The Bermuda Open[1] was originally founded as the Bermuda Open Tennis Championships[2] in 1879 the later called the Bermuda Championships in 1914 and was staged in Hamilton, During the 1950s and 1960s it was called the Bermuda International Championships. and was staged under that name until 1974. In 1976 the tournament was known as the Bermuda Classic. From 1914 until at least 1944 it was played on outdoor hard courts. In later years it was held in Paget in Bermuda and played on outdoor clay courts.

Bermuda Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameBermuda Open Tennis Championships (1879-?)
Bermuda Championships (1914-1974)
Bermuda Open (1975).
Bermuda Classic (1976)
TourGrand Prix circuit (1975–76)
Founded1879
Abolished1976
LocationHamilton, Bermuda
Paget, Bermuda
SurfaceHardcourt (1914-1944, 79)
Clay (1947–76)

History

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The first known tennis event to be staged in Bermuda occurred in September 1876 when a Bermuda Tournament for women was held only one time, that was won by Mary G. Gray.[3] The first edition of the Bermuda Open Tennis Championships was staged in 1879 at Hamilton, the men's doubles event was won by Pelham Von Donop and Charles Wood.[4] By 1914 the tournament was known as the Bermuda Championships.[1] In 1950s-1960s the denomination used was the Bermuda International or sometimes the Bermuda Invitation (for the women's events).[1] The tournament was also staged at Paget the last time occurring in 1968. The original surface was hard courts until 1944 when it switched to clay courts. In 1975 the Bermuda Championships was rebranded as the Bermuda Open.[1] In 1976 at the final edition its name was changed again to the Bermuda Classic.[1]

Finals

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ILTF World Circuit
ILTF Grand Prix Circuit

Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
Bermuda Championships
1914   Arthur Berger   Albert J. Ostendorf 6–2, 6–1 ret.[1]
1914/1919 No competition (due to WWI)
1922   Lawrence Bridges Rice[5]   Vinnie Richards 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–2.[1]
1923   Vinnie Richards   Lawrence Bridges Rice 6–3, 6–3, 6–0.[1]
1924   Herbert Bowman   Gerald Emerson 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–2.[1]
1925[6]   Fred Anderson   F. R. Leighton Crawford 5–7, 2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3.[1]
1926   Herbert Bowman (2)   Willard Crocker 6–8, 6–4, 6–2, 0–6, 6–3.[1]
1927   George Lott   Fritz Mercur 4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 12–10.[1]
1928   Herbert Bowman (3)   Hare W. Powell Jr. 6–4, 6–1, 6–3.[1]
1929   Herbert Bowman (4)   J. Gilbert Hall 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 8–6.[1]
1930   Herbert Bowman (5)   Bruce Barnes 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[1]
1931   John Doeg   Berkeley Bell 6–4, 2–6, 6–1, 0–6, 6–3.[1]
1932   Fred Perry   Harry Lee 4–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1933   Cliff Sutter   Gregory Mangin 6–2, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2.[1]
1934   Lester Stoefen   Wilmer Allison 6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 6–3.[1]
1935   Bryan Grant   J. Gilbert Hall 6–0, 6–0, 6–4.[1]
1936   Bryan Grant (2)   Bob Murray 6–4, 3–6, 1–6, 6–2, 7–5.[1]
1937   Frank Parker   Bob Murray 6–1, 6–0, 6–2.[1]
1938   Wayne Sabin   Don McNeill 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–4.[1]
1939   Bobby Riggs   Elwood Cooke 6–3, 1–6, 1–6, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1940   Elwood Cooke   Gardnar Mulloy 6–1, 6–4, 6–3.[1]
1941   Brownlow Eve   William Freisenbruch 6–4, 3–6, 6–0.[1]
1942/1943 No competition (due to WWII)
Bermuda International Championships
1944   Jack Skelton   Brownlow Eve 6–1, 6–2.[1]
1947   Earl Cochell   Sidney Wood 6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3.[1]
1948   Bill Talbert   Marcel Bernard 6–3, 6–2, 5–7, 7–5.[1]
1949   Earl Cochell (2)   Sidney Wood 6–2, 11–9, 6–4.[1]
1950   Bill Talbert (2)   Tony Trabert 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–2.[1]
1951   Vic Seixas   Ham Richardson 6–4, 9–7, 6–4.[1]
1952   Vic Seixas (2)   Bill Talbert 5–7, 1–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–0.[1]
1953   Gardnar Mulloy   Fred Kovaleski 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 9–7.[1]
1954   Irvin Dorfman   Jordan Bentley[7] 6–1, 6–1.[1]
1955   Bill Tully[8]   John Riihiluoma[9] 6–8, 6–2, 6–3, 6–4.[1]
1956   Tony Vincent   Bob Freedman[10] 6–4, 6–4.[1]
1957   Tony Vincent (2)   Don Thompson[11] 6–2, 9–7
1959   Kingman Lambert   Don Thompson 6–3, 6–0.[1]
1961   Gilmore (Gil) Rothrock   Leif Beck 6–1, 6–1.[1]
1963   Bill Tully (2)   Alan Fleming 6–3, 6–0.[1]
1964   Don Thompson[11]   Alan Fleming 2–6, 8–6, 9–7.[1]
1965   Bill Tym   John Fleitz[12] 2–6, 8–6, 9–7.[1]
1966   Bill Tym (2)   Ellis Slack 6–2, 7–5.[1]
1967   Ellis Slack[13]   John Galinato 6–2, 6–3.[1]
1968   Ellis Slack (2)   John Galinato 2–6, 7–5, 6–3.[1]
↓  Open era  ↓
1970   Harry Fauquier   Keith Carpenter 6–2, 6–1.[1]
1972   Jim Hanlon   Ladislav Legenstein 6–3, 6–4.[1]
1974   Claude Schoenlank[14]   Ladislav Legenstein 6–3, 6–4.[1]
Bermuda Open
1975[15]   Jimmy Connors   Vitas Gerulaitis 6–1, 6–4
Bermuda Classic
1976[16]   Cliff Richey   Gene Mayer 7–6, 6–2
Bermuda Open
1979   Stephen Alger   Harry Fauquier 6–3, 6–2.[1]

Women' singles

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(incomplete roll)

Championship of Bermuda
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1889   Mabel Grant   Grace Roosevelt 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Bermuda Championships
1913   Bessie Gosling Harvey[17]   Mary Gray 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1914   Bessie Gosling Harvey (2)   Marion Cresswell walkover
1915-19 Not held (due to World War I)
1922   Marie Wagner   Miss Yuillo 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1923   Mayme McDonald   Gladys Hutchings 6–4, 6–4
1924   Mollie Thayer   Gladys Hutchings 8–6, 6–4
1925   Mary Hart McIlquham   Joan Reid-Thomas 6–2, 6–0
1926   Martha Bayard   Gladys Hutchings 6–2, 6–2
1927   Martha Bayard (2)   Penelope Anderson 6–2, 2–6, 6–1
1928   Alice Francis   Gladys Hutchings 6–3, 6–1
1929   Penelope Anderson   Mary Harland 7–9, 6–4, 6–2
1930   Edith Sigourney   Penelope Anderson 2–6, 6–3, 8–6
1931   Sarah Palfrey   Marjorie Morrill 6–3, 6–2
1932   Sarah Palfrey (2)   Betty Nuthall 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1933   Virginia Rice   Virginia Hilleary 10–8, 6–3
1934   Marjorie Sachs   Penelope Anderson McBride 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
1935   Sylvie Jung Henrotin   Dorothy Andrus walkover
1936   Sylvie Jung Henrotin (2)   Norma Taubele 6–2, 8–6
1937   Helen Pedersen   Penelope Anderson McBride 6–1, 6–2
1938   Sylvie Jung Henrotin (3)   Marjorie Gladman van Ryn 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1939   Helen Bernhard   Pauline Betz 6–3, 7–5
1940   Sarah Palfrey Fabyan (3)   Pauline Betz 6–2, 6–4
1941   Gladys Hutchings   Barbara Robinson Freisenbruch 5–7, 6–3, 7–5
1942-43 Not held (due to World War II)
Bermuda International Championships
1944   Barbara Robinson Freisenbruch   Gladys Hutchings 6–1, 6–3
1947   Doris Hart   Barbara Scofield 6–2, 9–7
1948   Doris Hart (2)   Pat Canning Todd 4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1949   Dorothy Head   Nancy Chaffee 6–2, 6–1
1950   Betty Rosenquest   Helen Pedersen Rihbany 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Bermuda Invitation
1951   Beverly Baker   Barbara Scofield 9–7, 7–5
Bermuda International Championships
1952   Pat Canning Todd   Barbara Scofield Davidson 6–4, 6–0
Bermuda Invitation
1953[18]   Louise Brough   Margaret Osborne duPont 9–7, 4–6, 6–1
1954   Heather Nicholls Brewer   Kay Hubbell 6–2, 6–3
1955   Sheila West Gosling[19]   J. Pollitt 2–6, 6–3, 6–1
Bermuda International Championships
1956   Sheila West Gosling (2)   Mrs J. Jones 6–2, 6–3
1957   Sheila West Gosling (3)   Mrs J. Jones 6–2, 6–1
1957   Florence Blanchard   Ann Alger 6–4, 6–3
Bermuda Invitation
1959   Barbara Scofield Davidson   Elizabeth Coleman 6–2, 6–4
1961   Dottie Head Knode (2)   Barbara Scofield Davidson 6–0, 6–3
1964   Barbara Scofield Davidson   Jean French 6–1, 6–1
1965   Alice Tym   Kay Hubbell 6–4, 7–5
1966   Alice Tym (2)   Kay Hubbell 6–1, 6–2
↓  Open era  ↓
1970   Ann Alger   Grace Rathbun Findlay 7–5, 7–5

Men's Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
Bermuda Open Tennis Championships
1879[4]   Pelham Von Donop
  Charles Wood
?
 ?
?
Bermuda Open
1975 Not held
Bermuda Classic
1976   Mike Cahill
  John Whitlinger
  Dick Crealy
  Ray Ruffels
6–4, 4–6, 7–6

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 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 ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw "Tournaments:Bermuda Championships – Bermuda Open". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  2. ^ Bancroft, James W. (8 December 2021). The Early Years of the FA Cup: How the British Army Helped Establish the World's First Football Tournament. Barnsley, England: Frontline Books. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-3990-9994-3.
  3. ^ Fein, Paul (30 April 2009). Tennis Confidential II: More of Today's Greatest Players, Matches, and Controversies. Sterling, VA: Potomac Books. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-61234-395-2.
  4. ^ a b Bankcroft
  5. ^ "Lawrence B. Rice, 94 Was architect, tennis champion - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA) | HighBeam Research". Boston Globe. 10 January 1992. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "Fred Anderson Takes Final, Wins Bermuda Tennis Title". The New York Times. New York City. 28 February 1925. p. 10. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Jordan Bentley: Player Activity". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Player Profile: William Tully (USA)". www.itftennis.com. ITF. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Former No.1 Riihiluoma remembered". Royal Gazette. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Robert Freedman: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Donald Thompson: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  12. ^ "John Fleitz: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Ellis Slack: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Player Profile: Claude Schoenlank (USA)". ITF. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Results Archive: 1975 Bermuda". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Results Archive: 1976 Bermuda". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Bessie Gosling Harvey in 1903". National Museum of Bermuda. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  18. ^ Stern, Andrew (June 1953). "The Bermuda Championships". Tennis Illustrated: World Tennis (PDF). New York City: Family Media. p. 26.
  19. ^ Lou Lyons, Nancy (7 October 2018). "Sheila West Gosling". The Bermudian Magazine. Hamilton, Bermuda. Retrieved 15 November 2023.