team, defeating Australia in both finals and winning all four of his singles matches. After 1947 he became ineligible to play for the Davis Cup on account of becoming a professional player. He compiled a Davis Cup match record of seven wins and two losses. Professional player 1947 Kramer turned professional in November 1947, signing a $50,000 per year contract with promoter Jack Harris, the largest pro contract offer ever made to that point in the history of tennis. He made his pro debut against Bobby Riggs on December 26, 1947, at Madison Square Garden. 15,114 people showed up for the match in one of the worst snow storms in New York history to watch Riggs win. 1948 Kramer trailed Riggs on January 16 by an 8 to 6 edge, however Kramer had already begun to win more often by adopting a net-rushing style of play. The two players were tied at 14 to 14, and then Kramer took control as Riggs weakened, going on to win the tour against Riggs 69 to 20. Kramer beat Riggs in the final of the US Professional Championships at Forest Hills N.Y. in June 1948 in four sets. Riggs "blew a 5-3 lead in that all-telling opening set, and after that he was licked, showing obvious fatigue even though he did manage to rally to win the third set". Kramer was awarded $1,450 for winning the singles, and $412 for winning the doubles. Kramer also won tours of South America and Australasia in 1948. Kramer was ranked the No. 1 pro in the U.S. for 1948 by the USPLTA. The USPLTA No. 1 professional ranking was described as encompassing official recognition as the best professional player "in the United States", rather than a World No. 1 ranking. The professional rankings of the USPLTA and later of the PTPA were based on major professional tournament play in the United States. Those rankings apparently did not include consideration of the world pro tours, which were not inclusive events but restricted to a small group of usually two players. Some recent tennis writers have considered Kramer to be World No. 1 for the 1948 period with the observation on that period in one article that "in those days ranking systems were less organized and credible than today’s computer-driven listings." Kramer was referred to as "world professional tennis champion" after the tour with Riggs was concluded. 1949