1968 French Open – Men's singles

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1968 tennis event results

Ken Rosewall defeated Rod Laver in the final, 6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1968 French Open. It was Rosewall's second French title and fifth Grand Slam tournament title overall. The tournament was the first major of the Open Era, in which professionals were allowed to compete against amateurs. Rosewall and Laver, who had not appeared in a Grand Slam tournament since 1956 and 1962 respectively, were among those no longer barred from entering.

Roy Emerson was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Pancho Gonzales.

Missing from the tournament were WCT's "Handsome Eight" and top amateurs Manuel Santana, Arthur Ashe, Clark Graebner and Tom Okker.

It was future champion and future world No. 1 Ilie Năstase's first major appearance.

Seeds

01.   Australia Rod Laver (final)
02.   Australia Ken Rosewall (champion)
03.   Spain Andrés Gimeno (semifinals)
04.   Australia Roy Emerson (quarterfinals)
05.   United States Pancho Gonzales (semifinals)
06.   Australia Fred Stolle (second round)
07.   Australia Lew Hoad (first round, withdrew)
08.   South Africa Bob Hewitt (third round)
09.   Romania Ion Țiriac (quarterfinals)
10.   West Germany Wilhelm Bungert (first round, withdrew)
11.   Italy Nicola Pietrangeli (first round, withdrew)
12.   Hungary István Gulyás (fourth round)
13.   United States Cliff Richey (fourth round)
14.   Australia Ray Ruffels (fourth round)
15.   Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš (first round, withdrew)
16.   Soviet Union Alex Metreveli (first round, withdrew)

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Qualifying

Draw

Key

Finals

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                     
2 Australia Ken Rosewall 8 6 3 6
Brazil Thomaz Koch 6 2 6 3
2 Australia Ken Rosewall 3 6 7 3 6
3 Spain Andrés Gimeno 6 3 5 6 3
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Boro Jovanović 4 0 2
3 Spain Andrés Gimeno 6 6 6
2 Australia Ken Rosewall 6 6 2 6
1 Australia Rod Laver 3 1 6 2
5 United States Pancho Gonzales 7 6 3 4 6
4 Australia Roy Emerson 5 3 6 6 4
5 United States Pancho Gonzales 3 3 1
1 Australia Rod Laver 6 6 6
9 Romania Ion Țiriac 6 6 3 3 0
1 Australia Rod Laver 4 4 6 6 6

Top half

Section 1

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
2 Australia K Rosewall 10 6 6
United States T Edlefsen 8 1 1 2 Australia K Rosewall 6 6 6
Australia C Stubs 6 6 1 6 6 Australia C Stubs 1 1 0
France J-C Barclay 4 8 6 2 2 2 Australia K Rosewall 6 6 6
Australia B Geraghty w/o Brazil JE Mandarino 2 4 2
Chile J Pinto Bravo Chile J Pinto Bravo 3 6 3 9
France J-B Chanfreau 4 3 5 Brazil JE Mandarino 6 4 6 11
Brazil JE Mandarino 6 6 7 2 Australia K Rosewall 6 4 7 6
15 Czechoslovakia J Kodeš w/o United States H Fitzgibbon 1 6 5 4
Brazil F Gentil Brazil F Gentil 2 0 0
Poland T Nowicki w/o United Kingdom P Hutchins 6 6 6
United Kingdom P Hutchins United Kingdom P Hutchins 3 3 3
Italy S Tacchini w/o United States H Fitzgibbon 6 6 6
United States H Fitzgibbon United States H Fitzgibbon 6 7 6
Q France P Proisy Q France P Proisy 3 5 3
India R Krishnan w/o

Section 2

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
7 Australia L Hoad w/o
Poland W Gąsiorek Poland W Gąsiorek 2 6 10 6 6
South Africa R Summers 6 4 6 France M Leclercq 6 2 12 2 2
France M Leclercq 8 6 8 Poland W Gąsiorek 7 7 2 0 2
France F Jauffret 8 6 6 France F Jauffret 5 5 6 6 6
United Kingdom J Barrett 6 4 2 France F Jauffret 3 6 6 8
Ecuador F Guzmán w/o Czechoslovakia J Kukal 6 4 0 6
Czechoslovakia J Kukal France F Jauffret 1 1 1
10 West Germany W Bungert w/o Brazil T Koch 6 6 6
Q France Y Christiaen Q France Y Christiaen 6 6 4 2 1
South Africa T Ryan South Africa T Ryan 3 4 6 6 6
Philippines A Marcial w/o South Africa T Ryan 4 1 2
India J Mukerjea w/o Brazil T Koch 6 6 6
France G Pilet France G Pilet 4 2 5
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Z Ivančić w/o Brazil T Koch 6 6 7
Brazil T Koch

Section 3

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
3 Spain A Gimeno
Philippines E Cruz w/o 3 Spain A Gimeno 5 6 6 6
Romania S Dron Romania S Dron 7 1 3 2
France P Jauffret w/o 3 Spain A Gimeno 6 6 6
Q France P Joly 4 4 0 West Germany I Buding 3 4 3
West Germany I Buding 6 6 6 West Germany I Buding
Czechoslovakia P Štrobl Czechoslovakia P Štrobl w/o
Colombia I Molina w/o 3 Spain A Gimeno 6 6 6
14 Australia R Ruffels 14 Australia R Ruffels 4 4 3
Soviet Union V Kazakevitch w/o 14 Australia R Ruffels 5 7 6 8
Hungary F Komáromi 4 2 6 3 South Africa F McMillan 7 5 4 6
South Africa F McMillan 6 6 3 6 14 Australia R Ruffels 6 6 6
France D Contet 0 0 0 Chile P Cornejo 4 2 2
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia N Špear 6 6 6 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia N Špear 4 6 3 2
Chile P Cornejo Chile P Cornejo 6 3 6 6
Austria D Herdy w/o

Section 4

Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round
6 Australia F Stolle 3 7 6 3 6
  France C Duxin 6 5 3 6 4
6 Australia F Stolle 3 0 3
  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia B Jovanović 6 6 6
  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia B Jovanović 6 6 6
Q United Kingdom D Lloyd 1 0 1
  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia B Jovanović 9 6 6 6 6
  Australia D Crealy 7 8 2 8 2
  Romania I Năstase 6 6 6
  France J-P Olivier 2 1 2
  Romania I Năstase 6 6 5 2
  Australia D Crealy 4 8 7 6
  United Kingdom M Sangster 7 6 6 6 0
  Australia D Crealy 9 3 4 8 6
  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia B Jovanović 6 6 6
  United Kingdom G Battrick 1 1 4
11 Italy N Pietrangeli w/o
  United Kingdom G Battrick
  United Kingdom G Battrick 6 10 6
  France J-P Courcol 4 8 1
  France J-P Courcol
  Bolivia E Gorostiaga w/o
  United Kingdom G Battrick 6 6 6 6
  Belgium E Drossart 7 6 2 7   Switzerland D Sturdza 4 4 8 3
  Australia J Bartlett 5 2 6 5   Belgium E Drossart 6 4 4 1
  Switzerland D Sturdza 6 4 9 6   Switzerland D Sturdza 3 6 6 6
  Italy G Di Maso 2 6 7 2   Switzerland D Sturdza 3 6 6 3 7
  Brazil C Fernandes 10 4 6 6   France B Montrenaud 6 4 3 6 5
Q France B Boutboul 8 6 3 1   Brazil C Fernandes 2 9 1
  France B Montrenaud 3 6 6 8   France B Montrenaud 6 11 6
  Australia P Dent 6 4 3 6

Bottom half

Section 5

Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round
  Hungary P Szőke 6 6 3 1 5
  Ecuador E Zuleta 2 2 6 6 7   Ecuador E Zuleta 3 4 6 7 6
  Jamaica R Russell 3 2 0   New Zealand R Hawkes 6 6 3 5 0
  New Zealand R Hawkes 6 6 6   Ecuador E Zuleta 0 1 8 3
  Australia C Dibley 0 2 6 2   United Kingdom M Cox 6 6 6 6
  France B Paul 6 6 2 6   France B Paul 1 1 1
  United Kingdom M Cox 6 6 6
  United Kingdom M Cox 6 6 2 2
12 Hungary I Gulyás 3 8 6 6
  Italy M Gilardelli w/o
  Denmark T Ulrich
  Denmark T Ulrich 2 1 1
12 Hungary I Gulyás 6 6 6
Q Canada F Tutvin 2 1 4
12 Hungary I Gulyás 6 6 6
12 Hungary I Gulyás 4 2 2
5 United States R Gonzales 6 6 6
  Belgium C de Gronckel
  Chile P Rodríguez w/o
  Belgium C de Gronckel 5 0 1
  France P Darmon 7 6 6
  United States N Perry 2 8 1 1
  France P Darmon 6 6 6 6
  France P Darmon 6 1 10 6
5 United States R Gonzales 1 6 12 8
  Australia B Giltinan
  Soviet Union S Likhachev w/o
  Australia B Giltinan 1 0 3
5 United States R Gonzales 6 6 6
  Australia R Keldie 2 0 6 3
5 United States R Gonzales 6 6 3 6

Section 6

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
Austria P Pokorny w/o
Australia A Stone Australia A Stone 7 6 6
France Joseph Mateo w/o Poland B Lewandowski 5 1 0
Poland B Lewandowski Australia A Stone 5 3 5
France G Goven 13 United States C Richey 7 6 7
Italy G Merlo w/o France G Goven 3 3 6 9 4
Colombia J Velasco w/o 13 United States C Richey 6 6 4 7 6
13 United States C Richey 13 United States C Richey 6 4 6 9
Italy S Palmieri 7 4 4 4 Australia R Emerson 0 6 8 11
South Africa R Maud 9 6 6 South Africa R Maud 6 4 3 7 6
New Zealand B Fairlie 6 6 6 New Zealand B Fairlie 2 6 6 5 3
Q France B de Troye 3 1 1 South Africa R Maud 1 3 7 3
France P Beust 3 1 3 4 Australia R Emerson 6 6 5 6
Australia B Phillips-Moore 6 6 6 Australia B Phillips-Moore 10 1 1
New Zealand O Parun 7 1 2 2 4 Australia R Emerson 12 6 6
4 Australia R Emerson 5 6 6 6

Section 7

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
United States M Riessen w/o
South Africa R Moore South Africa R Moore 11 1 6 7 3
Czechoslovakia M Holeček 6 2 6 6 Czechoslovakia M Holeček 9 6 2 9 6
Australia T Addison 1 6 1 4 Czechoslovakia M Holeček 6 6 5 2
Spain M Orantes w/o 9 Romania I Țiriac 3 8 7 6
France J-L Rouyer France J-L Rouyer 1 2 1
France G Deniau 1 1 1 9 Romania I Țiriac 6 6 6
9 Romania I Țiriac 6 6 6 9 Romania I Țiriac 6 6 6
Australia J Moore 5 6 1 6 3 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Z Franulović 4 3 2
South Africa A Segal 7 3 6 1 6 South Africa A Segal w/o
Spain J Gisbert w/o Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Z Franulović
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Z Franulović Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Z Franulović 6 8 2 5 6
Australia A Cooper 8 South Africa R Hewitt 2 6 6 7 4
Japan I Watanabe w/o Australia A Cooper w/o
Q France J Thamin 1 5 0 8 South Africa R Hewitt
8 South Africa R Hewitt 6 7 6

Section 8

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
United Kingdom R Wilson 6 3
France J-C Molinari 4 1r United Kingdom B Wilson 4 3 3
Australia R Carmichael 4 6 6 6 Australia R Carmichael 6 6 6
Belgium P Hombergen 6 3 1 0 Australia R Carmichael 6 6 2 2 6
United States A Fox 6 6 6 Australia J Alexander 3 1 6 6 3
Peru A Acuña 2 1 0 United States A Fox 6 3 6 9 6r
Australia J Alexander Australia J Alexander 4 6 3 11 6
16 Soviet Union A Metreveli w/o Australia R Carmichael 0 1 1
Colombia Á Peña 4 1 1 1 Australia R Laver 6 6 6
Sweden L Ölander 6 6 6 Sweden L Ölander 4 5 2
Romania P Mărmureanu Romania P Mărmureanu 6 7 6
Colombia W Álvarez w/o Romania P Mărmureanu 2 0 7
Australia R Howe 6 4 4 4 1 Australia R Laver 6 6 9
Greece N Kalogeropoulos 3 6 6 6 Greece N Kalogeropoulos 2 6 4 1
Jamaica L Lumsden 1 1 4 1 Australia R Laver 6 4 6 6
1 Australia R Laver 6 6 6

External links

Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by
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