The Kenya Open also known as the Kenya Championships[1] was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1934 as the Kenyan International Championships.[2] later called the Kenyan Closed Championships It was organised by the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (f.1922), Nairobi, Kenya and played on clay courts and ran until 1986 as part of the ILTF Independent Circuit.[2]
| Kenya Open | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Tour | ILTF World Circuit (1934–73) ILTF Independent Circuit |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Abolished | 1986 |
| Location | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Surface | Clay (outdoors) |
History edit
In 1922 the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA) was founded.[3] In 1934 the KLTA became an associate member of the ILTF.[4] The same year it organised the first Kenyan International Championships an open tournament initially held in August then played annually in the summer. In 1968 the association changed the denomination of that tournament to Kenya Championships and moved the event till late winter usually starting at the end of January and finishing end of February or starting mid February ending early March this was also an open event. From 1974 it was re branded as the Kenya Open until 1982, it later became a closed tournament (for Kenyan players only) from 1983 to the late 1980s.[2] The tournament was played as part of the ILTF African Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1968 to 1972, the it became part ILTF Independent Circuit until 1986 when it was downgraded from the world circuit. The event however was till being held as late as 2022.[5]
Finals edit
Men's singles edit
(incomplete roll)
| Kenyan International Championships | ||||
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ ILTF World Circuit ↓ | ||||
| 1948 |  Jack Piercy |
Robert Cooper |
6–3, 6–0, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1949 |  R.J.E. Mayers |
Jack Piercy |
6–2, 2–6, 10–12, 6–1, 6–3.[2] | |
| 1950 | R.J.E. Mayers |
F.D.M. Flowerdew |
6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1961 | Yashvin Shretta[6] |
? | ? | |
| 1965 |  Shyam Minotra[7] |
 Yashvin Shretta |
7-9, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.[2] | |
| 1966 | Ramanathan Krishnan |
Yashvin Shretta |
6–2, 6–0, 6–4.[2] | |
| Kenya Invitation | ||||
| 1967 |  Jim McManus |
John Pickens |
6–2, 2–6, 7–5, 6–8, 6–2.[2] | |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | ||||
| Kenya Championships | ||||
| 1969 |  Bernard Mignot |
Yashvin Shretta |
6–0, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1970[8] | Yashvin Shretta (2) |
 Ahmed Hassanein |
7–5, 6–4, 6–4.[2] | |
| 1971 | Aly El Dawoudi |
Yashvin Shretta |
6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4.[2] | |
| ↓ ILTF Independent Circuit ↓ | ||||
| 1973 |  Richard Russell |
David Lloyd |
8–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2] | |
| Kenya Open | ||||
| 1974 |  Pierre Joly |
Lee Tomlinson |
7–6, 6–3, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1976 | Norman Holmes |
John Feaver |
6–0, 6–2, 7–6.[2] | |
| 1977 |  Bob Rheinberger |
 Uli Heyne[9] |
6–2, 6–7, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1978 |  Peter Feigl |
Bernard Mignot |
6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1979 |  David Imonitie |
 Per Larsson |
6–7, 7–6, 11–9.[2] | |
| 1980 | Wayne Pascoe |
Ola Hellgren |
6–4, 2–6, 6–1.[2] | |
| Kenyan Closed Championships | ||||
| 1983 | Selim Rana[10] |
Steven Kasigwa[11] |
6–3, 6–2 | |
Women's singles edit
(incomplete roll)
| Kenyan International Championships | |||
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ ILTF World Circuit ↓ | |||
| 1948 | Sheila Paterson Dowdeswell |
Mrs J.F. Mark |
6–0, 6–2 |
| 1949 | Mrs J.F. Mark |
M. Muir |
6–2, 6–1 |
| 1950 | Margot Lumb Gordon |
Mrs M.C. Swan |
6–2, 6–1 |
| 1951 | Doris Unwin |
Grizel Swynnerton |
2–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1952 | Grizel Swynnerton |
Mrs E. Boswell |
6–1, 6–0 |
| 1953 |  Julia Wipplinger |
Thea S. Hale |
7–5, 6–2 |
| 1954 | Margot Lumb Gordon |
Frances Hook Marshall |
6–2, 7-5 |
| 1955 | Frances Hook Marshall |
Mrs W. Michell |
6–4, 6–4 |
| 1956 | Frances Hook Marshall (2) |
 Khanum Haji Singh |
4–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1957 | Grizel M. Swynnerton (2) |
J. Sheridan |
4–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1958 | Margot Lumb Gordon (2) |
Miss Morgan |
6–3, 6–3 |
| 1960 |  Eve Sladden |
Loise Surgey |
6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Debbie Adams |
Grizel M. Swynnerton |
6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1962 | Doris Unwin |
F. Spring |
5–7, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1963 | Grizel M. Swynnerton |
Elizabeth Haggie |
5–7, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Kenyan Championships | |||
| 1968 | Virginia Wade |
Kerstin Seelbach |
4–6, 6–1 6–2 |
| 1969 | Elizabeth Haggie |
Mrs Wendy Hall |
4–6, 6–1 6–2 |
| 1970 | Alice Tym |
Daphne Paterson |
6–1, 6–3 |
| 1971 | Nirupama Mankad |
Jenny Patterson |
6–2, 6–1 |
| 1972 | Winnie Shaw |
Gail Chanfreau |
2–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| ↓ ILTF Independent Circuit ↓ | |||
| 1973 | Brenda Kirk |
Jenny Patterson |
7–5, 6–1 |
| Kenya Open | |||
| 1974 | Annette Coe |
Corinne Molesworth |
7–5, 6–1 |
| 1976 | Annette Coe |
Uschi Ulrich |
6–2, 6–4 |
| 1980 | Lesley Charles |
Debbie Stewart |
3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Kenyan Closed Championships | |||
| 1983 | Carol Hughes |
S. Trempenau |
6–3, 6–2 |
| 1984 | Susan Wakhungu |
Jane Ndunda |
7–5, 6–3 |
| 1985 | Carol Hughes |
Jane Ndunda |
4–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1986 | Judi Wakhungu |
R. Wilson |
? |
References edit
- ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Tournaments: Kenya National Championships - Kenya Open". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen and Unwin. p. 277. ISBN 9780047960420.
- ^ Robertson
- ^ "Kenya Nationals Tournament". www.sportyhq.com. Tennis Kenya. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Shyam Minotra: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC.
- ^ "Uli Heyne: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Saleem Rana: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ "Steven Kasigwa: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.