Tennis at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Demonstration women's singles
| Demonstration women's singles | |
|---|---|
| Tennis at the 1968 Summer Olympics | |
| Champion |  Helga Niessen |
| Runner-up |  Peaches Bartkowicz |
| Score | 6–4, 6–3 |
Since the 1968 Summer Olympics did not feature tennis as an official sport, two unofficial tournaments were held during the Games: a Demonstration tournament and an Exhibition tournament.[1]
The Demonstration tournament was played from 14 to 20 October 1968 at three venues in Guadalajara, Mexico: Guadalajara Country Club, Atlas Sports Club and Guadalajara Sports Club; all of them featured clay courts.[2] All matches were played at best-of-three sets; since the tiebreak rule wasn't implemented until the 1970s, a player had to win a set by a two-game margin in case of a 6–6 draw.
West German Helga Niessen won the tournament by defeating American Peaches Bartkowicz 6–4, 6–3 in the final. Another American, Julie Heldman, won the third place.
Seeds
[edit]Both seeds received a bye into the quarterfinals.
Peaches Bartkowicz (USA) (final, silver medalist)
Helga Niessen (FRG) (champion, gold medalist)
Draw
[edit]| First round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final (gold-medal match) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |  P Bartkowicz (USA) | 4 | 6 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 E Buding (FRG) | 7 | 2 | 6 | E Buding (FRG) | 6 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 P Montaño (MEX) | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | P Bartkowicz (USA) | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| L Gongora (MEX) | 6 | 6 | L Gongora (MEX) | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| V Ziegenfuss (USA) | 1 | 2 | L Gongora (MEX) | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 ME Guzmán (ECU) | 6 | 6 | ME Guzmán (ECU) | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Z Jansone (URS) | 2 | 2 | 1 | P Bartkowicz (USA) | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 S Petersen (BRA) | 1 | 2 | 2 | H Niessen (FRG) | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| J Heldman (USA) | 6 | 6 | J Heldman (USA) | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| AM Ycaza (ECU) | 1 | 1 |  RM Darmon (FRA) | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| RM Darmon (FRA) | 6 | 6 | J Heldman (USA) | 3 | 6 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | H Niessen (FRG) | 6 | 1 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C Rosado (MEX) | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | H Niessen (FRG) | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bronze-medal match
| Bronze-medal match | ||||||
| L Gongora (MEX) | 4 | 3 | ||||
| J Heldman (USA) | 6 | 6 | ||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Mexico 68, Vol. 3: The Games" (PDF). Organizing Committee of the Games of the XIX Olympiad. 1969. pp. 74 (491). Retrieved 15 April 2017.
After a lapse of more than four decades, tennis was reintroduced to Olympic Games spectators as one of two demonstration sports. Forty-six competitors from fifteen nations displayed their skill in singles and doubles matches on courts in the capital and in Guadalajara, and the tournament was received with enthusiasm by both players and fans.
- ^ "Mexico 68, Vol. 2: The Organization" (PDF). Organizing Committee of the Games of the XIX Olympiad. 1969. pp. 78 (79). Retrieved 15 April 2017.
For the demonstration sports—fronton and tennis—the following installations were employed. In Mexico City: Frontón México, fronton and tennis courts of the Chapultepec Sports Center, fronton courts of the Asturian Sports Center, the Lebanese Sports Center and the Frontón Metropolitano. In other cities: fronton courts of the Acapulco Jai-Alai; and the tennis courts of the Guadalajara Country Club, the Atlas Sports Club and the Guadalajara Sports Club, all in the city of Guadalajara