The Memphis Open, is a professional tennis tournament founded in 1975 that has been held at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee since 1977. The Memphis Open is the only ATP event in the United States that is played on indoor hard courts and usually takes place in February. For part of its history it was a combined men's and women's tournament but as of 2014 it is solely a men's tournament.
The event was previously known under various sponsored names including the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, the Kroger St. Jude Championship, the Volvo Championships, the Cellular South Cup, and the Federal Express International and was for a period time part of the now defunct U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships.
The current singles champion of the Memphis Open is Kei Nishikori, who has won the event four consecutive years, and the current doubles champions are Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Santiago Gonzalez.
History
Center Court at the 2016 Memphis Open
In 1974, Memphis cotton merchant William B. "Billy" Dunavant Jr. purchased the Memphis Athletic Club and began a $7 M expansion to transform the facility into what is now the Racquet Club of Memphis. What is now known as the Memphis Open was first played in 1975 on indoor carpet as part of the WCT. In 1977, the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships moved to Memphis from Salisbury, Maryland and increased the event's prize money to $220,000.[1] The Memphis Open holds the distinction of being the only private indoor racquet club in the world to host a men's and women's professional tennis event.[2] The tournament was played on indoor carpet into the 1980s, but the club eventually changed its surface to hard courts.
In November 2001, the Racquet Club of Memphis purchased the rights to the WTA event in Oklahoma City and moved it to memphis, where the tournament hosted both men's and women's events for 12 years. In 2008, the event was elevated to ATP 500 Series status. In 2014, the men's and women's events moved to Rio de Janeiro.[3] Memphis then purchased the ATP 250 event in San Jose to keep professional tennis in the city.[4] In late 2014, Tennis Rendezvous LLC, owned by the USTA and Golden Set Holdings LLC, purchased the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships and renamed it the Memphis Open. In 2015, the Memphis Open was sold again, purchased by New York-based financial management company GF Capital.
Over the years, the Memphis Open has counted nine ATP year-end No. 1 players among its winners: Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, and Andy Roddick. In 2016, Kei Nishikori won the event for a fourth consecutive time, tying Connors' record for the most overall Memphis titles.
Finals
Singles
Year |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Score |
1975 | Harold Solomon | Jiri Hrebec | 2–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
1976 | Vijay Amritraj | Stan Smith | 6–2, 0–6, 6–0 |
1977 | Björn Borg | Brian Gottfried | 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
1978 | Jimmy Connors | Tim Gullikson | 7–6, 6–3 |
1979 | Jimmy Connors | Arthur Ashe | 6–4, 5–7, 6–3 |
1980 | John McEnroe | Jimmy Connors | 7–6, 7–6(8–6) |
1981 | Gene Mayer | Roscoe Tanner | 6–2, 6–4 |
1982 | Johan Kriek | John McEnroe | 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
1983 | Jimmy Connors | Gene Mayer | 7–5, 6–0 |
1984 | Jimmy Connors | Henri Leconte | 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
1985 | Stefan Edberg | Yannick Noah | 6–1, 6–0 |
1986 | Brad Gilbert | Stefan Edberg | 7–5, 7–6 |
1987 | Stefan Edberg | Jimmy Connors | 6–3, 2–1 (retired) |
1988 | Andre Agassi | Mikael Pernfors | 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 |
1989 | Brad Gilbert | Johan Kriek | 6–2, 6–2 (retired) |
1990 | Michael Stich | Wally Masur | 6–7, 6–4, 7–6 |
1991 | Ivan Lendl | Michael Stich | 7–5, 6–3 |
1992 | MaliVai Washington | Wayne Ferreira | 6–3, 6–2 |
1993 | Jim Courier | Todd Martin | 5–7, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–4) |
1994 | Todd Martin | Brad Gilbert | 6–4, 7–5 |
1995 | Todd Martin | Paul Haarhuis | 7–6(7–2), 6–4 |
1996 | Pete Sampras | Todd Martin | 6–4, 7–6(7–2) |
1997 | Michael Chang | Todd Woodbridge | 6–3, 6–4 |
1998 | Mark Philippoussis | Michael Chang | 6–3, 6–2 |
1999 | Tommy Haas | Jim Courier | 6–4, 6–1 |
2000 | Magnus Larsson | Byron Black | 6–2, 1–6, 6–3 |
2001 | Mark Philippoussis | Davide Sanguinetti | 6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3 |
2002 | Andy Roddick | James Blake | 6–4, 3–6, 7–5 |
2003 | Taylor Dent | Andy Roddick | 6–1, 6–4 |
2004 | Joachim Johansson | Nicolas Kiefer | 7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
2005 | Kenneth Carlsen | Max Mirnyi | 7–5, 7–5 |
2006 | Tommy Haas | Robin Söderling | 6–3, 6–2 |
2007 | Tommy Haas | Andy Roddick | 6–3, 6–2 |
2008 | Steve Darcis | Robin Söderling | 6–3, 7–6(7–5) |
2009 | Andy Roddick | Radek Štěpánek | 7–5, 7–5 |
2010 | Sam Querrey | John Isner | 6–7(3–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–3 |
2011 | Andy Roddick | Milos Raonic | 7–6(9–7), 6–7(11–13), 7–5 |
2012 | Jürgen Melzer | Milos Raonic | 7–5, 7–6(7–4) |
2013 | Kei Nishikori | Feliciano López | 6–2, 6–3 |
2014 | Kei Nishikori | Ivo Karlović | 6–4, 7–6(7–0) |
2015 | Kei Nishikori | Kevin Anderson | 6–4, 6–4 |
2016 | Kei Nishikori | Taylor Fritz | 6–4, 6–4 |
Doubles
Year |
Champions |
Runners-up |
Score |
1975 | Dick Stockton Erik Van Dillen | Mark Cox Cliff Drysdale | 1–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
1976 | Vijay Amritraj Anand Amritraj | Marty Riessen Roscoe Tanner | 6–3, 6–4 |
1977 | Sherwood Stewart Fred McNair | Robert Lutz Stan Smith | 4–6, 7–6, 7–6 |
1978 | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | Phil Dent John Newcombe | 3–6, 7–6, 6–2 |
1979 | Tom Okker Wojciech Fibak | Frew McMillan Dick Stockton | 6–4, 6–4 |
1980 | John McEnroe Brian Gottfried | Rod Frawley Tomáš Šmíd | 6–3, 6–7, 7–6 |
1981 | Gene Mayer Sandy Mayer | Mike Cahill Tom Gullikson | 7–6, 6–7, 7–6 |
1982 | Kevin Curren Steve Denton | John McEnroe Peter Fleming | 7–6, 4–6, 6–2 |
1983 | Peter McNamara Paul McNamee | Tim Gullikson Tom Gullikson | 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 |
1984 | Fritz Buehning Peter Fleming | Heinz Günthardt Tomáš Šmíd | 6–3, 6–0 |
1985 | Pavel Složil Tomáš Šmíd | Kevin Curren Steve Denton | 1–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
1986 | Ken Flach Robert Seguso | Guy Forget Anders Järryd | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |
1987 | Anders Järryd Jonas Svensson | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | 6–4, 6–2 |
1988 | Kevin Curren David Pate | Peter Lundgren Mikael Pernfors | 6–2, 6–2 |
1989 | Paul Annacone Christo van Rensburg | Scott Davis Tim Wilkison | 7–6, 6–7, 6–1 |
1990 | Darren Cahill Mark Kratzmann | Udo Riglewski Michael Stich | 7–5, 6–2 |
1991 | Michael Stich Udo Riglewski | John Fitzgerald Laurie Warder | 7–5, 6–3 |
1992 | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | Kevin Curren Gary Muller | 7–6, 6–1 |
1993 | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis | 7–5, 4–6, 7–6 |
1994 | Byron Black Jonathan Stark | Jim Grabb Jared Palmer | 7–6, 6–4 |
1995 | Jared Palmer Richey Reneberg | Tommy Ho Brett Steven | 4–6, 7–6, 6–1 |
1996 | Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | 6–4, 7–5 |
1997 | Ellis Ferreira Patrick Galbraith | Rick Leach Jonathan Stark | 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 |
1998 | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | Ellis Ferreira David Roditi | 6–3, 6–4 |
1999 | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | Sébastien Lareau Alex O'Brien | 6–3, 6–4 |
2000 | Justin Gimelstob Sébastien Lareau | Jim Grabb Richey Reneberg | 6–2, 6–4 |
2001 | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | Alex O'Brien Jonathan Stark | 6–3, 7–6 |
2002 | Brian MacPhie Nenad Zimonjić | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | 6–3, 3–6, [10–4] |
2003 | Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | 6–2, 7–6 |
2004 | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | Jeff Coetzee Chris Haggard | 6–3, 6–4 |
2005 | Simon Aspelin Todd Perry | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | 6–4, 6–4 |
2006 | Ivo Karlović Chris Haggard | James Blake Mardy Fish | 0–6, 7–5, [10–5] |
2007 | Eric Butorac Jamie Murray | Julian Knowle Jürgen Melzer | 7–5, 6–3 |
2008 | Mahesh Bhupathi Mark Knowles | Sanchai Ratiwatana Sonchat Ratiwatana | 7–6(7–5), 6–2 |
2009 | Mardy Fish Mark Knowles | Travis Parrott Filip Polášek | 7–6(9–7), 6–1 |
2010 | John Isner Sam Querrey | Ross Hutchins Jordan Kerr | 6–4, 6–4 |
2011 | Max Mirnyi Daniel Nestor | Eric Butorac Jean-Julien Rojer | 6–2, 6–7(6–8), [10–3] |
2012 | Max Mirnyi Daniel Nestor | Ivan Dodig Marcelo Melo | 4–6, 7–5, [10–7] |
2013 | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | James Blake Jack Sock | 6-1, 6-2 |
2014 | Eric Butorac Raven Klaasen | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan | 6-4, 6-4 |
2015 | Mariusz Fyrstenberg Santiago González | Artem Sitak Donald Young | 5–7, 7–6(7–1), [10–8] |
2016 | Mariusz Fyrstenberg Santiago González | Steve Johnson Sam Querrey | 6–4, 6–4 |
Records
Record |
Player(s) |
Count |
Years |
Winner of most Men's Singles titles |
Jimmy Connors Kei Nishikori |
4 |
1977, 1978, 1983, 1984 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
Winner of most consecutive Men's Singles titles |
Kei Nishikori |
4 |
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
Most Men's Singles finals |
Jimmy Connors |
6 |
1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987 |
Winner of most Men's Doubles titles (individual & team) |
Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde |
4 |
1992, 1993, 1998, 1999 |
Winner of most consecutive Men's Doubles titles (individual & team) |
Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Santiago Gonzalez |
2 |
1992, 1993 & 1998, 1999 2015, 2016 |
Most Men's Doubles finals (individual & team) |
Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan
|
7 |
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014 |
See also
References
External links