The German Open[1] (previously known as the Grass Court Championships Berlin, bett1open, and since 2024 the Berlin Ladies Open) is a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament for women played in West Berlin, West Germany (until 1990), then Berlin, Germany from 1991 to 2008 following reunification. Held since 1896, it was one of the oldest tournaments for women. Until 1978 the tournament was held in Hamburg together with the men's tournament. From 1988, it was classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament. Since 2021, it is a WTA 500 tournament.

German Open
Tournament information
Founded1896–2008; 2021–present
Editions93
LocationHamburg (1894–1978)
West Berlin (1979–1990)
Berlin (1991–2008, 2021–)
VenueAm Rothenbaum
Rot-Weiss Tennis Club (1979–2008, 2021–)
CategoryTier I (1988–2008)
WTA 500 (2021–)
SurfaceClay
outdoor (until 2008)
Grass
outdoor (2021–)
Draw32M
24Q
16D
Prize money$780,637 (2023)
Websitehttps://www.berlinladiesopen.com
Current champions (2023)
SinglesCzech Republic Petra Kvitová
DoublesFrance Caroline Garcia
Brazil Luisa Stefani

After an absence of more than a decade, the tournament was announced to return to the WTA calendar for the 2020 season. However, the event was cancelled in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it would be due to return in 2021. The new event is classified as a Premier-level tournament and serve as a warm-up event towards the Wimbledon Championships, having switched its surface from clay to grass.[2][3]

History edit

 
The former logo, used between 2005 and 2008.

Past champions of the tournament include former world number ones Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Martina Hingis, Amélie Mauresmo, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic and Dinara Safina.

Past finals edit

Singles edit

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓ Hamburg (Clay) ↓
1896   Maren Thomsen   E. Lantzius 6–3, 6–2, 7–5
1897   Blanche Hillyard   Charlotte Cooper 6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1898   Elsie Lane   Toupie Lowther 7–5, 7–5
1899   Charlotte Cooper   Clara von der Schulenburg 7–5, 6–4
1900   Blanche Hillyard (2)   Muriel Robb 2–6, 8–6, 7–5
1901   Toupie Lowther   Gladys Dudell 6–0, 6–0
1902   Mary Roß   Hilda Meyer 8–6, 6–0
1903   Violet Pinckney   Hilda Meyer 6–2, 6–1
1904   Elsie Lane (2)   L. Bergmann 6–3, 6–0
1905   Elsie Lane (3)   K. Krug 6–0, 6–1
1906   Luise Berton   Margaret Dewsbury 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
1907   Margit von Madarasz   Hedwig Neresheimer 7–5, 0–6, 6–2
1908   Margit von Madarasz (2)   Rosamund Salusbury 2–6, 6–4, 6–0
1909   Anita Heimann   Mieken Rieck 6–4, 0–6, 6–4
1910   Mieken Rieck   Dora Köring 6–1, 6–3
1911   Mieken Rieck (2)   Molla Bjurstedt 6–1, 4–6, 6–1
1912   Dora Köring   Anita Heimann 6–2 6–2
1913   Dora Köring (2)   Hedwig Neresheimer von Satzger 6–4, 6–4
1914-
1919
Not held
1920   Ilse Friedleben   Lilly Müller Vormann 6–0, 6–0
1921   Ilse Friedleben (2)   Daisy Uhl 9–7, 6–1
1922   Ilse Friedleben (3)   Nelly Neppach 6–2, 6–1
1923   Ilse Friedleben (4)   Nelly Neppach 2–6, 9–7, 7–5
1924   Ilse Friedleben (5)   Nelly Neppach 6–2, 1–6, 6–3
1925   Nelly Neppach   Ilse Friedleben 2–6, 6–4, 10–8
1926   Ilse Friedleben (6)   Nelly Neppach 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
1927   Cilly Aussem   Ilse Friedleben 6–3, 6–3
1928   Daphne Akhurst   Cilly Aussem 2–6, 6–0, 6–4
1929   Paula von Reznicek   Violet Chamberlain 6–2, 4–6, 6–0
1930   Cilly Aussem (2)   Hilde Krahwinkel 6–4, 6–4
1931   Cilly Aussem (3)   Irmgard Rost 6–1, 6–2
1932   Lolette Payot   Hilde Krahwinkel 6–2, 1–6, 6–4
1933   Hilde Krahwinkel   Sylvie Jung Henrotin 6–2, 6–1
1934   Hilde Sperling (2)   Cilly Aussem 6–2, 6–3
1935   Hilde Sperling (3)   Cilly Aussem 9–7, 6–0
1936 Not held (due to Berlin Olympic Games)
1937   Hilde Sperling (4)   Marie-Louise Horn 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1938   Hilde Sperling (5)   Margot Lumb 6–1, 6–0
1939   Hilde Sperling (6)   Hella Kovac 6–0, 6–1
1940-
1947
Not held
1948   Ursula Rosenow   Inge Pohmann 6–2, 8–6
1949   Mary Terán de Weiss   Inge Pohmann 6–2, 6–8, 9–7
1950   Dorothy Head   Ursula Heidtmann 6–3, 6–0
1951   Nancye Bolton   Mary Terán de Weiss 6–3, 6–3
1952   Dorothy Head (2)   Erika Vollmer 6–1, 6–3
1953   Dorothy Knode   Joy Mottram 6–0, 4–6, 6–4
1954   Joy Mottram   Inge Pohmann 2–6, 7–5, 6–2
1955   Beryl Penrose   Erika Vollmer 6–4, 6–4
1956   Thelma Long   Silvana Lazzarino 7–5, 6–2
1957   Yola Ramírez   Rosie Reyes 7–5, 6–3
1958   Lorraine Coghlan   Shirley Bloomer 6–4, 7–5
1959   Edda Buding   Zsuzsa Körmöczy walkover
1960   Sandra Reynolds   Maria Bueno 7–5, 8–6
1961   Sandra Reynolds (2)   Yola Ramírez 5–7, 7–5, 6–1
1962   Sandra Reynolds Price (3)   Ann Haydon 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
1963   Renée Schuurman   Lesley Turner 6–4, 1–6, 6–3
1964   Margaret Smith   Maria Bueno 6–1, 6–1
1965   Margaret Smith (2)   Edda Buding 6–3, 6–2
1966   Margaret Smith (3)   Maria Bueno 8–6, 6–3
1967   Françoise Dürr   Lesley Turner 6–4, 6–4
1968   Annette Van Zyl   Judy Tegart 6–1, 7–5
1969   Judy Tegart   Helga Niessen 6–3, 6–4
1970   Helga Schultze-Hösl   Helga Niessen 6–3, 6–3
1971   Billie Jean King   Helga Masthoff 6–3, 6–2
1972   Helga Masthoff   Linda Tuero 6–3, 3–6 8–6
1973   Helga Masthoff (2)   Pat Walkden Pretorius 6–4, 6–1
1974   Helga Masthoff (3)   Martina Navratilova 6–4, 5–7, 7–3
1975   Renáta Tomanová   Kazuko Sawamatsu 7–6, 5–7, 10–8
1976   Sue Barker   Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 6–1
1977   Laura duPont   Heidi Eisterlehner 6–1, 6–4
1978   Mima Jaušovec   Virginia Ruzici 6–2, 6–3
↓ West Berlin (Clay) ↓
1979   Caroline Stoll   Regina Maršíková 7–6(7–4), 6–0
1981   Regina Maršíková   Ivanna Madruga-Osses 6–2, 6–1
1980 Not held to make room for Federation Cup which took place at same location.
1982   Bettina Bunge   Kathy Rinaldi 6–2, 6–2
1983   Chris Evert-Lloyd   Kathleen Horvath 6–4, 7–6(7–1)
1984   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch   Kathleen Horvath 7–6(10–8), 6–1
1985   Chris Evert-Lloyd (2)   Steffi Graf 6–4, 7–5
1986   Steffi Graf   Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–3
1987   Steffi Graf (2)   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 6–2, 6–3
1988   Steffi Graf (3)   Helena Suková 6–3, 6–2
1989   Steffi Graf (4)   Gabriela Sabatini 6–3, 6–1
1990   Monica Seles   Steffi Graf 6–4, 6–3
↓ Berlin (Clay) ↓
1991   Steffi Graf (5)   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–3, 4–6, 7–6(8–6)
1992   Steffi Graf (6)   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 4–6, 7–5, 6–2
1993   Steffi Graf (7)   Gabriela Sabatini 7–6(7–3), 2–6, 6–4
1994   Steffi Graf (8)   Brenda Schultz 7–6(8–6), 6–4
1995   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario   Magdalena Maleeva 6–4, 6–1
1996   Steffi Graf (9)   Karina Habšudová 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
1997   Mary Joe Fernández   Mary Pierce 6–4, 6–2
1998   Conchita Martínez   Amélie Mauresmo 6–4, 6–4
1999   Martina Hingis   Julie Halard-Decugis 6–0, 6–1
2000   Conchita Martínez (2)   Amanda Coetzer 6–1, 6–2
2001   Amélie Mauresmo   Jennifer Capriati 6–4, 2–6, 6–3
2002   Justine Henin   Serena Williams 6–2, 1–6, 7–6(7–5)
2003   Justine Henin (2)   Kim Clijsters 6–4, 4–6, 7–5
2004   Amélie Mauresmo (2)   Venus Williams walkover
2005   Justine Henin (3)   Nadia Petrova 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
2006   Nadia Petrova   Justine Henin 4–6, 6–4, 7–5
2007   Ana Ivanovic   Svetlana Kuznetsova 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
2008   Dinara Safina   Elena Dementieva 3–6, 6–2, 6–2
2009–
2019
Not held
↓ Berlin (Grass) ↓
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021   Liudmila Samsonova   Belinda Bencic 1–6, 6–1, 6–3
2022   Ons Jabeur   Belinda Bencic 6–3, 2–1, ret.
2023   Petra Kvitová   Donna Vekić 6–2, 7–6(8–6)

Doubles edit

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓ Hamburg (Clay) ↓
1968   Annette Du Plooy
  Pat Walkden
  Winnie Shaw
  Judy Tegart
6–3, 7–5
1969   Judy Tegart
  Helga Niessen
  Edda Buding
  Helga Hösl Schultze
6–1, 6–4
1970   Karen Krantzcke
  Kerry Melville
  Winnie Shaw
  Virginia Wade
6–0, 6–1
1971   Rosie Casals
  Billie Jean King
  Helga Masthoff
  Heide Orth
6–2, 6–1
1972   Helga Masthoff
  Heide Orth
  Wendy Overton
  Valerie Ziegenfuss
6–3, 2–6, 6–0
1973   Helga Masthoff (2)
  Heide Orth (2)
  Kristien Kemmer
  Laura Rossouw
6–1, 6–2
1974   Helga Hösl
  Raquel Giscafré
  Martina Navratilova
  Renáta Tomanová
6–3, 6–2
1975   Dianne Fromholtz
  Renáta Tomanová
  Paulina Peisachov
  Kazuko Sawamatsu
6–3, 6–2
1976   Linky Boshoff
  Ilana Kloss
  Laura duPont
  Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–5, 6–1
1977   Linky Boshoff (2)
  Ilana Kloss (2)
  Regina Maršíková
  Renáta Tomanová
2–6, 6–4, 7–5
1978   Mima Jaušovec
  Virginia Ruzici
  Katja Ebbinghaus
  Helga Masthoff
6–4, 5–7, 6–0
↓ West Berlin (Clay) ↓
1979   Rosie Casals (2)
  Wendy Turnbull
  Evonne Goolagong
  Kerry Reid
6–2, 7–5
1981   Rosalyn Fairbank
  Tanya Harford
  Sue Barker
  Renáta Tomanová
6–3, 6–4
1980 Not held to make room for Federation Cup which took place at same location.
1982   Liz Gordon
  Beverly Mould
  Bettina Bunge
  Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
6–3, 6–4
1983   Jo Durie
  Anne Hobbs
  Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
  Eva Pfaff
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
1984   Anne Hobbs (2)
  Candy Reynolds
  Kathleen Horvath
  Virginia Ruzici
6–3, 4–6, 7–6
1985   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
  Helena Suková
  Steffi Graf
  Catherine Tanvier
6–4, 6–1
1986   Steffi Graf
  Helena Suková (2)
  Martina Navratilova
  Andrea Temesvári
7–5, 6–2
1987   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (2)
  Helena Suková (3)
  Catarina Lindqvist
  Tine Scheuer-Larsen
6–1, 6–2
1988   Isabelle Demongeot
  Nathalie Tauziat
  Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
  Helena Suková
6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1989   Elizabeth Smylie
  Janine Tremelling
  Lise Gregory
  Gretchen Magers
5–7, 6–3, 6–2
1990   Nicole Provis
  Elna Reinach
  Hana Mandlíková
  Jana Novotná
6–2, 6–1
↓ Berlin (Clay) ↓
1991   Larisa Neiland
  Natasha Zvereva
  Nicole Provis
  Elna Reinach
6–3, 6–3
1992   Jana Novotná
  Larisa Neiland (2)
  Gigi Fernández
  Natalia Zvereva
7–6(7–5), 4–6, 7–5
1993   Gigi Fernández
  Natasha Zvereva (2)
  Debbie Graham
  Brenda Schultz
6–1, 6–3
1994   Gigi Fernández (2)
  Natasha Zvereva (3)
  Jana Novotná
  Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–3, 7–6(7–2)
1995   Amanda Coetzer
  Inés Gorrochategui
  Larisa Savchenko
  Gabriela Sabatini
4–6, 7–6, 6–2
1996   Meredith McGrath
  Larisa Neiland (3)
  Martina Hingis
  Helena Suková
6–1, 5–7, 7–6(7–4)
1997   Lindsay Davenport
  Jana Novotná (2)
  Gigi Fernández
  Natasha Zvereva
6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1998   Lindsay Davenport (2)
  Natasha Zvereva (4)
  Alexandra Fusai
  Nathalie Tauziat
6–3, 6–0
1999   Alexandra Fusai
  Nathalie Tauziat (2)
  Jana Novotná
  Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 7–5
2000   Conchita Martínez
  Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
  Amanda Coetzer
  Corina Morariu
3–6, 6–2, 7–6(9–7)
2001   Els Callens
  Meghann Shaughnessy
  Cara Black
  Elena Likhovtseva
6–4, 6–3
2002   Elena Dementieva
  Janette Husárová
  Daniela Hantuchová
  Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
0–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–2
2003   Virginia Ruano Pascual
  Paola Suárez
  Kim Clijsters
  Ai Sugiyama
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
2004   Nadia Petrova
  Meghann Shaughnessy (2)
  Janette Husárová
  Conchita Martínez
6–2, 2–6, 6–1
2005   Elena Likhovtseva
  Vera Zvonareva
  Cara Black
  Liezel Huber
3–6, 6–3, 6–1
2006   Yan Zi
  Zheng Jie
  Elena Dementieva
  Flavia Pennetta
6–2, 6–3
2007   Lisa Raymond
  Samantha Stosur
  Tathiana Garbin
  Roberta Vinci
6–3, 6–4
2008   Cara Black
  Liezel Huber
  Nuria Llagostera Vives
  María José Martínez Sánchez
6–2, 6–2
2009-
2019
Not held
↓ Berlin (Grass) ↓
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021   Victoria Azarenka
  Aryna Sabalenka
  Nicole Melichar
  Demi Schuurs
4–6, 7–5, [10–4]
2022   Storm Sanders
  Kateřina Siniaková
  Alizé Cornet
  Jil Teichmann
6–4, 6–3
2023   Caroline Garcia
  Luisa Stefani
  Kateřina Siniaková
  Markéta Vondroušová
4–6, 7–6(10–8), [10–4]

Tournament names edit

  • 1896–1927:German Championships
  • 1928–1948:German International Championships
  • 1949–1970:West German Championships
  • 1971–1979: German Open
  • 1980: No tournament
  • 1981–1988: German Open
  • 1989–1990: Lufthansa Cup
  • 1991–1992: Lufthansa Cup German Open
  • 1993–2000: German Open
  • 2001–2002: Eurocard German Open
  • 2003: MasterCard German Open
  • 2004: Ladies German Open
  • 2005: Qatar Total German Open
  • 2006–2008: Qatar Telecom German Open
  • 2021–2023: bett1open
  • 2024–present: Berlin Ladies Open

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Two-time champion Kvitova warms up for Wimbledon with German Open title". Reuters. homson Reuters Group Limited. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Former Wimbledon champion to headline brand-new WTA Premier event in." 26 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Cancellation of bett1open 2020". Berlin Open. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.