When Stan Smith won the ATP’s first year-end finals in December 1970, the tournament was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The arena was unheated, prompting Japanese fans to wrap themselves in blankets, fur coats and scarves, but there was a small gas heater in the locker room, installed so the players wouldn’t have their muscles tighten up before matches.
Smith was awarded $15,000 for winning the event, but had little time to celebrate. He had to fly to California to report for service in the Army.
Much has changed since Smith’s inaugural win, when the tournament was called the Pepsi-Cola Masters.