Mexico City 1968

The 1968 Olympics was split into a demonstration event and an exhibition event. Both were held in Mexico, one in Mexico City and the other in Guadalajara. Mexico City hosted the exhibition event in the Rafael Osuna Stadium and the matches were played on Red Clay. The demonstration event was held in the Guadalajara Country Club and was also played on Red Clay.

It was a good tournament for Rafael Osuna as he won the men’s doubles in the demonstration event partnering Vicente Zarazua, as well as the men’s singles in the exhibition event and the men’s doubles in the exhibition event where he played with Zarazua again.

Manuel Santana beat fellow Spaniard Manuel Orantes in five sets to claim the men’s singles title in the demonstration event. Santana also made the final of the men’s doubles in the demonstration event but lost to Osuna and Zarazua.

In the women’s singles, Helga Niessen beat Jane Bartkowicz to the title of the demonstration event. Niessen also won the demonstration event women’s double, teaming up with Edda Buding. Bartkowicz did, however have some joy in the exhibition event, winning the women’s singles but also had more heartache as she came runner up in the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles.

In the mixed doubles, beaten finalist in the women’s singles exhibition final, Julie Heldman teamed up with fellow American Herbert Fitzgibbon to win the demonstration event. In the exhibition event, the Soviet Union pairing of Vladimir Korotkov and Zaiga Yansone beat Inge Budding and Jane Bartowicz to claim the title.

Demonstration event

Men's singles

- Gold: Manuel Santana (ESP)

- Silver: Manuel Orantes (ESP)

- Bronze: Herbert Fitzgibbon (USA)

Men's doubles

- Gold: Rafael Osuna / Vicente Zarazua (MEX)

- Silver: Juan Gisbert / Manuel Santana (ESP)

- Bronze: Pierre Darmon (FRA) / Joaquin Loyo-Mayo (MEX)

Women's singles

- Gold: Helga Niessen (FRG)

- Silver: Jane Bartkowicz (USA)