Moscow International Indoor Championships

The Moscow International Indoor Championships[1] was a men's and women's open international indoor tennis tournament founded in 1956 as the Moscow International Covered Court Championships.[2] The tournament was organised by the Tennis Federation of the USSR was played initially on wood courts switching to carpet courts later in Moscow, Soviet Union until 1975.

Moscow International Indoor Championships
USSR International Indoor Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit
(1956–72)
ILTF Independent Tour
(1973–75)
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
Abolished1975; 49 years ago (1975)
LocationMoscow, Soviet Union
SurfaceWood (indoors)
Carpet (indoors)

The event occasionally carried the joint denomination of USSR International Covered Court Championships or USSR International Indoor Championships.[2] The championships were part ILTF European Circuit a sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit until 1972 then became part of the ILTF Independent Tour from 1973 until it was discontinued.[2]

History

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In the mid-1950s confrontational relations between the Western Bloc and Soviet Union eased in part the Khrushchev Thaw a policy of de-Stalinization by then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev,[3] meant that Soviet players were free to travel to overseas international tournaments, while foreign players could take part in a limited number of tournaments within the USSR, mainly in the capital Moscow.

The two prominent international tournaments for foreign players to participate in were the Moscow International Indoor Championships, usually late winter in February to early spring in March.[2] The second international tennis event was Moscow International Championships or (USSR International Championships) usually staged in the summer at the end of July, beginning of August and was played on clay courts.[2] Additionally two closed tournaments were also held in Moscow for Soviet players only the Moscow Indoor Championships and the Moscow Outdoor Championships.[2]

Finals

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Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1956   József Asbóth   Sergei Andreev 7-9, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1957   Jiri Javorsky   Sergei Andreev 6-4, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1958   Robert Haillet   Jacques Brichant 6-2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2.[2]
1960   Gérard Pilet   Wilhelm Bungert 6-1, 6–1, 6–0.[2]
1961   Tomas Lejus   Alan Mills 6-2, 6–3, 5–7, 7–5.[2]
1962   Tomas Lejus (2)   Sergio Jacobini 7-5, 8–6, 6–4.[2]
1963   Tomas Lejus (3)   Jan Leschly 6-0, 1–6, 6–3, 6–2.[2]
1964   Alexander Metreveli   Tomas Lejus 7-5, 6–4, 1–6, 2–6, 7–5.[2]
1965   Tomas Lejus (4)   Alexander Metreveli 6-4, 7–5, 8–6.[2]
1967   Pierre Darmon   Alexander Metreveli 4-6, 17–15, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7.[2]
1968   Alexander Metreveli (2)   Tomas Lejus 6-4, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   Tomas Lejus (5)   Vladimir Karlovich Palman 6-4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1971   Alexander Metreveli (3)   Anatoli Volkov 6-3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973   Teimuraz Kakulia   Balazs Taroczy 5-7, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[2]
1974   Anatoli Volkov   Vladimir Korotkov 6-1, 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.[2]
1975   Anatoli Volkov (2)   Jewgeni Bobojedow 6-3, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3.[2]

Women's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1957   Vera Puzejova   Olga Miskova Gazdikova 6-3, 6-1
1958   Christiane Mercelis   Suzanne Schmitt 9-7, 6-0
1959   Christiane Mercelis (2)   Suzanne Schmitt 7-5, 6-2
1960   Irina Ryazanova   Aline Nenot 6-4, 7-5
1961   Irina Ryazanova (2)   Silvana Lazzarino 6-8, 6–4, 6-0
1962   Anna Dmitrieva   Lea Pericoli 6-2, 7-5
1963   Anna Dmitrieva (2) ? RR event
1964   Anna Dmitrieva (3)   Valeria Kuzmenko Titova 8-6, 6-2
1965   Helga Schultze   Tiiu Kivi 2-6, 8–6, 6-3
1966   Galina Baksheeva   Maria Kull 6-0, 6–8, 7-5
1967   Anna Dmitrieva (4)   Galina Baksheeva 9-7, 6-4
1968   Virginia Wade   Galina Baksheeva 6-1, 6–8, 6-4
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   Olga Morozova   Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-2
1970   Helga Niessen   Olga Morozova 7-5, 2–6, 6-3
1971   Olga Morozova (2)   Maria Kull 6-1, 7-5
1972   Evgenia Biryukova   Anna Dmitrieva 6-4, 6-3
↓  ILTF Independent Tour  ↓
1973   Olga Morozova (3) Galina Baksheeva 6-2, 6-3
1974   Olga Morozova (4)   Marina Kroshina 6-3, 6-1

References

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  1. ^ "Winnie Slams The Russians". The Daily Mirror. London, England: The Wikipedia Library - Newspaper Archive.Com. 21 Feb 1969. p. 31. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Tournaments: Moscow International Covered Court - Indoor Championships". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. ^ Osipova, Zinaida (September 2019). "When the Soviets Domesticated the West". Origins. Ohio State University. Retrieved 13 October 2023.