U.S. Pro Indoor | |
---|---|
Defunct tennis tournament | |
Event name | Philadelphia (1968–98) |
Tour |
ATP Tour (1990-98) Grand Prix Tour (1979–89) GP Championship Series (1970–86) WCT circuit (1968–78) |
Founded | 1968 |
Abolished | 1998 |
Location |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (1968–98) |
Surface |
Hard (i) (1993/97–98) Carpet (i) (1968–92/94–96) |
The U.S. Pro Indoor (mainly known as such during its run, but also as the U.S. Professional Indoor, the Ebel U.S. Pro Indoor, the Comcast U.S. Indoor, and the Advanta Championships) is a defunct professional tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts, and indoor hard courts. It was part of the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit, between 1970 and 1986 it was a major ranking tournament of the Grand Prix Super Series after which it became a ATP Championship Series (1990–99), then a ATP International Series Gold tournament of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. It was held annually first at the Spectrum, and then at the CoreStates Center, Philadelphia, United States, from 1968 to 1998. It was originally named the Philadelphia Indoor Open Tournament prior to the open era.
The United States Professional Indoor tennis championships were first created in Philadelphia, United States, in 1968, as part of the newly created WCT circuit, rival of the National Tennis League (NTL). As the first event of the season, the Philadelphia U.S. Professional Indoor attracted all WCT stars at the Philadelphia Spectrum at each of its yearly editions, with Rod Laver, John Newcombe or Marty Riessen winning the event in the early 1970s. After the WCT absorbed the NTL in 1970, the tournament continued to exist within the WCT tour until 1979, when the event officially became part of the Grand Prix Tour, precursor of the current ATP Tour.