Japanese Pro Championships

Japanese Pro Championships
Japanese Pro Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	Pro Tennis Tour
Founded	1960
Abolished	1963
Editions	2
Location	Osaka; Tokyo; Japan
Venue	Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium; Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Surface	Wood / indoor
Prize money	$10,000 (1960)

The Japanesese Pro Championships^[2] was a men's professional indoor wood court tennis tournament founded in 1960 and organized by promoter American Jack Kramer. Also known as the Japan Professional Championships or Japan Pro it was first played at the 1960, in Tokyo, Japan. The event was last played in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan when it was discontinued.

History

In 1960 Jack Kramer organized the first pro knock out elimination tennis tournament to be played in Tokyo, Japan from 8 to 13 November 1960.^[3] The tournament had an average of 7000 spectators per day including the crown prince and crown princess of Japan on finals day with Australia's Lew Hoad claiming the $1800 prize money.^[4]

In 1963 Japan Professional Championships were revived (often tracked historically as the Japan Pro), that took place in late October and early November of 1963. This was part of the Jack Kramer pro tour circuit and featured tennis legends like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Frank Sedgman, and Butch Buchholz playing a round-robin format on indoor wood courts in Osaka,^[5] before moving to Tokyo for the indoor finals.^[6]

Past finals

Singles 1960

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1960^[7]	Tokyo	Lew Hoad	Ken Rosewall	6–2, 0–6, 3–6, 6–1, 13–11

Singles 1963

First & Second Place

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1963^[8]	Tokyo	Butch Buchholz	Rod Laver	6–3, 6–4

Third & Fourth Place

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1963^[9]	Tokyo	Frank Sedgman	Lew Hoad	7–5, 6–8, 6–3

References

↑ World Tennis (Jan 1961) p.62.
↑ Joseph McCauley The History of Professional Tennis (2000) forwards by Bud Collins and Tony Trabert. The Short Book Run Co Ltd. Windsor. ASIN: B001EOVE56. p.230.
↑ Trabert, Tony (December 1960). "Report on the Kramer Pros". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 7. p. 21 – via Internet Archive.
↑ "Around the World". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 8. January 1961. p. 51 – via Internet Archive.
↑ "Hoad Wins". The Canberra Times. 4 November 1963. p. 20 – via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Edition: Japan Professional Championships 1963". Tennis Archives. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
↑ "Around the World". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 8. January 1961. p. 51 – via Internet Archive.
↑ "Wins Tennis Title". The Victoria Advocate. 7 November 1963. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
↑ Joseph McCauley The History of Professional Tennis (2000) forwards by Bud Collins and Tony Trabert. The Short Book Run Co Ltd. Windsor. ASIN: B001EOVE56. p.230.

[1] World Tennis (Jan 1961) p.62.

[2] Joseph McCauley The History of Professional Tennis (2000) forwards by Bud Collins and Tony Trabert. The Short Book Run Co Ltd. Windsor. ASIN: B001EOVE56. p.230.

[3] Trabert, Tony (December 1960). "Report on the Kramer Pros". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 7. p. 21 – via Internet Archive.

[4] "Around the World". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 8. January 1961. p. 51 – via Internet Archive.

[5] "Hoad Wins". The Canberra Times. 4 November 1963. p. 20 – via National Library of Australia.

[6] "Edition: Japan Professional Championships 1963". Tennis Archives. Retrieved 13 July 2026.

[7] "Around the World". World Tennis. Vol. 8, no. 8. January 1961. p. 51 – via Internet Archive.

[8] "Wins Tennis Title". The Victoria Advocate. 7 November 1963. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2026.

[9] Joseph McCauley The History of Professional Tennis (2000) forwards by Bud Collins and Tony Trabert. The Short Book Run Co Ltd. Windsor. ASIN: B001EOVE56. p.230.

[2]