The Kenya Open also known as the Kenya Championships[1] was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1934 as the Kenyan International Championships.[2] later called the Kenyan Closed Championships It was organised by the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (f.1922), Nairobi, Kenya and played on clay courts and ran until 1986 as part of the ILTF Independent Circuit.[2]

Kenya Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit
(1934–73)
ILTF Independent Circuit
Founded1934; 90 years ago (1934)
Abolished1986; 38 years ago (1986)
LocationNairobi, Kenya
SurfaceClay (outdoors)

History

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In 1922 the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA) was founded.[3] In 1934 the KLTA became an associate member of the ILTF.[4] The same year it organised the first Kenyan International Championships an open tournament initially held in August then played annually in the summer. In 1968 the association changed the denomination of that tournament to Kenya Championships and moved the event till late winter usually starting at the end of January and finishing end of February or starting mid February ending early March this was also an open event. From 1974 it was re branded as the Kenya Open until 1982, it later became a closed tournament (for Kenyan players only) from 1983 to the late 1980s.[2] The tournament was played as part of the ILTF African Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1968 to 1972, the it became part ILTF Independent Circuit until 1986 when it was downgraded from the world circuit. The event however was till being held as late as 2022.[5]

Finals

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Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948   Jack Piercy   Robert Cooper 6–3, 6–0, 6–2.[2]
1949   R.J.E. Mayers   Jack Piercy 6–2, 2–6, 10–12, 6–1, 6–3.[2]
1950   R.J.E. Mayers   F.D.M. Flowerdew 6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1961   Yashvin Shretta[6] ? ?
1965   Shyam Minotra[7]   Yashvin Shretta 7-9, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.[2]
1966   Ramanathan Krishnan   Yashvin Shretta 6–2, 6–0, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Invitation
1967   Jim McManus   John Pickens 6–2, 2–6, 7–5, 6–8, 6–2.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
Kenya Championships
1969   Bernard Mignot   Yashvin Shretta 6–0, 6–2.[2]
1970[8]   Yashvin Shretta (2)   Ahmed Hassanein 7–5, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1971   Aly El Dawoudi   Yashvin Shretta 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4.[2]
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973   Richard Russell   David Lloyd 8–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Open
1974   Pierre Joly   Lee Tomlinson 7–6, 6–3, 6–1.[2]
1976   Norman Holmes   John Feaver 6–0, 6–2, 7–6.[2]
1977   Bob Rheinberger   Uli Heyne[9] 6–2, 6–7, 6–2.[2]
1978   Peter Feigl   Bernard Mignot 6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1979   David Imonitie   Per Larsson 6–7, 7–6, 11–9.[2]
1980   Wayne Pascoe   Ola Hellgren 6–4, 2–6, 6–1.[2]
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983   Selim Rana[10]   Steven Kasigwa[11] 6–3, 6–2

Women's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948   Sheila Paterson Dowdeswell   Mrs J.F. Mark 6–0, 6–2
1949   Mrs J.F. Mark   M. Muir 6–2, 6–1
1950   Margot Lumb Gordon   Mrs M.C. Swan 6–2, 6–1
1951   Doris Unwin   Grizel Swynnerton 2–6, 6–2, 6–2
1952   Grizel Swynnerton   Mrs E. Boswell 6–1, 6–0
1953   Julia Wipplinger   Thea S. Hale 7–5, 6–2
1954   Margot Lumb Gordon   Frances Hook Marshall 6–2, 7-5
1955   Frances Hook Marshall   Mrs W. Michell 6–4, 6–4
1956   Frances Hook Marshall (2)   Khanum Haji Singh 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1957   Grizel M. Swynnerton (2)   J. Sheridan 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1958   Margot Lumb Gordon (2)   Miss Morgan 6–3, 6–3
1960   Eve Sladden   Loise Surgey 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1961   Debbie Adams   Grizel M. Swynnerton 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1962   Doris Unwin   F. Spring 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
1963   Grizel M. Swynnerton   Elizabeth Haggie 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
Kenyan Championships
1968   Virginia Wade   Kerstin Seelbach 4–6, 6–1 6–2
1969   Elizabeth Haggie   Mrs Wendy Hall 4–6, 6–1 6–2
1970   Alice Tym   Daphne Paterson 6–1, 6–3
1971   Nirupama Mankad   Jenny Patterson 6–2, 6–1
1972   Winnie Shaw   Gail Chanfreau 2–6, 6–2, 6–4
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973   Brenda Kirk   Jenny Patterson 7–5, 6–1
Kenya Open
1974   Annette Coe   Corinne Molesworth 7–5, 6–1
1976   Annette Coe   Uschi Ulrich 6–2, 6–4
1980   Lesley Charles   Debbie Stewart 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983   Carol Hughes   S. Trempenau 6–3, 6–2
1984   Susan Wakhungu   Jane Ndunda 7–5, 6–3
1985   Carol Hughes   Jane Ndunda 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1986   Judi Wakhungu   R. Wilson ?

References

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  1. ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Tournaments: Kenya National Championships - Kenya Open". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen and Unwin. p. 277. ISBN 9780047960420.
  4. ^ Robertson
  5. ^ "Kenya Nationals Tournament". www.sportyhq.com. Tennis Kenya. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Shyam Minotra: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC.
  9. ^ "Uli Heyne: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Saleem Rana: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Steven Kasigwa: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.