The historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills, N.Y. was the traditional site of the U.S. Open from 1915 to 1977 before moving to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow. When the Open moved to the other side of Queens, N.Y., the club brought in the WCT Tournament of Champions so the club could still have a presence in professional tennis. The tournament was annually played this week and three significant matches in the tournament’s short history was played on May 8, as documented below from this book excerpt from ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.TennisHistoryBook.com).
1989 – Ivan Lendl defeats Jaime Yzaga of Peru 6-2, 6-1 in a rain-delayed Monday final at the Eagle WCT Tournament of Champions at a cold and windy West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. The final is watched by only 1,500 fans, who huddle under blankets or wear winter coats in the 40-degree temperatures that keeps the No. 1-ranked Lendl in his sweat pants during the entire duration of the match. The 1989 tournament marks the final year that the West Side Tennis Club, the former long-time home of the U.S. Open, hosts an official sanctioned event. The new ATP Tour schedule starting in 1990 does not include an event at Forest Hills.
1988 – Andre Agassi defeats Slobodan Zivojinovic 7-5, 7-6 (2), 7-5 to win the WCT Tournament of Champions in front of 12, 898 fans at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. The title is the most significant to date for the 18-year-old Agassi, who moves to an ATP ranking of No. 15 following the victory. Says Zivojinovic of Agassi, “It’s very difficult to say he’s good. He looks like he’s having a lot of fun, and he’s winning. I don’t know how long it’s [his outlook] going to stay – maybe a year, maybe forever. He doesn’t worry about the ball going in or out, winning or losing. He was a hell of a good player today, and with this tournament and maybe one more, he’ll be in the top 10.”
1983 – John McEnroe wins his most significant tournament on clay, defeating fellow New Yorker Vitas Gerulaitis 6-3, 7-5 to win the WCT Tournament of Champions at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.