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
![](../I/m/RCofMemphis.jpg)
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