1931 in tennis
The year 1931 in tennis was a complex mixture of mainly amateur tournaments composed of international, invitational, national, exhibition, team (city leagues, country leagues, international knock-out tournaments) events and joined by an up-and-coming Pro Tour both on competitive and exhibitional levels. At the end of the pro season the champion title was awarded. Bill Tilden held the title at the end of the year. He also ran his own pro organization called the "Tilden Tennis Tours" and toured the world with a series of pro exhibition-like matches. The European professionals of Germany, France , Britain, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland founded the International Federation of Professionists and Professionals headed by Roman Najuch to represent their interest against the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF). There were a few occasional professionals against amateur challenges as well held in team competition format. The amateur events were almost all co-educated thus the majority included a mixed title contest. Irishman George Lyttleton-Rogers dominated the European scene winning eight singles titles, all of which were confined to French and Italian championships. Ellsworth Vines was the dominant male player on the North American tour. The women's most successful  players were Miss Elizabeth Ryan in North America and Cilly Aussem in Europe and in South America. Australian tennis life was figureheaded by Jack Crawford. The most prestigious team cups were the Wightman Cup for ladies and the Davis Cup (called the International Lawn Tennis Challenge) for men. The 1931 Wightman Cup was its 9th edition and was organized by the United States Tennis Association between the teams of Great Britain and the United States. The 1931 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was its 26th edition and was organized by the ILTF. The Americas Zone was split into the North/Central  American Zone and the South American Zone. The winner of each sub-zone would play to determine who moved to the Inter-Zonal round. 22 teams entered the Europe Zone, while 7 participated in the Americas Zone. The United States defeated Argentina in the American Zone, but would then lose to Great Britain in the Inter-Zonal play-off. France defeated Great Britain in the Challenge Round, giving France their fifth straight title. The final was played at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, on 24–26 July. Legend. "This list includes men and women international tournaments (where at least several  different nations were represented), main (annual) national championships, professional tour events and the Davis Cup" Rankings. These are the rankings compiled published in the Swiss newspaper "Züricher Sport" in October 1931, a second list based upon the ranks of Pierre Gillou, President of the Fédération Française de Tennis, and a third by A Wallis Myers, founder of the International Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain.