Rothmans Connaught Hard Court Championships

The Rothmans Connaught Hard Court Championships[1] also known simply as the Connaught Hard Courts was a combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1951.[2] The championships were organised by the Connaught Lawn Tennis Club, Chingford, Essex, England. The tournament ran until 1974.

Connaught Hard Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF
Founded1951; 73 years ago (1951)
Abolished1974; 50 years ago (1974)
LocationChingford, Essex, England.
VenueConnaught Lawn Tennis Club (f.1885)
SurfaceClay- outdoors

History

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The Connaught Hard Court Championships,[3] were established in 1951 as an open tournament held at the Connaught Lawn Tennis Club (f.1885),[4] Chingford, Essex, England. The tournament was continually staged until 1974. The tournament was sponsored by the tobacco company Rothmans International from 1971 to 1974.

Notable winners of the men's singles title included; Tony Mottram, Jack Arkinstall, Torben Ulrich, Sven Davidson, Lew Hoad,[5] Rod Laver,[6] Jaroslav Drobný,[7] and Owen Davidson.[8] Previous winners of women's singles title included; Doris Hart,[9] Angela Mortimer, Christine Truman, Norma Baylon, Ann Haydon Jones, Virginia Wade,[10] and Dianne Fromholtz.

Finals

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Men's singles

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(Incomplete roll)[11]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
1951   Tony Mottram  John Horn 6-0, 6-3
1952   Tony Mottram (2)   Ignacy Tloczynski 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
1953   Jack Arkinstall   Don Black 6-3, 6-0
1954   Torben Ulrich   Bobby Wilson 6-2, 1-6, 6-0
1955   Sven Davidson   Mike Davies 6-4, 6-1
1956   Lew Hoad   Bobby Wilson 6-2, 6-1
1957   Jaroslav Drobný   Mike Davies 6-4, 6-3
1958   Roger Becker   Mike Davies 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
1959   Roger Becker (2)   Bobby Wilson 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
1960   Bobby Wilson   Roger Becker 6-4, 6-4
1961   Bobby Wilson (2)   Alan Mills 8-6, 6-1
1962   Rod Laver   Martin Mulligan 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
1963   Bobby Wilson (3)   Mike Sangster 8-6, 6-4, 6-2
1964   Bobby Wilson (4)   Mike Sangster 6-2, 6-3
1965   Bobby Wilson (5)   Mark Cox 6-2, 8-6
1966   Bobby Wilson (6)   Alan Mills 6-2, 6-2
1967   Birger Folke   Lars Ölander 6-3, 2-6, 14-12
1968   Paul Hutchins   Bobby Wilson 6-2, 1-6, 6-1
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   Allan Stone   John Cooper 6-4, 6-2
1972   Hank Irvine   John Clifton 6-2, 6-2
1973   Owen Davidson   Colin Dowdeswell 3-6, 9-8, 6-1

Women's singles

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(Incomplete roll)

Year Champions Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓
1951   Kay Tuckey   Joy Gannon Mottram 6-4, 6-4
1952   Jean Walker-Smith   Joy Gannon Mottram 1-6, 9-7, 6-4
1953   Doris Hart   Shirley Fry 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
1954   Leonie Thorn Brighton   Jenny Middleton 7-5, 6-3
1955   Angela Mortimer   Elaine Watson 6-1, 6-0
1956   Angela Mortimer (2)   Jenny Middleton 6-3, 6-1
1957   Christine Truman   Elaine Shenton 6-3, 6-3
1958   Christine Truman (2)   Ann Haydon 6-3, 8-6
1959   Angela Mortimer (3)   Christine Truman 6-3, 7-5
1960   Angela Mortimer (4)   Christine Truman 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
1961   Angela Mortimer (5)   Edda Buding 6-3, 6-3
1962   Angela Mortimer (6)   Christine Truman 6-2, 6-4
1963   Norma Baylon   Christine Truman (3) divide title
1964   Norma Baylon (2)   Christine Truman 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
1965   Elizabeth Starkie   Christine Truman 8-6, 6-3
1966   Ann Haydon Jones   Virginia Wade 6-4, 6-3
1967   Virginia Wade   Pat Walkden 6-0, 9-7
1968   Faye Toyne Moore   Virginia Wade 6-4, 8-6
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   Corinne Molesworth   Shirley Bloomer Brasher 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
1972   Cynthia Sieler   Wendy Appleby 7-5, 7-5
1973   Dianne Fromholtz   Ilana Kloss 6-1, 3-6, 6-4

Tournament records

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References

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  1. ^ "SWIRLING near-gale-force wind and rain hit the Rothman's Connaught Hard Court Championships at Chingford Essex yesterday, and flurries snow made play almost impossible". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 28 May 1972. p. 40.
  2. ^ Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament–Connaught Hard Courts; Chingford". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  3. ^ Wilson, Bobby (1964). St. Paul's Bibliographies: My Side of the Net. Oxford: Oxford Polytechnic Press. p. 76.
  4. ^ "History". www.connaughtclub.co.uk. Chingford, England: Connaught Club. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  5. ^ Connaught Club
  6. ^ Connaught Club
  7. ^ Connaught Club
  8. ^ Tennis Archives
  9. ^ Connaught Club
  10. ^ Connaught Club
  11. ^ "Tournament – Connaught Hard Courts; Chingford". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 30 March 2023.