The Richmond WCT, also known by its sponsored names Fidelity Bankers Invitational and United Virginia Bank Tennis Classic, was a men's tennis tournament played in Richmond, Virginia in the United States founded in 1966 as the Richmond Invitational Indoor Championships .[1] The inaugural edition in February 1966 was a two-day event with eight player and without prize money. The first six editions, from 1966 through 1971, were invitational tournaments and were held at the Richmond Arena. The 1970 edition was the first one to offer prize money, namely $12,500. In 1972 the event became part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) Tour[a] and moved to the Richmond Coliseum.[2] All subsequent editions were held at the Coliseum except for the 1983 edition which was held at the Robins Center.[3] All editions were held on indoor carpet courts. Lou Einwick was the tournament chairman or director for all editions.

Richmond WCT
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameFidelity Bankers Invitational
United Virginia Bank Tennis Classic
TourILTF World Circuit (1966–1971)
WCT Tour (1972–1984)
Grand Prix (1978–1981)
Founded1966
Abolished1984
Editions19
LocationRichmond, Virginia
VenueRichmond Arena
Richmond Coliseum
Robins Center
SurfaceCarpet / indoor

Finals

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Singles

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Year Champion Runner-up Score
1966   Chuck McKinley   Frank Froehling 6–1, 6–2
1967   Charlie Pasarell   Arthur Ashe 6–3, 8–6
1968   Arthur Ashe   Chuck McKinley 6–2, 6–1
1969   Clark Graebner   Thomaz Koch 6–3, 10–12, 9–7
1970   Arthur Ashe (2)   Stan Smith 6–2, 13–11
1971   Ilie Năstase   Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–2, 6–4
1972   Rod Laver   Cliff Drysdale 2–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3
1973   Rod Laver (2)   Roy Emerson 6–4, 6–3
1974   Ilie Năstase   Tom Gorman 6–2, 6–3
1975   Björn Borg   Arthur Ashe 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1976   Arthur Ashe (3)   Brian Gottfried 6–2, 6–4
1977   Tom Okker   Vitas Gerulaitis 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1978   Vitas Gerulaitis   John Newcombe 6–3, 6–4
1979   Björn Borg (2)   Guillermo Vilas 6–3, 6–1
1980   John McEnroe   Roscoe Tanner 6–1, 6–2
1981   Yannick Noah   Ivan Lendl 6–1, 3–1, RET.
1982   José Luis Clerc   Fritz Buehning 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1983   Guillermo Vilas   Steve Denton 6–3, 7–5, 6–4
1984   John McEnroe (2)   Steve Denton 6–3, 7–6(9–7)

Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1966   Chuck McKinley
  Gene Scott
  Arthur Ashe
  Cliff Richey
6–8, 8–6, 7–5
1967   Arthur Ashe
  Charlie Pasarell
  Cliff Drysdale
  Ron Holmberg
6–1, 6–4
1968   Arthur Ashe
  Charlie Pasarell
  Ron Holmberg
  Bob Lutz
6–4, 6–4
1969   Bob McKinley
  Jim McManus
  Arthur Ashe
  Cliff Richey
8–6, 3–6, 7–5
1970   Arthur Ashe
  Charlie Pasarell
  Jim McManus
  Stan Smith
9–7, 6–2
1971[4]   Arthur Ashe
  Dennis Ralston
  John Newcombe
  Ken Rosewall
7–6, 3–6, 7–6
1972   Tom Okker
  Marty Riessen
  John Newcombe
  Tony Roche
7–6, 7–6
1973   Roy Emerson
  Rod Laver
  Terry Addison
  Colin Dibley
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1974   Nikola Pilić
  Allan Stone
  John Alexander
  Phil Dent
6–3, 3–6, 7–6
1975   Hans Kary
  Fred McNair
  Paolo Bertolucci
  Adriano Panatta
7–6, 5–7, 7–6
1976   Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
  Arthur Ashe
  Tom Okker
6–4, 7–5
1977   Wojtek Fibak
  Tom Okker
  Ross Case
  Tony Roche
6–4, 6–4
1978   Bob Hewitt
  Frew McMillan
  Vitas Gerulaitis
  Sandy Mayer
6–3, 7–5
1979   Brian Gottfried
  John McEnroe
  Ion Țiriac
  Guillermo Vilas
6–4, 6–3
1980   Fritz Buehning
  Johan Kriek
  Brian Gottfried
  Frew McMillan
3–6, 6–3, 7–6
1981   Tim Gullikson
  Bernard Mitton
  Brian Gottfried
  Raúl Ramírez
3–6, 6–2, 6–3
1982   Mark Edmondson
  Kim Warwick
  Syd Ball
  Rolf Gehring
6–4, 6–2
1983   Pavel Složil
  Tomáš Šmíd
  Fritz Buehning
  Brian Teacher
6–2, 6–4
1984   John McEnroe
  Patrick McEnroe
  Steve Denton
  Kevin Curren
7–6, 6–2

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ From 1978 until 1981 the WCT circuit was incorporated into the Grand Prix circuit.

References

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  1. ^ "Passarell, Ashe Seeded 1 & 2 at Richmond". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland: newspapers.com. 2 Feb 1968. p. 8. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  2. ^ John Packett (January 26, 1975). "Tournament developed in decade". Richmond Times-Dispatch. pp. F-1, F-2, F-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ John Packett (February 15, 1983). "Einwick pleased with tournament despite problems". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. C-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Nastase takes upset victory against Ashe". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland. Associated Press. 1971-02-08. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
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