World Hard Court Championships

World Hard Court Championships, frequently considered as the precursor to the French Open was held from 1912 till 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The venue, was the clay courts of the Stade Français in Saint-Cloud, with one exception, namely 1922, when they were held at the Royal Leopold Club in Brussels, Belgium. This tournament was open to all international amateur tennis players.

The WHCC was not played in 1924, when Paris hosted the Olympic Games, with the tennis event being held in the Colombes district on the outskirts of the city.

Unlike the WHCC, the French Championships was open only to tennis players who were licensed in France through 1924 and was held at a different venue at the time(the Racing Club de France, Paris).

Starting in 1925, French Championships opened itself to international competitors with the event held on a clay surface alternately between the Stade Français (1925, 1927) and the Racing Club de France (1926).. From 1928, the French Championships have been held at Roland Garros stadium.

Champions

Men's Singles

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score	Name	Surface
1912	Otto Froitzheim	Oskar Kreuzer	6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5	Stade Français, Paris	Clay
1913	Anthony Wilding	Andre Gobert	6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4	Stade Français	Clay
1914	Anthony Wilding	Count Salm	6-0, 6-2, 6-4	Stade Français	Clay
1915	not held - World War I
1916	not held - World War I
1917	not held - World War I
1918	not held - World War I
1919	not held - World War I
1920	William Laurentz	Andre Gobert	9-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2	Stade Français	Clay
1921	Bill Tilden	Jean Washer	6-3, 6-3, 6-3	Stade Français	Clay
1922	Henri Cochet	Count de Gomar	6-0, 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2	Royal Leopold Club in Brussels, Belgium.	Clay
1923	Bill Johnston	Jean Washer	4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3	Stade Français	Clay
1924	not held - Olympics

External links

• Detailed history of World Hard Court Championships