The 1970 Masters (also known as the 1970 Pepsi-Cola Masters for sponsorship reasons) was a
tennis
Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
tournament played on
indoor carpet courts at the
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
is a sporting complex in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1954 for the World Amateur wrestling, Wrestling Championship, it was also used as the venue for Gymnastics at the 1964 Summer Olympics, gymnastics at the 1964 Summer Olympics ...
in
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan. It was the first edition of the year-end
Masters Grand Prix and was held from December 9 through December 15, 1970. The event included a singles and doubles draw, both of which were held in a round robin format.
Stan Smith
Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946) is an American former professional tennis player. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion (at the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon Championships), Smith also paired with Bob Lutz t ...
won the first singles title and then partnered
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was an American professional tennis player. He won three Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments, Grand Slam titles in singles and two in doubles. Ashe was the first Black player selected ...
to the doubles title as well.
The best six players from the
1970 Grand Prix circuit ranking qualified for the singles event.
Cliff Richey
George Clifford Richey Jr. (born December 31, 1946) is an American former amateur and professional tennis player who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Richey achieved a highest singles ranking of World No. 6 and reached at least the quarter ...
, the winner of the Grand Prix ranking, could not participate due to illness.
John Newcombe
John David Newcombe AO OBE (born 23 May 1944) is an Australian former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in both men's singles and men's doubles. Newcombe won a combined 26 major titles: seven in singles, a former ...
was the first replacement as the number seven ranked but was unable to play which meant that
Jan Kodeš
Jan Kodeš (born 1 March 1946) is a Czech former professional tennis player. A three-time major singles champion, Kodeš was one of the premier players in the early 1970s.
Kodeš's greatest success was achieved on the clay courts of the French ...
, ranked eight, completed the field.
Stan Smith won the singles title in the round robin format and earned $15,000 first-prize money.
Finals
Singles
Stan Smith
Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946) is an American former professional tennis player. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion (at the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon Championships), Smith also paired with Bob Lutz t ...
won a round robin competition also featuring
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was an American professional tennis player. He won three Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments, Grand Slam titles in singles and two in doubles. Ashe was the first Black player selected ...
,
Željko Franulović
Željko Franulović (; born 13 June 1947) is a Croats, Croatian former tennis player who competed for SFR Yugoslavia and has since had a long career in tennis management. He has been the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament director since 2005.
Whils ...
,
Jan Kodeš
Jan Kodeš (born 1 March 1946) is a Czech former professional tennis player. A three-time major singles champion, Kodeš was one of the premier players in the early 1970s.
Kodeš's greatest success was achieved on the clay courts of the French ...
,
Rod Laver
Rodney George Laver (born 9 August 1938) is an Australian former professional tennis player. Laver was ranked as the World number 1 ranked male tennis players, world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969, ...
and
Ken Rosewall
Kenneth Robert Rosewall (born 2 November 1934) is an Australian former World number one male tennis player rankings, world No. 1 professional tennis player. Rosewall won 147 singles titles, including 23 majors: a record 15 Major professional te ...
.
* It was Smith's 6th title of the year and the 9th of his career.
Doubles
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was an American professional tennis player. He won three Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments, Grand Slam titles in singles and two in doubles. Ashe was the first Black player selected ...
/
Stan Smith
Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946) is an American former professional tennis player. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion (at the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon Championships), Smith also paired with Bob Lutz t ...
won a round robin competition against the teams of
Jan Kodeš
Jan Kodeš (born 1 March 1946) is a Czech former professional tennis player. A three-time major singles champion, Kodeš was one of the premier players in the early 1970s.
Kodeš's greatest success was achieved on the clay courts of the French ...
/
Rod Laver
Rodney George Laver (born 9 August 1938) is an Australian former professional tennis player. Laver was ranked as the World number 1 ranked male tennis players, world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969, ...
and
Željko Franulović
Željko Franulović (; born 13 June 1947) is a Croats, Croatian former tennis player who competed for SFR Yugoslavia and has since had a long career in tennis management. He has been the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament director since 2005.
Whils ...
/
Ken Rosewall
Kenneth Robert Rosewall (born 2 November 1934) is an Australian former World number one male tennis player rankings, world No. 1 professional tennis player. Rosewall won 147 singles titles, including 23 majors: a record 15 Major professional te ...
.
* It was Ashe's 6th title of the year and the 7th of his professional career. It was Smith's 7th title of the year and the 10th of his career.
References
External links
ATP tournament profileATP Singles results
{{1970 Pepsi-Cola Grand Prix
*
Grand Prix tennis circuit year-end championships
1970 in Japanese tennis
Tennis tournaments in Japan
1970 in Tokyo