The Aldeburgh Open[1] and later known as the Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts[2] was a men's and women's international grass court tennis tournament founded in 1884 as the Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament.[3] The tournament was organised by the Aldeburgh LTC and first staged at the West Hill grounds, Aldeburgh-on-Sea, Suffolk, England. In 1924 the event switched to clay courts. The tournament ran annually until 1939 when it was discontinued because of World War II.

Aldeburgh Open
Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF Circuit (1913=38)
Founded1884; 140 years ago (1884)
Abolished1938; 86 years ago (1938)
LocationAldeburgh-on-Sea, Suffolk, England
VenueAldeburgh LTC
SurfaceGrass (1884-23)
Clay (1924-38)

History

edit

In 1884 the Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis tournament was established.[4] The tournament was held annually through till 1914 when it was discontinued due to World War I. Initially it was played on grass tennis courts, it resumed in 1920 and in 1923 the event switched to hard clay courts and was known as the Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts.[5] The event continued to be held through till 1938. In 1939 it was discontinued because of World War II.

Finals

edit

Men's singles

edit

Incomplete roll included:[6][7]

Year Winners Runners-up Score
Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament.
1888   F.E. Haward   H. Favarger 6-2, 4-6, 8-6
1890[8]   F.E. Haward   Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 7-5, 6-3
1891   Alexander W. Miller White   Charles Sidney Cullingham 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
1892   Herbert Owen Ransome   Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
1893   Herbert Owen Ransome (2)   Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 7-5, 5-7, 6-1
1894   Robert Baldock Scott   Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith w.o.
Aldeburgh Open
1908   Edward Gordon Cleather   Charles Richard Longe 6-1, 6-2
1914/1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1920   Hugh Walter Davies   Harold Aitken[9] 6-3, 6-4
1922   Henry Alfred Carless   B.S. Foster 7-5, 6-8, 6-3
Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts
1923   J.F. Park[10]   J.K. Stanford 6-3, 6-3
1931   James Giesen[11]   Brian William Finnigan 9-11, 7-5, 6-3
1935   Brian William Finnigan   G.C. Pryse-Rice 2-6, 8-6, 6-0

Women's singles

edit

(Incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament.
1890[12]   Mrs Lang   Mrs Stapylton walkover
1891   Toupie Lowther   Miss Carter 6-4, 0-6, 6-4
Aldeburgh Open
1908   Lavinia Radeglia   May Morris 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
1909   Dorothy Holman   E.G. Willis 6-0, 6-2
1910   Miss Stogdon   N. Stanford 6-1, 6-0
1911   Mildred Brooksmith   Charlotte Everard 6-2, 6-0
1912   Daisy Clark Kercheval-Hole   Mrs Reynolds 6-2, 6-0
1913   Mildred Brooksmith (2)   E.M. Brogden 6-2, 6-3
1914/1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1920   Dorothy Kemmis-Betty   Mrs Hind 6-3, 6-4
1921   Mrs Darbishire   N. Welch 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts
1922   Dorothy Kemmis-Betty (2)   Violet Southam 6-1, 6-0
1923   Violet Southam   Joan Ridley 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
1924   Nancy Palmer Edwards   M.C. Hervey 6-4, 6-1
1925   Nancy Palmer Edwards (2)   J. Hill 6-2, 11-9
1926   Dorothy Biddle   Miss Norman 6-2, 6-4
1927   Mary Cambridge   L.K. Bond 6-4, 6-1
1928   Nancy Palmer Edwards (3)   Mrs P. Carthew 6-2, 7-5
1929   Nancy Palmer Edwards (4)   Betty Boas 6-1, 6-2
1930[13]   Helen Eddis   Miss Wentworth-Reeve 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
1931   Kay Stammers   Margaret Stocks 6-3, 6-1
1932   Dorothy Biddle de Winton (2)   I.M. Boothroyd 6-1, 6-1
1933   Dorothy Biddle de Winton (3)   D. Finnigan 7-5, 6-1
1934   D. Finnigan   Betty Boas 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
1935   Mrs P. Carthew   D. Finnigan 6-4, 6-3
1936[14]   Audrey Wright   E. Worrall 6-3, 6-4
1937   Freda Scott Underwood   E. Worrall 6-2, 6-3
1938   Nancy Palmer (5)   Mrs P. Carthew 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

References

edit
  1. ^ "TENNIS MATCHES IN THE COUNTY MISS WORRALL'S SUCCESS: Miss E. Worrall, the Leicestershire player is competing in the three open events in the, Aldeburgh Open tennis tournament last week, reached the final of the Women' open single's event, where she will meet Miss. Audrey Wright". Leicester Evening Mail. Leicestershire, England.: British Newspaper Archive. 24 August 1936. p. 13. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ "TENNIS THE ALDEBURGH TOURNAMENT At the Aldeburgh Open Hard Court tennis tournament. Miss Wentworth-Reeve lost in the ladies singles final to Miss Helen Eddis, of Harrow, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5". Bury Free Press. Suffolk, England: British Newspaper Archive. 30 August 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. ^ "LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT ALDEBURGH: The seventh annual lawn tennis tournament commenced on Wednesday, on the well-known West Hill Ground". Ipswich Journal. Suffolk, England: British Newspaper Archive. 29 August 1891. p. 5. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Tournament – Aldeburgh". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  5. ^ Bury Free Press (30 August 1930) British page. 10.
  6. ^ "Tournament – Aldeburgh". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Tournament – Aldeburgh Hard Courts". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Alderburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament". The Ipswich Journal. Ipswich, Suffolk, England: newspapers.com. 30 Aug 1890. p. 11. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Harold Aitken: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  10. ^ "J.F. Park: ATP Tour". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  11. ^ "James Giesen: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  12. ^ The Ipswich Journal (1890)
  13. ^ Bury Free Press
  14. ^ Leicester Evening Mail