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Leamington Open Tournament

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Leamington Open Tournament
Defunct tennis tournament
TourAmateur
Founded1882
Abolished1931
Editions49
LocationLeamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
VenueLeamington Lawn Tennis Club
Surfaceoutdoor (grass)

The Leamington Open Tournament, also known as the Leamington Lawn Tennis Club Tournament, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England from 1882 to 1931 as part of the pre-open era tennis tour.[1] It was founded on 1 August 1882[2] as the Royal Leamington Lawn Tennis Tournament.[3]

History

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The Leamington Open Tournament was established on 1 August 1882,[4] and first staged at Jephson Gardens. At the same meeting held in August 1882, a dual tournament called the Warwickshire Championships (1882–1938) was staged.

At the inaugural event, the first men's all comers singles champion was England's Robert Wallace Braddell (son of Sir Thomas Braddell), who defeated Edward Lake Williams in 3 straight sets.[5][6] The all comers mixed doubles title was won by Erskine Gerald Watson and his sister Maud Watson.[7]

The tournament continued separately to that of the county championship until 1931. Formers men's winners of this event include Charles Walder Grinstead (1883) and Cotah Ramaswami (1920).

Finals

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Men's Singles

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Incomplete roll
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1882 United Kingdom Robert Wallace Braddell United Kingdom Teddy Williams 7-5 6-2 6-3
1883 United Kingdom Charles Walder Grinstead United Kingdom Herbert Wilberforce 8-6 3-6 6-3 3-6 6-3
1884 United Kingdom Teddy Williams United Kingdom Frank Seymour Noon 6-3 6-2 6-2
1885 United States James Dwight Ireland Alfred Henry Betham 6-1 6-3 6-0
1886 Ireland Alfred Henry Betham United Kingdom Harry Grove 8-6 8-6 6-4
1889 United Kingdom Charles Gladstone Eames United Kingdom Francis Seymour Noon 4–6, 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 7–5
1909 United Kingdom Neville Gard Deed United Kingdom William Caleb Wood Curtis 9-7, 6-2
1920 British Raj Cotah Ramaswami United Kingdom John Cecil F. Masterman walkover
1931 United Kingdom Henry Woolf Standring United Kingdom R.L. Tower 6-4, 6-2

Mixed Doubles

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Incomplete roll
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1884 United Kingdom Frank Noon
United Kingdom Effie Noon
Ireland Alfred Betham
United Kingdom Miss Exham
6-2, 6-4, 6-1
1886 United Kingdom Charles Ross
United Kingdom Mrs Hornby
United Kingdom Thomas Mellersh
United Kingdom Gertrude Mellersh
6-2, 6-3

References

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  1. ^ Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Leamington". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  2. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882. George Routledge and Son. London. p.116.
  3. ^ "THE LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT. The Seventh Royal Leamington Lawn Tennis Tournament, promoted by the Town Improvement Association, Alas passed off with remarkable success, at the Jephson Gardens, considering that the elements were militated very seriously against it". Leamington Spa Courier. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 21 July 1888. p. 5. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  4. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882.
  5. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882.
  6. ^ Nieuwland, Alex. Tennis Archives.
  7. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882.

Sources

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  • Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Leamington. www.tennisarchives.com. A. Nieuwland.
  • Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) George Routledge and Son. London.
  • Warwickshire County Tennis Championships. Leamington Lawn Tennis & Squash Club". lltsc.co.uk.