Tennis tournament
The Kent Championships also known as the Kent All-Comers' Championships and later Kent Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham , Kent , England between 1886 and 1996 and was held in the first half of June.
History
From 1887 until 1910 the tournament was organized as an All-Comers event, the winner of which would play the title holder from previous year in the Challenge Round. The tournament was played on outdoor grass courts at Beckenham Cricket Club a multi sport club that was established in 1866 in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham with the lawn tennis section of the club established in 1879.
Herbert Chipp , later a Wimbledon umpire, came through a field of 13 entries to capture the inaugural men's singles title over Beckenham committee member Edward Avory. The Field informed its readers, "The final was a terribly tedious affair. Both players kept at the back of the court and played an excessively careful game." There were 14 pairs in the gentleman's doubles and seven pairs in the mixed doubles. The first event made a loss of £1. 10s. 9d. Two years later, from a field of 11 entries, May Jacks beat Edith Gurney to win the first women's singles tournament.
Slazenger's provided the tournament tennis balls every year from 1902, while the Challenge Round was abolished in 1911 and an Under 21 event, which became a national championship, started in 1921. When the former Soviet Union joined the International Tennis Federation in 1958, a small delegation was invited to Beckenham ahead of The Championships at Wimbledon.
The Kent Championships were the first UK tournament to have a sponsor, Rothmans, in 1963, after a special dispensation from the Lawn Tennis Association , the governing body of British tennis. Almost five years later in March 1968 at a Special General Meeting in Paris, Beckenham was awarded the status of an Open event. The club welcomed amateur and professional players to compete in the world's first Open grass-court tournament in June 1968. It was the third Open field in 1968 after the British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth and the French Open at Roland Garros .
When a sponsor couldn't be found for the tournament after 1996, the event was consigned to tennis history. In total, 33 'double' winners (those who won the singles title at Beckenham and Wimbledon) had etched their names in Beckenham folklore.
Champions
Men's singles
Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships[ 1]
Year
Champions
Runners-up
Score
1886
Herbert Chipp
Edward J. Avory
6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1887
Frederick A. Bowlby
Herbert Chipp
1–6, 8–6, 6–4, 6–1
1888
Ernest G. Meers
Frederick A. Bowlby
5–7, 3–6, 9–7, 6–3, 6–2
1889
Harry S. Barlow
Ernest G. Meers
6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 9–7
1890
Ernest G. Meers
Harry S. Barlow
5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3
1891
Ernest G. Meers
Arthur Gore
6–0, 6–2, 6–2
1892
Harry S. Barlow
Ernest G. Meers
4–6, 2–6, 8–6, 6–2, 6–3
1893
Harry S. Barlow
William Renshaw
2–6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–4
1894
Horace A. B. Chapman
Harry S. Barlow
3–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1895
Harry S. Barlow
Horace A. B. Chapman
2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
1896
Manliffe Goodbody
Harry S. Barlow
6–1, 6–2, 2–6, 6–0
1897
George Greville
Manliffe Goodbody
4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1898
Wilberforce Eaves
George Greville
6–0, 6–0, 6–1
1899
Harold Mahony
Wilberforce Eaves
6–1, 6–1, 6–8, 3–6, 8–6
1900
Arthur Gore
Harold Mahony
6–4, 6–4, 6–4
1901
Laurence Doherty
Arthur Gore
6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1902
Laurence Doherty
George Simond
6–4, 6–0, 6–3
1903
Laurence Doherty
Arthur Gore
6–1, 6–2, 6–3
1904
Harold Mahony
Brame Hillyard
6–3, 8–6, 7–9, 4–6, 6–3
1905 [ a]
Norman Brookes
Arthur Gore
6–3, 9–7, 6–2
1906
Arthur Gore
A.L. Bentley
6–0, 6–2, 6–1
1907
Anthony Wilding
Arthur Gore
9–7, 6–2, 3–6, 0–6, 6–1
1908
Herbert Roper Barrett
Charles P. Dixon
6–0, 9–7, 6–2
1909
Herbert Roper Barrett
Major Ritchie
cancelled (rain)
1910
Beals Wright
Herbert Roper Barrett
4–6, 7–5, 12–10, 6–4
1911
Anthony Wilding
Major Ritchie
6–0, 6–0, 6–3
1912
Anthony Wilding
Herbert Roper Barrett
6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–2
1913
Alfred Beamish
George Thomas
6–3, 6–3, 3–6, 7–5
1914
Algernon Kingscote
Hope Crisp
7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–2
1915
No competition (due to World War I)
1916
1917
1918
1919
Algernon Kingscote
F.M.B. Fisher
4–6, 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–2
1920
Algernon Kingscote
Zenzo Shimidzu
7–5, 3–2 ret.
1921
Algernon Kingscote
Sydney M. Jacob
6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3
1922
Algernon Kingscote
Randolph Lycett
6–3, 3–1 ret.
1923
William M. Johnston
Donald Greig
6–2, 6–3
1924
Algernon Kingscote
Jack Hillyard
8–6, 9–7, 6–2
1925
Randolph Lycett
Harry Lewis-Barclay
6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4
1926
Gordon Crole Rees
Patrick Spence
6–4, 6–2
1927
Donald Greig
Charles Kingsley
4–6, 6–2, 6–3
1928
Charles Kingsley
Patrick Spence
2–6, 6–4, 8–6
1929
Harry Lee
Charles Kingsley
7–5, 6–4, 6–2
1930
Bunny Austin
Harry Lee
6–2, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
1931
Colin Gregory
John Olliff
3–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–3, 6–0
1932
Ted Avory
Buster Andrews
6–1, 6–4
1933
Vernon Kirby
Colin Robbins
8–6, 6–4
1934
Bunny Austin
Jiro Yamagishi
6–3, 6–0
1935
Jiro Yamagishi
Ian Collins
6–3, 6–1
1936
David N. Jones
Frank Wilde
11–9, 6–3
1937
Jiro Yamagishi
Raymond Tuckey
8–6, 1–6, 7–5
1938
John Olliff
Nigel Sharpe
6–2, 6–3
1939
Murray Deloford
Donald MacPhail
3–6, 6–2, 9–7
1940
No competition (due to World War II)
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
Geoffrey Browne
Hans van Swol
6–1, 6–4
1947
Bill Sidwell
Torsten Johansson
6–2, 10–8
1948
Frank Sedgman
Jack Harper
6–4, 6–4
1949
Gardnar Mulloy
Earl Cochell
2–3 ret.
1950
Geoffrey Browne
Bill Sidwell
8–6, 7–9, 17–15
1951
Don Candy
Gardnar Mulloy
3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1952
Ham Richardson
Don Candy
6–2, 6–8, 6–2
1953
Ham Richardson
Gardnar Mulloy
6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1954
Competition cancelled at quarterfinal stage
1955
Tony Trabert
Herb Flam
6–4, 6–2
1956
Mal Anderson
Sammy Giammalva
cancelled
1957
Mal Anderson
Herb Flam
6–2, 4–6, 8–6
1958
Neale Fraser
Kurt Nielsen
6–4, 6–4
1959
Alex Olmedo
Kurt Nielsen
8–6, 3–6, 6–4
1960
Robert Mark
Butch Buchholz
6–3, 6–4
1961
Jon Douglas
Lew Gerrard
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1962
Barry Phillips-Moore
Owen Davidson
6–4, 8–6
1963
Ken Fletcher
Marty Mulligan
6–3, 6–2
1964
John Newcombe
Fred Stolle
6–2, 5–7, 12–10
1965
John Newcombe
Lew Gerrard
6–3, 6–1
1966
John Newcombe
Premjit Lall
6–4, 15–13
1967
Owen Davidson
Ken Fletcher
3–6, 6–2, 6–3
Open era
1968 [ b]
Fred Stolle
Roy Emerson
6–3, 6–1
1969
Ove Bengtson
Tom Gorman
6–4, 7–5
1970
Clark Graebner
Robert Maud
6–4, 10–8
1971
Stan Smith
Premjit Lall
7–9, 6–4, 6–2
1972
Alex Metreveli
Vijay Amritraj
6–2, 7–5
1973
Alex Metreveli
Björn Borg
6–3, 9–8
1974
Vijay Amritraj
Tom Gorman
6–7, 6–2, 6–4
1975
Arthur Ashe
Roscoe Tanner
7–5, 6–4
1976
Roscoe Tanner
Jimmy Connors
6–3, 6–4
1977
Mark Edmondson
Tim Gullikson
6–3, 6–4
1978
Jimmy Connors
Stan Smith
9–8, 6–3
1979
Peter Fleming
Roscoe Tanner
3–6, 6–3, 7–5
1980
Onny Parun
Sandy Mayer
6–4, 4–6, 9–7
1981
Kevin Curren
Chris Lewis
6–2, 6–3
1982
Kevin Curren
Buster Mottram
7–6, 6–4
1983
Steve Denton
Pat Cash
7–6, 7–6
1984
Pat Cash
Paul McNamee
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
1985
Tim Mayotte
Danie Visser
7–5, 6–1
1986
Ramesh Krishnan
Danie Visser
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
1987
Scott Davis
Leif Shiras
7–6, 6–3
1988
Christian Saceanu
Paul McNamee
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
1989
John McEnroe
Broderick Dyke
6–4, 7–6
1990
Ivan Lendl
Darren Cahill
6–3, 7–5
1991
Ivan Lendl
Pat Cash
3–6, 7–6(7–3) , 7–6(7–4)
1992
David Wheaton
Christo van Rensburg
6–3, 1–6, 6–1
1993
David Wheaton
Chris Bailey
6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–2)
1994
Guy Forget
Jeremy Bates
6–2, 6–3
1995
Andrew Richardson / Petr Korda
divided (rain)
1996
Mark Petchey
Petr Korda
6–2, 6–4
Women's singles
Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships[ 1]
Year
Champions
Runners-up
Score
1888
May Jacks
Edith Gurney
1–6, 6–3, 6–0
1889
Maud Shackle
May Jacks
6–3, 7–5
1890
May Jacks
Maud Shackle
4–6, 6–0, 6–4
1891
Maud Shackle
May Jacks
6–4, 6–0
1892
Maud Shackle
May Jacks
6–3, 6–1
1893
Maud Shackle
Ruth Legh
6–3, 6–4
1894
Edith Austin
Amy Wilson
6–4, 6–2
1895
Edith Austin
Amy Wilson
6–3, 6–1
1896
Edith Austin
Ruth Legh
6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1897
Edith Austin
Miss E. R. Morgan
6–2, 6–0
1898
Charlotte Cooper
Edith Austin
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
1899
Edith Austin
Charlotte Cooper
1–6, 7–5, 6–2
1900
Edith Greville
Muriel Robb
6–1, 6–3
1901
Dorothea Douglass
Edith Greville
6–1, 4–6, 6–4
1902
Dorothea Douglass
Hilda Lane
7–5, 6–4
1903
Connie Wilson
Dorothea Douglass
3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1904
Dorothea Douglass
Connie Wilson
6–2, 6–2
1905 [ a]
Connie Wilson
Alice Greene
6–2, 6–4
1906
Dorothea Douglass
Connie Wilson
6–3, 2–2 ret.
1907
May Sutton
Dorothea Douglass
6–2, 6–4
1908
Agnes Morton
Dora Boothby
6–2, 6–1
1909
Dora Boothby
Agnes Morton
6–4, 6–4
1910
Dorothea Douglass
Dora Boothby
6–4, 6–3
1911
Dorothea Douglass
Mildred Coles
6–3, 7–5
1912
Winifred McNair
Dora Boothby
6–1, 6–4
1913
Dorothea Douglass
Phyllis Satterthwaite
6–4, 6–4
1914
Edith Hannam
Agnes Morton
0–6, 11–9 ret.
1915
No competition (due to World War I)
1916
1917
1918
1919
Elizabeth Ryan
Dorothea Douglass
2–6, 7–5, 6–4
1920
Elizabeth Ryan
Winifred McNair
7–9, 3–2 divided
1921
Elizabeth Ryan
Geraldine Beamish
9–7, 6–4
1922
Kitty McKane
Elizabeth Ryan
6–3, 6–3
1923
Elizabeth Ryan
Phyllis Satterthwaite
6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1924
Elizabeth Ryan
Kitty McKane
6–8, 6–1, 6–1
1925
Elizabeth Ryan
Geraldine Beamish
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1926
Lilí Álvarez
Molla Mallory
6–4, 6–2
1927
Helen Wills
Kitty McKane Godfree
6–2, 6–4
1928
Elizabeth Ryan
Violet Chamberlain
6–2, 10–8
1929
Phyllis Howkins Covell
Peggy Saunders Mitchell
6–1, 6–4
1930
Jenny Sandison
Ann Owen
6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1931
Phyllis Mudford
Dorothy Round
6–1, 6–2
1932
Mary Heeley
Freda James
1–6, 6–3, 6–0
1933
Dorothy Round
Peggy Saunders Mitchell
7–5, 6–2
1934
Phyllis Mudford King
Joan Hartigan
6–2, 6–3
1935
Dorothy Round
Kay Stammers
6–2, 6–0
1936
Anita Lizana
Betty Nuthall
3–6, 6–0, 6–1
1937
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska
Alice Marble
6–1, 9–11, 6–1
1938
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska
Bobbie Heine Miller
7–5, 3–6, 6–2
1939
Alice Marble
Kay Stammers
6–3, 6–1
1940
No competition (due to World War II)
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
Vera Dace
Betty Nuthall
6–4, 6–4
1947
Kay Menzies
Sheila Piercey Summers
6–2, 11–9
1948
Mary Terán de Weiss
Patsy Rodgers
7–5, 6–1
1949
Patricia Todd
Sheila Piercey Summers
6–3, 6–0
1950
Gussie Moran
Nancy Morrison
4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1951
Betty Rosenquest
Barbara Scofield
4–6, 7–5, 6–1
1952
Hazel Redick-Smith
Vera Thomas
6–2, 6–2
1953
Maureen Connolly
Julia Sampson Hayward
6–2, 6–3
1954
Abandoned
1955
Louise Brough
Mary Carter
6–2, 6–4
1956
Darlene Hard
Betty Rosenquest Pratt
Abandoned (rain)
1957
Althea Gibson
Darlene Hard
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1958
Sandra Reynolds
Jean Forbes
6–4, 6–4
1959
Darlene Hard
Sally Moore
6–1, 7–5
1960
Christiane Mercelis
Vera Roberts
7–5, 4–6, 6–4
1961
Margaret Smith
Christine Truman
6–3, 4–6, 8–6
1962
Jan Lehane
Lesley Turner
7–5, 6–3
1963
Margaret Smith
Jan Lehane
6–0, 6–1
1964
Maria Bueno
Margaret Smith
3–5 divided (rain)
1965
Margaret Smith
Maria Bueno
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1966
Karen Krantzcke
Maria Bueno
w.o.
1967
Ann Haydon-Jones
Virginia Wade
6–3, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968
Margaret Court
Ann Jones
11–9, 6–2
1969
Denise Carter-Triolo
Kerry Melville
6–3, 7–5
1970
Patti Hogan
Olga Morozova
6–1, 6–3
1971
Kerry Melville
Kristy Pigeon
6–0, 3–6, 9–7
1972
Olga Morozova
Jill Cooper
6–4, 6–1
1973
Dianne Fromholtz
Janet Newberry
7–5, 0–6, 6–1
1974
Paulina Peisachov
Kate Latham
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1975
Greer Stevens
Patti Hogan
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1976
Olga Morozova
Marise Kruger
7–5, 2–6, 6–3
1977
Yvonne Vermaak
Michelle Tyler
6–4, 5–7, 6–1
1978
Evonne Cawley
Laura DuPont
6–4, 6–2
1979
Evonne Cawley
Pam Shriver
6–3, 6–2
1980
Andrea Jaeger
Jo Durie
6–4, 6–1
1981
Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Little
6–2, 6–2
1982
Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Sayers
6–3, 6–2
1983
Billie Jean King
Barbara Potter
6–4, 6–3
References
Notes
^ a b Due to rain the final was postponed and played at the All-England Club directly preceding the Wimbledon Championships
^ Tournament was part of the 1968 Rothmans tennis circuit which consisted of four grass court tournaments (Surrey, Northern, Kent, London) in preparation of the Wimbledon Championships
External links
51°24′50″N 0°01′19″W / 51.4140°N 0.0219°W / 51.4140; -0.0219