Wikipedia

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

Men's singles edit

(incomplete roll)

Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  LTA Circuit  ↓
Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament
1897   Sydney Howard Smith   Charles Henry Ridding 6–0, ret.[2]
1898   Sydney Howard Smith (2)   Wilberforce Eaves 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1900   Wilberforce Eaves   John Mycroft Boucher 7–5, 7–5, 6–3.[2]
Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament
1905   Edward Roy Allen   Alfred Beamish 4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 8–6, 6–4.[2]
1910   Edward Joseph Sampson[12]   Xenophon Kasdaglis 6–2, 8–6.[2]
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
1915/1919 Not held (due to World War I)
1924[13]   Hassan Ali Fyzee   Edward (Teddy) Higgs 3-2 sets.[14]
1929   Donald Greig   George Meredith 6–2, 7–5.[2]
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1930   George Meredith   Thomas Slater 6–4, 3–6, 6–3.[2]
1934   Cam Malfroy   Ryuki Miki 6–2, 6–1.[2]
1935   George Lyttleton Rogers   Umberto De Morpurgo 6–3, 8–6.[2]
1939   Jack Moore   Claude Lister 2–6, 6–1, 7–5.[2]
1940/1946 Not held (due to World War II)
1947   Claude Lister   Jack Moore 4–6, 7–5, 9–7.[2]
1948   Claude Lister (2)   John B. Griffith 8–6, 9–7.[2]
1949   Claude Lister (3)   John B. Griffith 6–4, 6–3.[2]
Wolverhampton Open
1950   W.P.W. Anderson   George Godsell 6–3, 2–6, 6–2.[2]
1951   N.E. Hooper   J.B. Payne 6–1, 6–1.[2]
1952   Rex H. Hack   John C. Upton 6–4, 6–3.[2]
1953   J.C. Upton   K.G. Jones 6–4, 6–1.[2]
1954   Claude Lister (4)   K.G. Jones 6–2, 8–6.[2]
1955   M.A. Harris   L.M. Kilby 6–2, 7–5.[2]
1956   M.L. Booth   L.M. Kilby 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1957   K.G. Jones   P.G. Wainwright 4–6, 6–1, 6–2.[2]
1959   Robin Sanders   John Maloney 4–6, 6–4, 6–1.[2]
1960   Tony Pickard   David Samaai 6–2, 5–7, 6–3.[2]
1961   Will Coghlan   Roger Taylor 6–4, 6–1.[2]
1962   Frew McMillan   John B. Hillebrand 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1963   Frew McMillan (2)   Roy W. Dixon [15] 6–4, 4–6, 7–5
1964   Billy Knight   Frew McMillan 6–3, 4–6, 6–4.[2]
1965   Billy Knight (2)   Patricio Cornejo 9–7, 6–3.[2]
1966   Bill Hoogs Jr.   Onny Parun 6–4, 8–6.[2]
1967   Jaroslav Drobný   Billy Knight 6–8, 6–4, 6–3.[2]
1968   Keith Carpenter   Graydon Garner 6–4, 7–5.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open
1970   Frew McMillan (3)   Hank Irvine 6–4, 4–6, 6–4.[2]
1971   Andrew Pattison   Peter Doerner 6–3, 6–2.[2]
Wolverhampton Open
1974   Alvin Gardiner   Roger Webb 6–2, 6–2.[2]

Women's singles edit

(incomplete roll)

Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
Wolverhampton Tennis Tournament
1920   Marie Hazel   Mrs South 6–1, 6–2
1921   Marie Hazel (2)   Mrs Bellord 6–3, 6–0
1922   Marie Hazel (3)   Miss Wynne 6–1, 6–0
1923   Marie Hazel (4)   Phoebe Holcroft 6–4, 7–5
1924[16]   Jessie Russell Colegate   Marie Hazel 6–0, 6–2
1925   Irene Maltby   Kathleen Lidderdale Bridge 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1926   M. Wynne   Irene Maltby 6–2, 6–4
1927   Marie Hazel (5)   Irene Maltby 6–1, 6–8, 8–6
1928   Dorothy Round   Marie Hazel 8–6, 4–6, 6–3
1930   Dorothy Round (2)   Marie Hazel 6–1, 6–2
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1931   Phoebe Holcroft Watson   Jackie McAlpine 6–3, 6–2
1932   Dorothy Round (3)   Mrs H. Page 6–1, 6–2
1933   Mie Johnstone   Mrs H. Page 6–3, 6–4
1934   Dorothy Round (4)   Grace Vaughton 6–1, 6–2
1935   Christabel Wheatcroft   Gladys Southwell 6–3, 6–3
1936   Christabel Wheatcroft (2)   Barbara Freisenbruch 6–0, 6–2
1937   Mrs H. Page   Isobel Cooke 7–5, 6–1
1939   Elsie Hamilton   Mary Norman 6–4, 6–3
1940/1946 Not held (due to World War II)
1947   Sally Stoney Lister   Elsie Hamilton Phillips 6–1, 6–4
1948   Sally Stoney Lister (2)   Isabel Follows 6–2, 6–2
1949[17]   Elsie Hamilton Phillips   Patricia Cowney 8–6, 6–3
Wolverhampton Open
1950   Patricia Cowney   Gillian Gittings Worrall 6–3, 6–3
1951   Elsie Hamilton Phillips (2)   Molly Wadlow Stone 6–2, 6–2
1952   Elsie Hamilton Phillips (3)   Molly Wadlow Stone 6–3, 6–3
1953   Y. Toyne   L. Bishop 6–4, 0–6, 6–4
1954   Sally Stoney Lister (3)   Jane Godfrey 7–5, 6–3
1955   Molly Wadlow Stone   Jane Godfrey 12–10, 3–6, 7–5
1956   Valerie Pitt   Molly Wadlow Stone 6–4, 6–1
1957   Mrs R. Worrall   Mrs L. Newman 3–6, 6–0, 6–1
1958   Rita Bentley   Hazel Austin Cheadle 8–6, 6–2
1959   Angela Mortimer   Ann Haydon 6–1, 6–4
1960   Angela Mortimer (2)   Rita Bentley 8–6, 9–7
1961   Ann Haydon   Lynn Hutchings 6–0, 6-1
1962   Hazel Cheadle   Eleanor O'Neill 6–1, 1–6, 6–3
1963   Ann Haydon Jones (2)   Renée Schuurman 9–7, 1–6, 6–4
1964[18]   Faye Toyne   Alison Stroud 6–1, 6–3
1965   Mary Habicht   Jean Haskew 4–6, 6–4, 6–1
1966   Susan Tutt   Jean Haskew 6–1, 6–1
1968   Valerie Ziegenfuss   Janice Townsend divided title
↓  Open era  ↓
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open
1970   Kerry Melville   Sue Alexander 6–2, 6–2
1971   Janice Townsend Wainwright   Maria Guzman 6–3, 6–2
Wolverhampton Open
1974   Jenny Dimond   Jenny Helliar 2–6, 6–1, 6–1

Event Names edit

  • 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 edit

  1. ^ "TENNIS: WOLVERHAMPTON OPEN: D. A. Jones, is the only Staffordshire county player left in the men's singles by round three was unexpectedly eliminated by W. D. Wickham in the Wolverhampton Open tennis tournament". Sports Argus. Warwick, Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archives. 5 August 1950. p. 6.
  2. ^ 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 "Tournaments: Wolverhampton Open". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  3. ^ Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Wolverhampton". www.tennisarchives.com. Netherlands: Tennis Archives. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  4. ^ "TENNIS:THE WOLVERHAMPTON LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT:The entries for the second Tennis Tournament be staged at the Albert Lawn Tennis Club at Parkdale starts Monday next". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 26 May 1898. p. 3.
  5. ^ "WOLVERHAMPTON TOURNAMENT. At Newbridge. Wolverhampton, the third annual tennis tournament, under the auspices of the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club was commenced today". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 6 August 1906. p. 7.
  6. ^ "WOLVERHAMPTON OPEN EVENT. The Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament, which opens to-morrow, has attracted a record number of entries this year". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 29 July 1931. p. 12.
  7. ^ Tennis Archives
  8. ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). "The 1970 British Tournament Season". World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 260–271. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
  9. ^ Tennis Archives
  10. ^ "History of the Albert Lawn Tennis Club". albertltc.co.uk/. Albert Lawn Tennis Club. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  11. ^ "ABOUT WLTSC". www.wltsc.com. Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis & Squash Club. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  12. ^ "E.J. Sampson: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Lawn Tennis: WOLVERHAMPTON. Mr A H Fyzee defeated E Higgs in the final round of the Men's Singles at Wolverhampton yesterday after being two sets down. Mrs Colegate had an easy task against Mrs Hazel in the final of the Ladies' Singles". The Sportsman. London, England: British Newspaper Archive. 6 August 1924. p. 3. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  14. ^ The Sportsman
  15. ^ "Roy Dixon: Overview". ATP Tour. London: ATP. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  16. ^ The Sportsman
  17. ^ "WOLVERHAMPTON TENNIS Women's Singles Final: Mrs M Phillips beat Miss P Cowney 8-6, 6-3". Evening Despatch. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 2 August 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  18. ^ "AT WOLVERHAMPTON: Fay Toyne (Australia): justified her No. 1 seeding in the Wolverhampton tennis tournament women's singles by winning the final today, defeating Alison Stroud (Kent) 6-1, 6-3 in 18 minutes". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 30 May 1964. p. 34. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
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