Ken Rosewall - Open-closed Career: April 1968 Through July 1972 - 1971

1971

After his runner-up finishes at Sydney and Wimbledon and his victory at the US Open in 1970, Rosewall continued his good performances in 1971 in the great grass court tournaments. One year after the first Dunlop Open was held in Sydney, Rosewall was back in Sydney in March, this time for the Australian Open held on the White City Courts. For once, this tournament deserved the "Grand Slam tournament" label. During the 14 first editions of the open tournament (1969–1982), only the 1969 and the 1971 editions had a strong field with many, but not all, of the best players. Because it was sponsored by Dunlop in 1971, all the World Championship Tennis (WCT) players (including the ancient National Tennis League players since spring 1970) entered (John Newcombe, Rosewall, Rod Laver, Tony Roche, Tom Okker, Arthur Ashe (a WCT player since the beginning of the year) and so on) and some independent pros also played. Nevertheless, Stan Smith (under Army's service), Cliff Richey, Clark Graebner, and the not-yet-good-on-grass players Ilie Nastase and Jan Kodeš were missing. Rosewall won the tournament, his second consecutive Grand Slam win, without losing a single set and defeated Roy Emerson and Okker before beating Ashe in the final 6–1, 7–5, 6–3.

Rosewall and most other WCT players did not play the French Open; yet, Rosewall still tried to reach his seventies goal by winning Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals, Rosewall needed about four hours to defeat Richey 6–8, 5–7, 6–4, 9–7, 7–5 whereas Newcombe quickly defeated Colin Dibley 6–1, 6–2, 6–3. In the semifinals, the older Rosewall was no match for the fitter Newcombe and lost 6–1, 6–1, 6–3. Later in the summer, Rosewall and some other WCT players (Laver, Andrés Gimeno, Emerson, Cliff Drysdale, Fred Stolle, and Roche) did not play the US Open because of the growing conflict between the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) and the WCT. His children's illnesses was an additional reason for Rosewall not playing this tournament.

As a contract pro, Rosewall was not allowed to play the Davis Cup and thus concentrated mainly on the WCT circuit organised similarly to the Grand Prix circuit which was the equivalent for the independent pros: 20 tournaments (including the Australian Open), each giving the same points amount. The top eight players in ranking WCT points were invited to the WCT Finals (the 21st), an 8-man tournament, equivalent of the Grand Prix Masters for the WCT players, played in November in Houston (quarters and semis) and Dallas (final), USA. When the WCT players were off they could play tournaments on the other pro circuit, managed by the ILTF ("The officials"), the Grand Prix circuit (supposed to be the "Traditional circuit") rather reserved in 1971 to the "independent pros". Some tournaments such as Berkeley, which had a stronger field than the US Open, were held by both organisations. But the war between "The officials" and WCT climaxed in a ban by the ILTF beginning on 1 January 1972, of the WCT players from the Grand Prix circuit.

Rosewall ended third on the 1971 WCT circuit behind Laver and Okker and qualified for the WCT Finals. He won the title, taking his revenge over Newcombe, who had beaten Rosewall at Wimbledon, in the quarters, defeating Okker in the semis and beating Laver 6–4 1–6 7–6 7–6 in the final in what was considered at the time as the best match, with their 1970 Sydney final, between the two rivals since their 1968 French Open final.

As a WCT player Rosewall played few Grand Prix tournaments but he had earned enough points to play the Grand Prix Masters held about ten days after his WCT Finals. He refused the invitation as he was very tired after such a long season and took his holidays at the end of the year. Newcombe was in an identical situation and acted the same and both players came back at the same tournament, the 1972 Australian Open.

In 1971 Rosewall won 8 tournaments and 78.4% of his matches (76 out of 97) and in direct confrontations trailed Newcombe 1–3, Laver 2–3 but dominated Smith 1–0. He did not play Kodeš that year.

Collins, Elian ranked Rosewall third after Newcombe and/or Smith. Tingay ranked Rosewall 4th, Rino Tommasi 1st, and the Martini-Rossi award was given jointly to Smith and Newcombe. Geist ranked Rosewall co-No. 1 tied with Newcombe and Smith. That year, as in 1970, there was no clear undisputed World No. 1.