Wikipedia

South of England Championships

The South of England Championships, also known as the South of England Open Championships, was an outdoor tennis event held on grass courts at the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club in Eastbourne, United Kingdom from 1881 until 1972.[1][2]

South of England Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameSouth of England Championships
Founded1881; 143 years ago (1881)
Abolished1972; 52 years ago (1972)
Editions82
LocationEastbourne
United Kingdom
VenueDevonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club
SurfaceGrass / outdoors

History edit

The competition at Eastbourne, even from its early beginnings, was considered one of the most prestigious tournaments that attracted large entries and matches even in those days [3] and it was the world's largest tournament in terms of participants at the turn of the twentieth century.

Women's tennis edit

The first tournament to be staged at Devonshire Park was a women's event in 1881,[4] known as the South of England Championships, and usually held every September. Winners of the lady's singles championships included Dorothea Chambers, Blanche Bingley Hillyard, and Charlotte Cooper Sterry, May Langrishe. The first overseas non British Isles winner was the American Elizabeth Ryan in collecting 3 consecutive titles (1919–21); after World War One she was followed by the South African Irene Peacock in 1923 and Anita Lizana from Chile in 1936.

Following World War Two tennis British winners included Ann Haydon and Shirley Bloomer the Brazilian player Maria Bueno the Australian player Fay Toyne was the last foreign ladies champion before the advent of the open era in 1968 the South of England Championships changed schedule to July until 1969 after the Championships at Wimbledon in 1970 its schedule changed again so that it was held before Wimbledon the South of England Championships continued until 1967.

From 1968 until today the tournament has attracted many different sponsors.

In 1968 it was known as the Rothman's Invitational for sponsorship reasons from 1969 to 1972 it was called the Eastbourne Invitational, the event ceased in 1972.

Men's tennis edit

The first Men’s events started in 1881 also called the South of England Championships early winners of the men's championship included Wilfred Baddeley, Sydney Howard Smith, Josiah Ritchie, Anthony Wilding, Otto Froitzheim and Ken Rosewall it continued until 1967 before being renamed for sponsorship reasons in 1968 from 1970 to 1973 the men's tournament was known as the Rothmans South of England Open Championships.[5] The men's event also ceased in 1973.

Tennis after 1973 edit

In 1974 the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis club decided on a completely new format tennis tournament and re-branding of tennis at Eastbourne from the outcome of staging the South of England Championships that became known as the Eastbourne International the tournament is still active today.

Past finals edit

Notes: Challenge round: The final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921) [6] in some tournaments not all.

* Indicates challenger

Blanche Bingley Hillyard[7] holds the record for the most women's singles titles with 11.

Singles edit

 
Ladies' final between Hillyard and Cooper Sterry

Women edit

Year Champion Runner-up Score Name
1881   Agnes Noon Watts   E. Hudson (2-1 sets) South of England Championships
1882   E. Hudson   Minnie Congreve 6–2, 6–4
1883   M. Leslie   Minnie Congreve 10–8, 6–4
1884   Frances Burton   Nellie Burton 6–2, 6–4
1885 [8]   Blanche Bingley   Ada Strapp 6–1, 6–0
1886 [8]   Margaret Bracewell   Blanche Bingley 6–1, 6–3
1887   Margaret Bracewell (2)   Blanche Bingley 6–4, 6–2
1888   Blanche Bingley (2)   Margaret Bracewell 6–1, 6–1
1889   May Langrishe   May Jacks 6–2, 5–7, 6–1
1890   May Langrishe (2)   Edith Coleridge Cole 6–2, 6–3
1891   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (3)   May Langrishe 2–6, 7–5, 6–0
1892   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (4)   Bertha Steedman 6–1, 6–4
1893   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (5)   Maud Shackle 6–1, 4–6, 15–13
1894   Helen Jackson   Charlotte Cooper 6–4, 6–2
1895   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (6)   Helen Jackson 6–4, 6–1
1896   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (7)   Edith Austin 6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1897   Charlotte Cooper   Blanche Bingley Hillyard 6–4, 6–0
1898   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (8)   Charlotte Cooper 7–5, 7–5
1899   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (9)   Charlotte Cooper 6–2, 6–2
1900   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (10)   Charlotte Cooper 7–9, 6–3, 6–3
1901   Charlotte Cooper (2)   Blanche Bingley Hillyard 7–5, 5–7, 6–2
1902   Dorothea Douglass   Edith Austin Greville 6–2, 6–2
1903   Connie Wilson   Dorothea Douglass 7–5, 6–2
1904 [9]   Dorothea Douglass (2)   Charlotte Cooper Sterry 6–3, 6–4
1905 [8]   Blanche Bingley Hillyard (11)   Agnes Morton 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
1906   Dorothea Douglass (3)   Agnes Morton 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1907   Dorothea Douglass Chambers (4)   Charlotte Cooper Sterry 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
1908   Charlotte Cooper Sterry (3)   Edith Boucher 6–4, 6–2
1909   Dora Boothby   Charlotte Cooper Sterry 6–3, 6–4
1910   Dorothea Douglass Chambers (5)   Ethel Thomson Larcombe 7–5, 7–5
1911   Ethel Thomson Larcombe   Dora Boothby 7–5, 6–3
1912   Ethel Thomson Larcombe (2)   Agnes Morton 6–1, 6–2
1913   Ethel Thomson Larcombe (3)   Dorothea Douglass Chambers 6–2, 6–4
1914–1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1919   Elizabeth Ryan   Phyllis Satterthwaite 6–1, 6–2
1920 [10]   Elizabeth Ryan (2)   Geraldine Beamish 6–2, 4–6, 6–1
1921 [10]   Elizabeth Ryan (3)   Irene Bowder Peacock 6–0, 6–3
1922   Irene Bowder Peacock   Kathleen McKane 6–0, 3–6, 7–5
1923   Phoebe Holcroft   Christine Tyrrell 6–3, 6–3
1924   Ermyntrude Harvey   Phoebe Holcroft 6–0, 6–8, 6–4
1925   Phoebe Holcroft Watson (2)   Christine Tyrrell 2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1926   Phoebe Holcroft Watson (3)   Ermyntrude Harvey 6–4, 6–8, 6–2
1927   Phoebe Holcroft Watson (4)   Phyllis Howkins Covell 6–2, 6–2
1928   Phoebe Holcroft Watson (5)   Phyllis Howkins Covell 6–1, 6–2
1929   Elsie Goldsack   Jenny Sandison 8–6, 2–6, 6–3
1930   Phyllis Mudford   Mary Heeley 6–2, 7–5
1931   Freda James   Gwen Sterry divided the title
1932   Mary Heeley   Florence Ford 8–6, 6–2
1933   Phyllis Mudford King (2)   Ermyntrude Harvey 6–3, 6–1
1934 [11]   Dorothy Round   Phyllis Mudford King 6–4, 6–1
1935   Billie Yorke   Susan Noel 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1936 [12]   Anita Lizana   Dorothy Round 6–4, 6–2
1937   Margaret Scriven   Jean Saunders 6–1, 6–0
1938   Phyllis Mudford King (3)   Valerie Scott 5–7, 6–4, 6–4
1939–1945 Not held (due to world war two)
1946   Joan Curry   Betty Clements Hilton divided the title (rain interruption)
1947   Joan Curry (2)   Peggy Dawson-Scott 6–1, 9–7
1948   Jean Walker-Smith   Gem Hoahing 7–5, 6–4
1949   Gem Hoahing   Mary Terán de Weiss 6–4, 6–2
1950   Jean Walker-Smith (2)   Jean Quertier 6–2, 6–2
1951   Jean Walker-Smith (3)   Angela Mortimer 6–2, 6–2
1952   Jean Walker-Smith (4)   Jean Quertier Rinkel 6–3, 6–4
1953   Shirley Bloomer   Patricia Harrison 7–5, 6–4
1954   Shirley Bloomer (2)   Patricia Harrison 6–8, 7–5, 6–0
1955   Anne Shilcock   Jenny Middleton 6–4, 6–2
1956   Anne Shilcock (2)   Penny Burrell 6–1, 6–2
1957   Ann Haydon   Angela Mortimer 6–3, 6–4
1958   Anne Shilcock (3)   Sheila Waters 6–0, 6–0
1959   Sheila Armstrong   Jenny Young 6–0, 6–2
1960   Rita Bentley   Lorna Cornell Cawthorn 6–4, 6–2
1961   Lorna Cornell Cawthorn   Inge Overgaard 3–6, 6–1, 11–9
1962   Carole Rosser   Lorna Cornell Cawthorn 10–8, 6–2
1963   Vivienne Dennis   Heather Allen 6–3, 2–6, 7–5
1964   Fay Toyne   Lorna Cornell Cawthorn 6–0, 5–7, 6–3
1965   Rita Bentley (2)   Jill Blackman divided the title (due to bad weather)
1966   Susan Tutt   Anthea Rigby 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1967   Lorna Cornell Greville-Collins (2)   Margaret Harris 6–8, 7–5, 6–1
↓  Open era  ↓
1968   Maria Bueno   Judy Tegart 6–2, 6–4 Rothmans Invitational
1969   Karen Krantzcke   Betty Ann Grubb 6–0, 9–7 Eastbourne Invitational
1970   Ann Haydon Jones (2)   Virginia Wade 8–6, 6–1
1971   Françoise Durr   Judy Tegart-Dalton divided the title
1972   Françoise Durr (2)   Judy Tegart-Dalton 8–6, 6–3
1973 Tournament succeeded by Eastbourne International

Men edit

 
1890 Men's Singles final between Ziffo and Baldwin
Year Champion Runner-up Score Name
1881 [13]   Edgar Lubbock   Robert Braddell 6–4, 6–2, 6–0 South of England Championships
1882   William Taylor   Teddy Williams 8–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1883   Teddy Williams   Charles Walder Grinstead 6–1, 8–6, 4–6, 7–5
1884   Teddy Williams (2)   William Taylor ?
1885   Ernest Lewis   William Taylor 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–3
1886   Ernest Lewis (2)   Herbert Wilberforce * 6–3, 6–4, 6–0
1887   Ernest Lewis (3)   Herbert Wilberforce * 8–6, 7–5, 6–4
1888 [14]   Andrew Ziffo   Harry S. Barlow * 4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1889   Andrew Ziffo (2)   Harry Grove * 4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4
1890   Andrew Ziffo (3)   James Baldwin * 7–9, 6–1, 6–2, 7–5
1891   Harry S. Barlow   Andrew Ziffo * 6–3, 7–5, 6–0
1892   Harry S. Barlow (2)   Wilberforce Eaves * 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1893   Wilfred Baddeley   Harry S. Barlow * 7–5, 6–0, 6–1
1894   Wilfred Baddeley (2)   Harry S. Barlow * 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
1895   Wilfred Baddeley (3)   George Hillyard * 6–3, 7–9, 7–5, ret.
1896   Wilfred Baddeley (4)   Herbert Baddeley * walkover
1897   Joshua Pim   Lawrence Doherty * 3–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3
1898   Sydney Howard Smith   Lawrence Doherty * 6–3, 2–6, 8–6, 7–5
1899   Sydney Howard Smith (2)   Harold Mahony * 6–0, 6–3, 6–4
1900   Lawrence Doherty   Sydney Howard Smith (2) * 6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–1
1901   Sydney Howard Smith (3)   Lawrence Doherty * 6–3, 7–9, 4–6, 6–4, 1–0, ret.
1902   Sydney Howard Smith (4)   Clement Cazalet * 6–1, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4
1903   Major Ritchie   Sydney Howard Smith * ?
1904   Sydney Howard Smith (5)   Major Ritchie * 6–0, 6–4, 6–2
1905 [15]   Norman Brookes   Sydney Howard Smith * 8–6, 6–4, 6–2
1906 [14]   Anthony Wilding   Roderick McNair * 6–2, 6–3, 6–2
1907 [14]   George Hillyard   Walter Crawley * ?
1908 [16]   Anthony Wilding (2)   George Hillyard * walkover
1909   Otto Froitzheim   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe 6–3, 6–8, 6–4, 7–5
1910 [17]   Gordon Lowe   Arthur Lowe walkover
1911 [18]   Algernon Kingscote   Stanley Doust 6–8, 4–6, 8–6, 6–0, 6–3
1912 [14]   Arthur Lowe   Stanley Doust 6–4, 7–9, 6–0, 6–4
1913   James Cecil Parke   Arthur Lowe 6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1914–1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1919   Theodore Mavrogordato   Nicolae Mișu 6–3, 6–2, 6–4
1920 [14]   George Dodd   Alfred Beamish 6–4, 6–1, 6–2
1921 [20]   Brian Norton   Mohammed Sleem 0–6, 6–4, 5–7, 6–2, 6–3
1922   Brian Norton (2)   Gordon Lowe 6–2, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
1923   Cotah Ramaswami   Gordon Lowe 6–1, 8–6, 10–8
1924   Mohammed Sleem   Gordon Lowe 6–2, 6–1, 6–1
1925   Charles Kingsley   Gordon Lowe 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1926   Charles Kingsley (2)   Bunny Austin walkover
1927   Bunny Austin   William Powell 6–4, 6–4
1928   Yoshiro Ota   Charles Kingsley 3–6, 6–1, 6–0
1929   Eskel Andrews   Keats Lester 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1930 [14]   Ryuki Miki   Charles Kingsley 7–5, 6–3
1931   Jiro Sato   Vernon Kirby 6–4, 6–3
1932   George Lyttleton-Rogers   Atri Madan Mohan 6–8, 6–3, 6–4
1933   Vernon Kirby   George Lyttleton-Rogers 8–6, 6–2
1934 [11]   Nigel Sharpe   Eskel Andrews 6–3, 6–3
1935   Robert Tinkler   Clarence Medlycott Jones 8–6, 10–8
1936   Pat Hughes   Charles Hare 2–6, 9–7, 6–1
1937   Donald Butler   Henry Billington 6–3, 6–3
1938   Donald Butler (2)   Clarence Medlycott Jones 6–4, 6–1
1939–1945 Not held (due to world war two)
1946   Donald Butler (3)   Choy Wai-Chuen 6–3, 6–4
1947   Ignacy Tłoczyński   Jeff Robson 6–2, 6–3
1948   Czesław Spychała   Ignacy Tłoczyński 5–7, 6–4, 8–6
1949   Heraldo Weiss   Donald Butler 6–3, 6–2
1950   Ivo Rinkel   Geoffrey Paish 5–7, 7–5, 6–4
1951   Geoffrey Paish   Tony Mottram 6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1952   Geoffrey Paish (2)   Anthony Starte 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1953   Geoffrey Paish (3)   Robert Lee 7–5, 6–0
1954   Geoffrey Paish (4)   Bobby Wilson 6–2, 2–6, 7–5
1955   Geoffrey Paish (5)   Mike Davies 6–4, 6–4
1956   Roger Becker   Gerald Oakley 6–3, 6–1
1957   Reginald Bennett   Geoffrey Owen 6–3, 6–2
1958   Roger Becker (2)   Reginald Bennett 6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1959   Alan Mills   Mike Hann 8–6, 4–6, 6–3
1960   Mark Otway   John R. McDonald 6–4, 6–4
1961   Mark Otway (2)   Roger Becker 6–1, 4–6, 6–2
1962   Roger Becker (3)   Mark Cox 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1963   Mark Cox   Warren Jacques 1–6, 7–5, 6–2
1964   Geoff Bluett   Clay Iles 6–3, 6–3
1965 Tournament not completed (rain)
1966   Bob Maud   Brian Fairlie 6–4, 6–2
1967   Frew McMillan   Mark Cox 6–3, 6–4
↓  Open era  ↓
1968   Mark Cox (2)   Owen Davidson 6–4, 6–4 Rothmans Invitational
1969   Christian Kuhnke   Manuel Orantes 6–4, 2–6, 9–7 Eastbourne Invitational
1970 [21]   Ken Rosewall   Bob Hewitt 6–2, 6–1 Rothmans South of England Open Championship
1971 Tournament not played (rain)
1972   Andrés Gimeno   Pierre Barthès 7–5, 6–3
1973   Mark Cox (3)   Patrice Dominguez 6–2, 2–6, 6–3
1974 Tournament ended

Statistics edit

Singles champions by country edit

Women edit

Country Winner First title Last title
  Great Britain (GBR) 70 1881 1970
  United States (USA) 3 1919 1921
  Australia (AUS) 2 1964 1969
  South Africa (RSA) 1 1922 1922
  Chile (CHI) 1 1936 1936
  Brazil (BRA) 1 1968 1968
  France (FRA) 2 1971 1972

Men edit

Country Winner First title Last title
  Great Britain (GBR) 49 1881 1973
  South Africa (RSA) 6 1920 1967
  New Zealand (NZ) 4 1905 1929
  Ireland (IRE) 3 1897 1932
  Japan (JPN) 3 1928 1931
  Spain (ESP) 3 1972 2014
  Germany (GER) 2 1909 1969
  India (IND) 2 1923 1924
  Poland (POL) 2 1947 1948
  Argentina (ARG) 1 1949 1949
  Netherlands (NED) 1 1950 1950

References edit

  1. ^ Clarke, James (2014-06-16). "How has Eastbourne become a major part of the tennis calendar?". BBC News. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  2. ^ "The current tournament came out of the South of England Lawn Tennis Championship, which was held down here in Eastbourne". devonshireparkltc.co.uk. Devonshire Park LTC, July 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  3. ^ Lowerson, John (1995). Sport and the English middle classes, 1870-1914 (Pbk. ed.). Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 108. ISBN 9780719046513. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  4. ^ John Nauright; Charles Parrish, eds. (2012). Sports around the world : history, culture, and practice. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 198. ISBN 9781598843002.
  5. ^ "BBC Radio Times Listings 1923 to 2009". bbc.co.uk. BBC Radio Times, Issue 2589. 23 June 1973, Page 22. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Abolition of Challenge Rounds". Evening Post. 20 March 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via PapersPast.
  7. ^ Barrett, John (2001). Wimbledon: The Official History of the Championships. London: CollinsWillow. p. 37. ISBN 0007117078.
  8. ^ a b c Tarran, Bruce (2013). George Hillyard: The man who moved Wimbledon. Troubador Publishing Ltd. p. 143. ISBN 9781780885490. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Lawn Tennis in 1904". Southland Times. No. 19465. 19 November 1904. p. 3 (supplement) – via PapersPast.
  10. ^ a b c "Eastbourne Tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 19 September 1921. p. 12. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via Google News Archive.
  11. ^ a b "Lawn Tennis". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 27, 482. Victoria, Australia. 17 September 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 22 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Tennis in England". The New Zealand Herald. 15 September 1936. p. 9 – via PapersPast.
  13. ^ "South of England Championships 1881". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "1877 to 2012 Finals Results". stevegtennis.com. SteveG Tennis. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Lawn Tennis". The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. Vol. LXXX, no. 2295. New South Wales, Australia. 1 November 1905. p. 1146. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "A Win for Wilding". Taranaki Herald. Vol. LIV, no. 13757. 21 September 1908. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via PapersPast.
  17. ^ "Lawn Tennis". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 22, 714. New South Wales, Australia. 1 November 1910. p. 13. Retrieved 22 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Lawn Tennis". The West Australian. Vol. XXVII, no. 7, 979. Western Australia. 27 October 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 23 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Curious Lawn Tennis Final". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. LVIII, no. 17, 490. South Australia. 17 November 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ See.[10][19]
  21. ^ "Emerson in form". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 June 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 2 October 2017 – via Google News Archive.

External links edit

50°45′51″N 0°17′0″E / 50.76417°N 0.28333°E / 50.76417; 0.28333

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