In the late '60s tennis was going professional,
but not everyone approved. The 1968 program gently scolded
Fred Stolle for jumping the fence. In a sign of those more
innocent and less sensitive times - depending on your viewpoint
- it featured a warrior nicknamed "Splinters" issuing
Stolle a challenge to return to the fold.
But in 1969 Auckland Tennis went "open" too. For
the first time, winners picked up a check with their trophy:
$1,683 for the men's winners and $780 for the ladies' (not
the women's in those un-PC days).
"Going open" paid off instantly, drawing world No.1
(and eventual winner) Rod Laver and his compatriot John Newcombe.
There was wild excitement in a packed stadium when Kiwi Brian
Fairlie pulled off an upset win over Newcombe in five hard-fought
sets. When he went on to face Laver, the gates had to be closed
against the huge crowds wanting to get in.
Another significant event in the tournament's development
was the inclusion of the Open in the prestigious Volvo Grand
Prix - the series that led to the US Masters. It attracted
a "who's who" of international tennis luminaries.
Evonne Goolagong won three Ladies' singles titles in the decade.
Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Brian Fairlie,
Russell Simpson and Chris Lewis all competed, adding great
luster and credibility to the tournament.
But it was New Zealander Onny Parun who
"owned" the Open through the '70s. He walked off
with the Men's singles title in 1973, '75 and '76. However,
even Parun had to acknowledge that 1974 was the year of the
Swede - when Bjorn Borg captured every spectator's imagination
(and many teenage girls' hearts) and turned tennis into a
rock star sport.
In the 1980s the Open was included for the first time in the
ATP Tour. It had "arrived". In keeping with the
event's ever-growing status, in 1988 a multi-million dollar
redevelopment of the stadium was unveiled, firmly planting
the Open on the international map. Total prize money had climbed
to $US100,000.
From the days of amateur fundraising and homemade afternoon
teas, the Heineken Open has come a long way. Now well established
on the world tennis scene, it draws leading international
players who look forward to excellent organization, fabulous
Pacific Rim cuisine, internationally-recognized New Zealand
wines and surroundings to match any in the world.
Back to History
