The Cacharel Caracas Open was a men's tennis tournament founded as the Altimira International,[1] also known as the Altamira International Invitation and Caracas International Championships. The tournament was played annually at the Altamira Tennis Club, Miranda, Caracas, Venezuela, usually in mid-March initially as part of the ILTF Caribbean Circuit.

Cacharel Caracas Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameAltimira International (1956–1968)
Altimira International Invitation (1969)
Altimira International (1970–1974)
Caracas WCT (1975–1976)
Cacharel Caracas Open (1982–1983)
TourILTF Caribbean Circuit (1956–1974)
WCT Circuit (1975–1976)
Grand Prix circuit (1982–1983)
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
Abolished1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Editions22
LocationMiranda, Caracas, Venezuela
VenueAltimira Tennis Club
SurfaceHard / outdoor

The women's tournament ended in 1970 and the men's event continued. From 1975 to 1976 the men's editions were known as the Caracas WCT tournament before it was briefly discontinued in 1982 the tournament was revived under a new name before it was abolished in 1983.

History

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In 1927 the Venezuelan International Tennis Association was established and established a Venezuelan Lawn Tennis Championships at the first Altamira Tennis Club.[2] In 1946 the Altamira Tennis Club was formally created.[3] In 1956 the Altamira International,[4] also known as the Altamira International Invitation tournament was established at Altamira Tennis Club, Caracas, Venezuela.[4]

The Atamira International was organized as part of a spring (March to May) Caribbean Circuit which included tournaments in Jamaica (Kingston International Invitation), Puerto Rico (Caribe Hilton Championships), Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad International) and Colombia, Colombia International (Ciudad de Barranquilla). The tournament attracted the top players of the day.

In 1970 the women's event was discontinued. The tournament continued under brand name Altamira International until 1974. Between 1975 and 1976 the men's event became part of the WCT Circuit and was known as the Caracas WCT tournament. In 1977 the tournament was not held for five years when it was revived and rebranded in 1982 as the Caracas Open played at the same venue until 1983.[5]

Finals

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Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Winner Runner-up Score
Altamira International
1956[6]   Orlando Sirola   Mervyn Rose 2–6, 3–6, 12–10, 6–4, 6–2
1958   Budge Patty   Luis Ayala 6–3, 11–13, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1959   Jon Douglas   Mike Davies 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1960   Andres Gimeno   Mike Davies 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1961   Rod Laver   Luis Ayala 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 8–6
1962   Rod Laver (2)   Roy Emerson 9–7, 6–2, 6–0
1963[7]   Manuel Santana   Thomaz Koch 9–11, 8–6, 6–1, 6–4
1964   Ron Holmberg   Roy Emerson 6–2, 6–4, 9–7
1965   Pierre Barthès   Manuel Santana 6–1, 6–4, 6–2
1966   Tony Roche   John Newcombe 0–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1967   Nikola Pilić   Rafael Osuna 4–6, 7–5, 6–0, 4–6, 6–1
Open era
1968[8]   Marty Riessen   Cliff Richey 6–1, 8–6, 6–1
Altamira International
1969[9]   Thomaz Koch   Mark Cox 8–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–4
1970[10]   Tom Gorman   Gerald Battrick 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1971[11]   Thomaz Koch (2)   Manuel Orantes 7–6, 6–1, 6–3
1972[12]   Manuel Orantes   Haroon Rahim 6–4, 7–5, 6–4
1973[13]   Tom Gorman   Francois Jauffret 6–3, 7–6, 6–3
1974[14]   Charlie Pasarell   Eddie Dibbs 6–7, 6–2, 6–1
Altamira International/Caracas WCT
1975[15]   Rod Laver (3)   Raul Ramirez 7–6, 6–2
1976[16]   Raúl Ramírez   Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4
1977/1981 Event suspended
Caracas Open
1982[17]   Raúl Ramírez   Zoltán Kuhárszky 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
1983[18]   Raúl Ramírez (2)   Morris Strode 6–4, 6–2

Men's Doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1982[19]   Steve Meister
  Craig Wittus
  Eric Fromm
  Cary Leeds
6–7, 7–6, 6–4
1983[20]   Jaime Fillol
  Stan Smith
  Andrés Gómez
  Ilie Năstase
6–7, 6–4, 6–3

Women's Singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Winner Runner-up Score
Altamira International
1958   Althea Gibson   Maria Bueno 6–1, 4–6, 9–7
1959[21]   Christine Truman   Maria Bueno 6–2, 6–3
1960   Maria Bueno   Ann Haydon 3–6, 7–5, 6–2
1961   Maria Bueno (2)   Darlene Hard 7–5, 6–1
1962   Maria Bueno (3)   Darlene Hard 6–2, 5–7, 6–2
1963   Maria Bueno (4)   Lesley Turner 7–5, 8–6
1964   Francoise Durr   Rita Bentley 6–3, 6–2
1965   Margaret Smith   Lesley Turner 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
1966   Norma Baylon   Gail Sherriff 2–6, 7–5, 6–4
1967   Ann Haydon Jones   Virginia Wade 6–2, 6–3
Open era
1968   Ann Haydon Jones (2)   Julie Heldman 6–4, 11–9
Altamira International Open Invitation
1969   Margaret Smith Court (2)   Maria Bueno w.o.
Altamira International
1970[22]   Mary-Ann Eisel   Patti Hogan 6–3 6–3

Location and venue

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The Altimira Tennis Club was founded in 1946 by the Venezuelan International Tennis Association (f.1927) who built the club and is headquartered there.[23] Today the club consists of 11 tennis courts.[24]

Event names

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The tournament throughout its history had been known by various names including:

  • Altamira International
  • Altamira International Invitation
  • Altamira International Open Invitation
  • Caracas International Championships
  • Caracas WCT
  • Copa Altimira International Invitation

Event statistics

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References

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  1. ^ "Birth of ATC". atc.org.ve. Altamira Tennis Club. pp. Caracas, Venezuela. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  2. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The encyclopedia of tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 340. ISBN 0047960426.
  3. ^ Robertson, Max (1974)
  4. ^ a b Altamira Tennis Club
  5. ^ "Caracas Open". European Stars And Stripes. Washington, DC: Newspaper Archives. 2 February 1983. p. 24. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  6. ^ "SIROLA UPSETS ROSE". Waterloo Daily Courier. Waterloo, Iowa: Newspaper Archives. 17 December 1956. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Turner Stolle Defeated". Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia: Newspaper Archives. 3 April 1963. p. 49. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Location: Caracas - Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  9. ^ ATP Caracas
  10. ^ ATP Caracas
  11. ^ ATP Caracas
  12. ^ ATP Caracas
  13. ^ ATP Caracas
  14. ^ ATP Caracas
  15. ^ ATP Caracas
  16. ^ ATP Caracas
  17. ^ ATP Caracas
  18. ^ ATP Caracas
  19. ^ ATP Caracas
  20. ^ ATP Caracas
  21. ^ "Christine Wins Title: Christine Truman of Great Britain won the women's singles title in the international lawn tenns tournament at Altamira, Caracas, Venezuela vesterdav, beating Marla Bueno of Brazil, 6–2, 6–3". Weekly Dispatch (London). London, England: British Newspaper Archive. 8 March 1959. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Briefs: Tennis". Wichita Falls Times. Wichita Falls, Texas: Newspaper Archives. 16 March 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  23. ^ Robertson, Max (1974)
  24. ^ Altimira Tennis Club
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