1968 Men's National Tennis League

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1968 Men's NTL League
Rodney George Laver.jpg
Laver won most title's this year
Details
Duration18 March – 2 November
Edition1st
Tournaments13
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 the first NTL Tour 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[]

  • Q = Qualifier
  • WC = Wild card
  • LL = Lucky loser
  • Alt = Alternate
  • SE = Special exempt
  • PR = Protected ranking
  • ITF = ITF entry
  • JE = Junior exempt
  • w/o = Walkover
  • r = Retired
  • d = Defaulted
  • SR = Special ranking

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 March [3]
São Paulo, Brazil
Clay (i)
 Australia Rod Laver
7–5, 5–7, 6–4		 United States Pancho Gonzales
Round Robin
Spain Andrés Gimeno
Australia Fred Stolle
23 March [4]
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Clay
 Australia Rod Laver
7–5, 5–7, 6–4		 United States Pancho Gonzales
3rd Place
Spain Andrés Gimeno
4th Place
Australia Fred Stolle
27 March [5]
Bogotà, Colombia
Clay (i)
- 		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 April [6]
Hollywood, United States
Clay
 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
18 April [7]
Wembley, Great Britain
Wood (i)
 Australia Rod Laver
6–3 10-8		 Australia Ken Rosewall Australia Roy Emerson
United States Pancho Gonzales
20 April [8]
Paris, France
- 		Australia Ken Rosewall
6–3 6–4		 Spain Andrés Gimeno United 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 [9] [10]
Wembley, Great Britain
Wood (i)
- 		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 May
New York City, United States
Carpet (i)
- 		Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 6–3, 9–7, 6–4		 Australia Ken Rosewall Australia 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 July [11]
Los Angeles, United States
Carpet (i)[12]
- 		United States Pancho Gonzales
1–6 6–3 6–4		 Australia Rod Laver

August[]

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
2 August [13]
Oakland, United States
- 		Australia Fred Stolle
7–5, 6–3		 United States Pancho Gonzales

September[]

No events

October[]

No events

November[]

Date Tournament Winner Finalist Semi Finalist Quarter Finalist
3 November[14]
La Paz, Bolivia
Clay
 Australia Rod Laver
6–4 3–6 7–5		 Spain Andrés Gimeno Australia Fred Stolle
Australia Roy Emerson
8 November[15]
Sao Paulo, Brasil
Clay (i)
 Australia Rod Laver
7–5 5-7 6–4		 United States Pancho Gonzales Spain Andrés Gimeno
Australia Fred Stolle
Australia Roy Emerson
16 November[16]
, Perù
 Australia Fred Stolle
2–6 6–2 6–3		 Spain Andrés Gimeno Australia 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. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Sao Paulo Pro Championships 1968". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives, 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Bogota Pro Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Hollywood NTL 1968". thetennisbase. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  7. ^ "BBC2 PRO Tournament Draw". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base.
  8. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Paris Pro Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  9. ^ "NTL Wembley Pro Champs Invitation: Tournament Draw". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  10. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Wembley Invitation 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  11. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Los Angeles Professional Championships 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Gonzales whips Stolle". Los Angeles Times. 18 July 1968. pp. Sports page 1.
  13. ^ Archives, Tennis. "Oakland Pros 1968". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  14. ^ "NTL LA PAZ PRO CH. Tournament Roll of honour". thetennisbase.com. The Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  15. ^ "SAO PAULO PRO Tournament Roll of honour". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  16. ^ "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.

External links[]

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