Wolverhampton Open

The Wolverhampton Open[1] was a combined men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1897 as the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament. The first tournament was staged at Parkdale, Wolverhampton from 1897 to 1900 before it was discontinued in 1900. In 1903 a second tournament was revived and played in Newbridge, in Wolverhampton, where it ran until 1974.[2]

Wolverhampton Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameWolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament (1897-1900)
Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament (1903-30)
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament (1931-49)
Wolverhampton Open (1950-69)
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open (1970-71)
Wolverhampton Open (1972-74)
TourILTF (1913-1969)
Bio-Strath Circuit (1971)
Founded1897; 127 years ago (1897)
Abolished1974; 50 years ago (1974)
LocationWolverhampton, West Midlands, England
VenueParkdale, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Midlands
SurfaceClay- outdoors

History

The Wolverhampton Open was established as the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament in 1897,[3][4] under auspices of the Albert Lawn Tennis Club, Parkdale, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Midlands - before it was discontinued in 1900. In 1903 a second Wolverhampton tournament was revived by Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club, in Newbridge.[5] In 1931 the tournament was renamed as the Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament.[6] By the 1950s it was branded as the Wolverhampton Open and ran until 1974.[7] In 1970 the event was marketed under the brand name the Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open as part of the Bio-Strath Circuit, it remained part of that tour through till 1971.[8]

Notable winners of the men's singles title included; Sydney Howard Smith, Cam Malfroy, George Lyttleton-Rogers, Claude Lister, Tony Pickard, Bill Hoogs Jr., Frew McMillan, and Andrew Pattison.[9] Winners of the women's singles title included; Phoebe Holcroft Watson, Dorothy Holman, Rita Bentley, Angela Mortimer, Ann Haydon Jones, Faye Toyne, Mary Habicht, Kerry Melville and Valerie Ziegenfuss.

Venues

The Albert Lawn Tennis Club was founded at Parkdale, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire around 1894.[10] It staged the first Wolverhampton tennis tournament until 1900. In 1903 a second Wolverhampton tournament was revived by the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club (f. 1885),[11] in Newbridge, Wolverhampton.

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearWinnersRunners-upScore
↓  LTA Circuit  ↓
Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament
1897 Sydney Howard Smith Charles Henry Ridding6–0, ret.[2]
1898 Sydney Howard Smith (2) Wilberforce Eaves6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1900 Wilberforce Eaves John Mycroft Boucher7–5, 7–5, 6–3.[2]
Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament
1905 Edward Roy Allen Alfred Beamish4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 8–6, 6–4.[2]
1910 Edward Joseph Sampson[12] Xenophon Kasdaglis6–2, 8–6.[2]
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
1915/1919Not held (due to World War I)
1924[13] Hassan Ali Fyzee Edward (Teddy) Higgs3-2 sets.[14]
1929 Donald Greig George Meredith6–2, 7–5.[2]
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1930 George Meredith Thomas Slater6–4, 3–6, 6–3.[2]
1934 Cam Malfroy Ryuki Miki6–2, 6–1.[2]
1935 George Lyttleton Rogers Umberto De Morpurgo6–3, 8–6.[2]
1939 Jack Moore Claude Lister2–6, 6–1, 7–5.[2]
1940/1946Not held (due to World War II)
1947 Claude Lister Jack Moore4–6, 7–5, 9–7.[2]
1948 Claude Lister (2) John B. Griffith8–6, 9–7.[2]
1949 Claude Lister (3) John B. Griffith6–4, 6–3.[2]
Wolverhampton Open
1950 W.P.W. Anderson George Godsell6–3, 2–6, 6–2.[2]
1951 N.E. Hooper J.B. Payne6–1, 6–1.[2]
1952 Rex H. Hack John C. Upton6–4, 6–3.[2]
1953 J.C. Upton K.G. Jones6–4, 6–1.[2]
1954 Claude Lister (4) K.G. Jones6–2, 8–6.[2]
1955 M.A. Harris L.M. Kilby6–2, 7–5.[2]
1956 M.L. Booth L.M. Kilby6–4, 6–2.[2]
1957 K.G. Jones P.G. Wainwright4–6, 6–1, 6–2.[2]
1959 Robin Sanders John Maloney4–6, 6–4, 6–1.[2]
1960 Tony Pickard David Samaai6–2, 5–7, 6–3.[2]
1961 Will Coghlan Roger Taylor6–4, 6–1.[2]
1962 Frew McMillan John B. Hillebrand6–4, 6–4.[2]
1963 Frew McMillan (2) Roy W. Dixon [15]6–4, 4–6, 7–5
1964 Billy Knight Frew McMillan6–3, 4–6, 6–4.[2]
1965 Billy Knight (2) Patricio Cornejo9–7, 6–3.[2]
1966 Bill Hoogs Jr. Onny Parun6–4, 8–6.[2]
1967 Jaroslav Drobný Billy Knight6–8, 6–4, 6–3.[2]
1968 Keith Carpenter Graydon Garner6–4, 7–5.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open
1970 Frew McMillan (3) Hank Irvine6–4, 4–6, 6–4.[2]
1971 Andrew Pattison Peter Doerner6–3, 6–2.[2]
Wolverhampton Open
1974 Alvin Gardiner Roger Webb6–2, 6–2.[2]

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearWinnersRunners-upScore
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament
1920 Marie Hazel Mrs South6–1, 6–2
1921 Marie Hazel (2) Mrs Bellord6–3, 6–0
1922 Marie Hazel (3) Miss Wynne6–1, 6–0
1923 Marie Hazel (4) Phoebe Holcroft6–4, 7–5
1924[16] Jessie Russell Colegate Marie Hazel6–0, 6–2
1925 Irene Maltby Kathleen Lidderdale Bridge6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1926 M. Wynne Irene Maltby6–2, 6–4
1927 Marie Hazel (5) Irene Maltby6–1, 6–8, 8–6
1928 Dorothy Round Marie Hazel8–6, 4–6, 6–3
1930 Dorothy Round (2) Marie Hazel6–1, 6–2
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1931 Phoebe Holcroft Watson Jackie McAlpine6–3, 6–2
1932 Dorothy Round (3) Mrs H. Page6–1, 6–2
1933 Mie Johnstone Mrs H. Page6–3, 6–4
1934 Dorothy Round (4) Grace Vaughton6–1, 6–2
1935 Christabel Wheatcroft Gladys Southwell6–3, 6–3
1936 Christabel Wheatcroft (2) Barbara Freisenbruch6–0, 6–2
1937 Mrs H. Page Isobel Cooke7–5, 6–1
1939 Elsie Hamilton Mary Norman6–4, 6–3
1940/1946Not held (due to World War II)
1947 Sally Stoney Lister Elsie Hamilton Phillips6–1, 6–4
1948 Sally Stoney Lister (2) Isabel Follows6–2, 6–2
1949[17] Elsie Hamilton Phillips Patricia Cowney8–6, 6–3
Wolverhampton Open
1950 Patricia Cowney Gillian Gittings Worrall6–3, 6–3
1951 Elsie Hamilton Phillips (2) Molly Wadlow Stone6–2, 6–2
1952 Elsie Hamilton Phillips (3) Molly Wadlow Stone6–3, 6–3
1953 Y. Toyne L. Bishop6–4, 0–6, 6–4
1954 Sally Stoney Lister (3) Jane Godfrey7–5, 6–3
1955 Molly Wadlow Stone Jane Godfrey12–10, 3–6, 7–5
1956 Valerie Pitt Molly Wadlow Stone6–4, 6–1
1957 Mrs R. Worrall Mrs L. Newman3–6, 6–0, 6–1
1958 Rita Bentley Hazel Austin Cheadle8–6, 6–2
1959 Angela Mortimer Ann Haydon6–1, 6–4
1960 Angela Mortimer (2) Rita Bentley8–6, 9–7
1961 Ann Haydon Lynn Hutchings6–0, 6-1
1962 Hazel Cheadle Eleanor O'Neill6–1, 1–6, 6–3
1963 Ann Haydon Jones (2) Renée Schuurman9–7, 1–6, 6–4
1964[18] Faye Toyne Alison Stroud6–1, 6–3
1965 Mary Habicht Jean Haskew4–6, 6–4, 6–1
1966 Susan Tutt Jean Haskew6–1, 6–1
1968 Valerie Ziegenfuss Janice Townsenddivided title
↓  Open era  ↓
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open
1970 Kerry Melville Sue Alexander6–2, 6–2
1971 Janice Townsend Wainwright Maria Guzman6–3, 6–2
Wolverhampton Open
1974 Jenny Dimond Jenny Helliar2–6, 6–1, 6–1

Event Names

  • Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament (1897-1900)
  • Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament (1903-30)
  • Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament (1931-49)
  • Wolverhampton Open (1950-69)
  • Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open (1970-71)
  • Wolverhampton Open (1972-74)

References