Tennis tournament
TheU.S. Men's Clay Court Championships is an annualATP Tour tennis tournament . Founded in 1910, it has been held in nearly two dozen cities, and since 2001 has been held inHouston, Texas .[ 1] US$ 742,350 with the winner receivingUS$ 100,635.[ 2] United States to be played onclay courts .
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 theCincinnati Tennis Club . It has since been played in numerous cities. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of theGrand Prix Tennis Tour as part of theGrand 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 HoustonWestside Tennis Club . In 2007, after a few years being held on the same red clay used at theFrench Open , the event switched toHar-Tru green clay.
In 2007, theU.S. Tennis Association sought a new venue and entertained bids fromAtlanta, Georgia ;Winston-Salem, North Carolina ; andPonte Vedra Beach, Florida . But in May 2007, the USTA announced that the tournament would simply move downtown toRiver Oaks Country Club in theRiver Oaks neighborhood. The new venue has a stadium with seating for 3,000 with temporary seating for 500 for the second court.[ 3]
River Oaks Country Club Bill Tilden holds the record for most titles (7).Bill Tilden andFrank 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 (2) 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 (3) 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 (4) William Talbert 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 1947 Salt Lake City, Utah Frank Parker (5) 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 (tennis) 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 toCOVID-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) 2024 Ben Shelton Frances Tiafoe 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
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 toCOVID-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] 2024 Max Purcell Jordan Thompson William Blumberg John Peers 7–5, 6–1
Source: The Tennisbase [ 5]
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).
Present Buenos Aires Marseille Delray Beach New Haven / Winston-Salem 2009, 2011–present:Kitzbühel 2009–2010, 2012–present:Lyon / Montpellier 2009–2014, 2017–2019, 2021–present:Eastbourne 2009–2014, 2020–present:Viña del Mar / Santiago 2009–2019, 2024–present:Brisbane 2009–2016, 2024–present:Bucharest Stuttgart Båstad Gstaad Umag Stockholm Metz 2009–2019, 2022–present:Houston Casablanca / Marrakech 's-Hertogenbosch 2009–2020, 2023–present:Auckland 2015–2019, 2021–present:Geneva 2015–2019, 2023–present:Chengdu 2016–present:Antwerp 2016–2019, 2021–present:Los Cabos 2020, 2022–present:Adelaide 2020–2021, 2023–present:Astana/Almaty 2021–present:Mallorca 2021, 2024-present:Belgrade 2024-present:Hong Kong Hangzhou Past
29°45′11″N 95°25′26″W / 29.753°N 95.424°W /29.753; -95.424
2024 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
Ben Shelton
Max Purcell
Magnus Norman
Guillermo Cañas
