Wikipedia

Highland Championships

The Highland Championships (informally called the Scottish Highland Championships) was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first established in 1896 as part of the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament.[1] Also known as the Bell's Highland Championships for sponsorship reasons (1974–1981).[2]

Highland Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF Circuit
Founded1896
Abolished1981 (43 years ago) (1981)
LocationPitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland
VenueAtholl Palace Hotel
SurfaceGrass

The championships were first held at the Athole Hydropathic tennis courts, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. The tournament was staged annually as part of the ILTF Circuit until 1981.[3]

History edit

In 1878, the Atholl Hydropathic was opened. In August 1896, the hotel established its first lawn tennis event, the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament of which the Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy was played for as part of the gentleman's singles programme.[4] It was part of the Scottish Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) circuit from inception. In 1913, the venue's name was changed to the Athol Palace Hotel. The championships were temporarily suspended during both the first and second world wars. It continued to be held annually as part of the official international ILTF Circuit from 1913. At the 1930 championships 149 players entered the tournament for play.[5]

In 1974, the Scottish whisky company Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd. decided to sponsor the event under the brand name the Bell's Highland Championships. That year, 14-year-old Judith Erskine (future mother of grand slam champion Andy Murray) won all three titles of the Bell's Junior Championship of the Highlands.[6] It ran until 1981,[7] when it ceased to part of the international worldwide tennis circuit. The tournament continues to be staged at the same venue today, now known as the Highland Tennis Championships,[8] or Tennis Championships of the Highlands. The tournament is currently administered by Tennis Scotland.

Venue edit

 
Atholl Palace, Pitlochry venue for this tennis event.

In 1874, the Perthshire architect, Andrew Heiton was commissioned to design a Scottish baronial-style hydropathic establishment, with accommodation.[9] In 1878, the building was officially opened and named the Athole Hydropathic.[10] In 1913, its name was changed to The Atholl Palace Hotel.[10]

Finals edit

Men's singles edit

 
Harry S. Barlow first men's singles champion c. 1900.

(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  SLTA Circuit  ↓
Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy
1897[3]   Harry Sibthorpe Barlow   Clement Cazalet w.o.
1899[11]   Sydney Lawrence Fry   Rupert Hamblin-Smith 6–1, 6–3, 6–4
1900[3]   Alfred Aitken Thomson   Richard Millar Watson w.o.
Highland Lawn Tennis Championships
1901[3]   Sydney Lawrence Fry (2)   James Cecil Parke 6–1, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2
1903[3]   E.G. Whittle   C.H. Moss 6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 6–2
1905[3]   W.E. McKechnie   T.B. Pollard 6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
Highland Championships
1938[12]   Colin Gregory   Alfred Eustace Fannin 6–4, 3–6, 8–6
1940/1945 Not held (due to World War II)
1947[3]   David M. Duncan   S.H. Allan 6–2, 7–5
1948[3]   John Stewart Ross   G.W. O'Connor 7–5, 7–5
1949[3]   John C. George Savile   Arthur J. Gould 8–10, 6–2, 6–0
1950[3]   Tadeusz Slawek[13]   John C. George Savile 6–1, 6–1
1951[3]   Tadeusz Slawek (2)   R.H. Thomson 6–3, 6–1
1952[3]   Tadeusz Slawek (3)   A.G. Potter 6–0, 7–5
1953[3]   A.L. Graeme   N.J. Gibson 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
1954[3]   John R. Maguire   D.B. Dempsey 6–3, 6–1
1955[3]   Brian Douglas Ford[14]   J.J. Carmichael 6–1, 6–2
1956[3]   Alan Ronald Mills   D.B. Dempsey 6–0, 6–3
1957[3]   D.B. Dempsey   A. Bloomfield 6–3, 6–2
1959[3]   Aaron S. Black   D.C. Burrows 13–11, 6–1
1960[3]   D.B. Dempsey (2)   Aaron S. Black 2–6, 11–9, 6–0
1961[3]   D.B. Dempsey (3)   Ken Riley 6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1962[3]   Mark Cox   John Blizard [15] 6–3, 6–0
1964[3]   J.C. Reynolds   T.C. MacNair 6–2, 6–2
↓  Open era  ↓
1972[3]   John Graham Clifton   David Alan Lloyd 6–2, 6–2
Bell's Highland Championships
1975[3]   David Alan Lloyd   Hugh Thomson[16] 6–3, 6–0
1976[3]   Graeme Notman[17]   Ken Revie 6–3, 6–2
1977[3]   Jasper Cooper   Robbie Rockwell 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1978[3]   K. Reynolds   Peter Littlewood 6–3, 6–3
1979[3]   K. Reynolds (2)   J. McKechnie 6–4, 6–3
1980 [3]   Mark Powell   Keith Kordula[18] 6–3, 6–2
1981[3]   P. Priest   N. Carmichaell 6–3, 6–3

Women's singles edit

 
Anita Lizana of Chile won 1 singles titles.
 
Esna Boyd of Australian won 2 singles titles.

(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  SLTA Circuit  ↓
Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy
1897   Lottie Paterson   Jane Corder 6–3, 6–3
1899   Florence Stanuell   Lottie Paterson 6–2, 3–6, 6–2
1900   Ruth Dyas Durlacher   Lottie Paterson 6–4, 6–3
Highland Lawn Tennis Championships
1903   Alice Maud Ferguson   Minnie Hunter 6–3, 8–6
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
Highland Championships
1922   Mary Gray Welsh   Mary Thom 6–1, 9–7
1928   Winifred Mason   Olga Webb 1–6, 6–1, 6–3
1929   Winifred Mason (2)   Geraldine Beamish 6–0, 6–4
1933   Esna Boyd Robertson   Joan Hartigan 6–2, 6–2
1934   Esna Boyd Robertson (2)   Kathleen Robertson 6-2, 6-0
1935   Madge Slaney   Esna Boyd Robertson 6–2, 6–1
1936   Anita Lizana   Madge Slaney 6–4, 6–3
1940/1945 Not held (due to World War II)
1948   Helena Czolowska   Betty Lombard 6–2, 7–5
1950   Mrs C.M. Mitchell   Chloe Rhodes 6–4, 2–6, 8–6
1952   Joyce Reid   E. Vlandy 6–0, 7–5
1953   Beryl Bartlett   Helena Czolowska 6–3, 4–6, 6–4
1961   Ann McAlpine   Sally Holdsworth 6–1, 6–4
1962   Joyce Barclay   Alison Stroud 7–5, 6–3
1967   Winnie Shaw   Margaret H. O'Donnell 6–4, 7–5
↓  Open era  ↓
Bell's Highland Championships
1975   Joyce Barclay Hume (2)   Winnie Shaw Wooldridge 6–8, 6–0, 6–3
1976   Joyce Barclay Hume (3)   Jill Cottrell 6–3, 7–5
1977   Jill Cottrell   Marjorie Love 1–6, 6–1, 6–2
1978   Jill Cottrell (2)   E. Armstrong 6–1, 6–4
1979   G. Armstrong   Eleanor Lightbody 7–5, 6–8, 6–3
1980   D. Boothman   L. Ristic 10–8, 6–2
1981   L. Reid   D. Boothman 6–4, 6–1

Event names edit

  • Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy (1896–1900)
  • Highland Lawn Tennis Championships (1901–1913)
  • Highland Championships (1914–1973)
  • Bell's Highland Championships (1974–1981)

References edit

  1. ^ "Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy: We give a sketch of the Highland championship challenge trophy which to be competed for as part of the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis tournament". Edinburgh Evening News. Midlothian, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 17 August 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  2. ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; Flink, Steve (1979). "British Tournament Results 1978". World of Tennis BP Year Book 1979. London: Macdonald and James Publishers Limited. p. 286. ISBN 0354090682.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Tournaments: Highland Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. ^ Edinburgh Evening News (1896)
  5. ^ "HIGHLAND TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP At Pitlochry Today play commenced in the 25th annual Highland championship tournament at the courts at the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry. There was a capital entry of 149 players, which is under last year's record". Dundee Evening Telegraph. Angus, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 8 September 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  6. ^ "TENNIS HAT TRICK FOR JUDITH: Crieff, pupil, 14-year-old Judith Erskine of Dunblane was successful three times over in the finals of the Bell's Junior Championship of the Highlands at Perth on Saturday. Also featured is the Bells Highland Championhsips for seniors". Strathearn Herald. Perthshire, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 17 August 1974. p. 8. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Tennis News: Across the border to Perth and at Bells Highland Championships". Grantham Journal. Lincolnshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 25 September 1981. p. 24. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Highland Tennis Championships". Scotland's Spa Hotel. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Atholl Palace Museum: Hotel History & Architectural Heritage". www.athollpalace.com. Atholl Palace Hotel. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  10. ^ a b Atholl Palace Hotel
  11. ^ "LAWN TENNIS: Highland Championship Tournament". The Courier and Argus. Dundee, Tayside, Scotland: newspapers.com. 14 Aug 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  12. ^ "LAWN TENNIS HIGHLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Two Davis Cup players, J. C. Gregory and A. E. Fannin, contested the final of the men's singles in the Highland Tennis Championship Tournament". Edinburgh Evening News. Midlothian, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 10 September 1938. p. 28. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Tadeusz Slawek: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Brian Ford: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  15. ^ "John Blizzard: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Player Profile: Hugh Thomson". www.itftennis.com. London: ITF. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Graeme Notman: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Kordula finally claims his magnificent seventh". Herald Scotland. Edinburgh: The Herald & Times Group. 1 August 1994. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
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