A John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Nikola Pilić Tony Roche 16 Feb 1968 New Orleans WCT New Orleans, United States Cliff Drysdale31-29 John Newcombe N/A Butch Buchholz Tony Roche Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Nikola Pilić Dennis Ralston 20 Feb WCT Orlando Pro ChampionshipsOrlando, United States Dennis Ralston31-28 Nikola PilićN/A Butch Buchholz Tony Roche Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Cliff Drysdale John Newcombe 27 Feb 1968 Tulsa WCT Tulsa, United States Cliff Drysdale31-24 Dennis Ralston N/A Butch Buchholz Tony Roche Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Nikola Pilić John Newcombe
March WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists22 Mar 1968 San Diego WCTSan Diego, United States Butch Buchholz31–21, 31–15 Dennis Ralston John Newcombe Roger Taylor Tony Roche Mike Davies Pierre Barthès Nikola Pilić 28 Mar 1968 WCT Los Altos Hills ProLos Altos Hills, United States Nikola Pilić31–26, 31–30 Dennis Ralston Tony Roche Pierre Barthès Butch Buchholz Cliff Drysdale John Newcombe Roger Taylor
April WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists1 Apr 1968 WCT Bakersfield ProBakersfield, United States John Newcombe31–12, 31–22 Cliff Drysdale Butch Buchholz Pierre Barthès Nikola Pilić Dennis Ralston Roger Taylor Tony Roche 5 Apr 1968 Fresno Pro WCT Fresno, United States Butch Buchholz31–23, 31–29 Tony Roche Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor Nikola Pilić Pierre Barthès John Newcombe Dennis Ralston 20 Apr 1968 WCT Evansville Pro Classic Evansville, United States John Newcombe31–17, 31–17 Nikola Pilić Dennis Ralston Pierre Barthès Tony Roche Butch Buchholz Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor
May WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists4 May 1968 WCT Twin Cities Pro Minneapolis, United States Dennis Ralston31–26, 19–31, 5–4 John Newcombe Butch Buchholz Nikola Pilić Tony Roche Roger Taylor Cliff Drysdale Pierre Barthès 10 May 1968 Buffalo Pro WCT Buffalo, United States Butch Buchholz31–26, 31–22 Dennis Ralston Pierre Barthès Cliff Drysdale Tony Roche John Newcombe Nikola Pilić Roger Taylor 31 May 1968 Baltimore Pro WCT Baltimore, United States Dennis Ralston6–0, 6–4 Tony Roche Roger Taylor Cliff Drysdale Pierre Barthès Butch Buchholz Nikola Pilić John Newcombe
July WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists26 Jul 1968 WCT Båstad Pro Båstad, Sweden Dennis Ralston6–3, 7–5, 6–1 Nikola Pilić Roger Taylor John NewcombeN/A
August WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists1 Aug 1968 WCT Cannes Pro Cannes, France John Newcombe7–5, 6–2 Marty Riessen Mal Anderson Roger Taylor Nikola Pilić Cliff Drysdale Pierre Barthès Tony Roche 12 Aug 1968 WCT Newport Casino Newport, United States Marty Riessen21–10, 9–21, 21–19, Cliff Drysdale John Newcombe Nikola Pilić Pierre Barthès Butch Buchholz Roger Taylor Barry MacKay (tennis)
September WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists26 Sep 1968 Transvaal WCT Pretoria, South Africa John Newcombe11–9, 4–6, 6–3 Tony Roche Butch Buchholz Marty Riessen Nikola Pilić Raymond Moore Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor Butch Buchholz Marty Riessen Tony Roche John Newcombe
October WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists2 Oct 1968 Johannesburg WCT Johannesburg, South Africa Tony Roche6–2, 9–7 Butch Buchholz John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Marty Riessen Pierre Barthès Roger Taylor Nikola Pilić Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor Pierre Barthès Raymond Moore6 Oct 1968 Natal Pro WCT Durban, South Africa John Newcombe6–3, 6–4 Tony Roche Raymond Moore Marty Riessen Pierre Barthès Butch Buchholz Cliff Drysdale Nikola Pilić Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor Tony Roche John Newcombe9 Oct 1968 WCT Border ProEast London, South Africa John Newcombe10–6 Cliff Drysdale Nikola Pilić Pierre Barthès Raymond Moore Marty Riessen Tony Roche Roger Taylor 10 Oct 1968 WCT Eastern Province Pro Port Elizabeth, South Africa Roger Taylor10–8 Tony Roche John Newcombe Nikola Pilić Cliff Drysdale Pierre Barthès Butch Buchholz Raymond Moore 11 Oct 1968 WCT Western Province Pro Cape Town, South Africa Tony Roche6–2, 6–1 Cliff Drysdale Butch Buchholz Pierre Barthès Raymond Moore Marty Riessen John Newcombe Nikola Pilić Tony Roche John Newcombe Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylordivided title16 Oct WCT Kimberley Pro Kimberley, South Africa John Newcombe10–6 Tony Roche Pierre Barthès Marty Riessen Roger Taylor Butch Buchholz Cliff Drysdale Nikola Pilić
November WeekTournamentChampionsRunners-upSemifinalistsQuarterfinalists7 Nov 1968 Vienna Pro WCT Vienna, Austria Tony Roche6–4, 7–5 John Newcombe Roger Taylor Nikola Pilić
See also 1968 Men's National Tennis League
References