Bristol Open

Not to be confused with Bristol Cup.

The Bristol Open, originally known as the West of England Championships^[1] and the West of England Lawn Tennis Championships^[2] is a defunct tennis tournament that was originally hosted in Bath, Somerset, England, from 1881^[3] till 1895. It was staged briefly in Bristol, England, in 1896, then from 1920 onwards was hosted again in Bristol annually until the tournament ceased in 1989. The tournament was played on grass courts in the weeks preceding the Wimbledon Championships usually June.

West of England Championships Bristol Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	LTA Circuit (1888-1912) ILTF Circuit (1913–70, 72-79) WCT (1971) Grand Prix circuit (1980–89) WTA Tour (1971–72)
Founded	1881
Abolished	1989
Editions	81
Location	Bath, Bristol, England

History

The West of England Championships were originally held in Bath^[3] from 1881 until 1895; the tournament then transferred to Bristol in 1896. In 1897 the event ceased for period of 24 years. It was reinstated in 1920 and was played in Bristol for the remainder of its run. At the start of the Open Era the tournament was part of the independent tour circuit. In 1971 the event was renamed the Bristol Open; the men's event became part of the World Championship Tennis tour and the women's was part of the International Grand Prix. The women's event stopped in 1973 and was not held again. Although the men's tournament also stopped in 1973, it was reinstated in 1980 and became part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit until 1989.

Finals

Notes: Challenge round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921),^[4] in some tournaments not all.

* Indicates challenger

Men's singles

West of England Championships
Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1881	Ernest Browne	C. K. Wood	6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1882	George M. Butterworth	Alexander K. Butterworth	6–4, 6–4
1883	Ernest Browne (2)	Wilfred Milne	6–3, 6–2, 6–3
1884^[5]	Pelham Von Donop	John C. Kay	5–6, 6–5, 6–3
1885	Ernest Browne (3)	James Dwight	6–3, 6–1, 6–4
1886	James Dwight	Harry Grove	6–4, 6–3, 6–4
1887	Harry Grove	James Dwight	3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1888	Harry S. Barlow	James Baldwin	6–4, 6–3, 8–10, 3–6, 8–6
1889	James Baldwin	Wilfred Milne	7–5, 6–4, 6–4
1890	Harry S. Barlow (2)	James Baldwin	7–5, 6–3, 6–2
1891	Harry S. Barlow (3)	James Baldwin	2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4
1895	Roy Allen	George Ball-Greene	14–12, 6–4, 7–5
1896^[6]	Harold Mahony	William Larned	6–3, 6–3, 6–2
1897–1919	Not held (tournament is not staged for 24 years re-emerges after WW1)
1920	Francis Fisher	Frank Riseley	5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2
1921	Sydney Jacob	Francis Fisher	9–7, 6–2, 4–6, 6–0
1922	Brian Norton	Theodore Mavrogordato	6–3, 6–3
1923	Patrick Wheatley	F. R. L. Crawford	6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1924	Jack Condon	Frank Riseley	7–5, 6–2, 8–6
1925	Frank Riseley	J. G. Hogan	6–3, 6–4
1927	Sydney Jacob	A. E. Browne	6–3 6–2
1928	Dennis O'Callaghan	Sydney Jacob	9–7, 5–7, 6–3
1929^[7]	George Lyttleton-Rogers	E. B. N. Taylor	6–1, 6–2
1930^[7]	George Lyttleton-Rogers (2)	George Godsell	6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1931^[7]	George Lyttleton-Rogers (3	Nigel Sharpe	6–2, 6–1, 7–5
1933	Daniel Prenn	Hendrik Timmer	6–2, 7–9, 6–4, 6–4
1934	George Godsell	Brian J. Sturgeon	6–4, 0–6, 6–3, 6–4
1935	Donald Butler	George Lyttleton-Rogers	8-,6 11–9, 9–7
1936	Cam Malfroy	Robert Tinkler	4–6, 6–0, 6–4, 6–4
1937	Alan Stedman	Kho Sin-Kie	6–1, 1–6, 6–4
1938	Jimmy Mehta	Cam Malfroy	6–2, 6–3
1939^[8]	Donald Butler	Gottfried von Cramm	6–4, 6–3, 1–6, 5–7, 8–6
1940–1945	Not held (partly due to World War II)
1946^[9]	Kho Sin-Kie	Ignacy Tłoczyński	6–4; 6–4
1947	Sumant Misra	Madan Atri Mohan	6–4, 4–6, 6–2
1948	Eric Sturgess	Sumant Misra	6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4
1949	Felicisimo Ampon	Syd Levy	6–1, 6–2, 6–1
1950	Jaroslav Drobný	Vladimír Černík	6–3, 10–8
1951	Straight Clark	Harold Burrows	9–7, 3–6, 5–7, 6–1, 7–5
1952	Jaroslav Drobný (2)	Armando Vieira	7–5, 6–1
1953^[10]	Vic Seixas	Enrique Morea	6–3, 6–1, 8–6
1954	Jaroslav Drobný (3)	Jack Arkinstall	walkover
1955	Enrique Morea	Sidney Schwartz	2–6, 10–8, 6–2, 6–2
1956	Luis Ayala	Gordon Forbes	6–2, 8–10, 6–4
1957	Lew Hoad	Roger Becker	6–2, 6–3, 6–0
1958	Mike Davies	Ramanathan Krishnan	6–1, 6–4, 7–9, 6–4
1959	Ramanathan Krishnan	Jaroslav Drobný	11–9, 6–0
1960	Ronald Holmberg	Antonio Palafox	6–3, 6–4
1961	Chuck McKinley	Bob Mark	6–3, 6–2, 6–4
1962^[11]	Fred Stolle	Antonio Palafox	6–3, 6–4
1963	Fred Stolle (2)	Chuck McKinley	6–3, 6–4
1964^[12]	Chuck McKinley	Frew McMillan	6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1965	Dennis Ralston	Clark Graebner	6–2 6–2
1966	Cliff Richey	Mike Belkin	6–1, 6–3
1967	Tom Okker	Cliff Drysdale	6–2, 5–7, 8–6
1968	Arthur Ashe	Clark Graebner	6–4, 6–3
↓  Open era  ↓
West of England Open Championships
1969	Ken Rosewall	Pierre Barthès	8–10, 6–3, 6–1
1970	Nikola Pilić	Rod Laver	6–3, 1–6, 6–3
1971	Rod Laver	Cliff Drysdale	w.o.
Bristol Open
1972	Bob Hewitt	Alex Olmedo	6–4, 6–3
1973–80	Not held
1981	Mark Edmondson	Roscoe Tanner	6–3, 5–7, 6–4
1982	John Alexander	Tim Mayotte	6–3, 6–4
1983	Johan Kriek	Tom Gullikson	7–6, 7–5
1984	Johan Kriek (2)	Brian Teacher	6–7, 7–6, 6–4
1985^[13]	Martin Davis	Glenn Layendecker	4–6, 6–3, 7–5
1986^[14]	Vijay Amritraj	Henri Leconte	7–6, 1–6, 8–6
1987	Kelly Evernden	Tim Wilkison	6–4, 7–6
1988	Christian Saceanu	Ramesh Krishnan	6–4, 2–6, 6–2
1989	Eric Jelen	Nick Brown	6–4, 3–6, 7–5

Men's doubles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1972	Bob Hewitt   Frew McMillan	Clark Graebner   Lew Hoad	6–3, 6–2
1973–80	Not held
1981	Billy Martin   Russell Simpson	John Austin   Johan Kriek	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
1982	Tim Gullikson   Tom Gullikson	Mark Edmondson   Kim Warwick	6–4, 7–6
1983	John Alexander   John Fitzgerald	Tom Gullikson   Johan Kriek	7–5, 6–4
1984	Larry Stefanki   Robert Van't Hof	John Alexander   John Fitzgerald	6–4, 5–7, 9–7
1985	Eddie Edwards   Danie Visser	John Alexander   Russell Simpson	6–4, 7–6
1986	Christo Steyn   Danie Visser	Mark Edmondson   Wally Masur	6–7, 7–6, 12–10
1987	Not available
1988	Peter Doohan   Laurie Warder	Marty Davis   Tim Pawsat	2–6, 6–4, 7–5
1989	Paul Chamberlin   Tim Wilkison	Mike De Palmer   Gary Donnelly	7–6, 6–4

Women's singles

West of England Championships
Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1881	Gertrude Gibbs	Annie Layard	6–0, 7–5
1882	Fanny Morris	Gertrude Gibbs	6–4, 6–4
1883	Maud Watson	N. Pope	6–1, 6–2
1884	Edith Davies	Lilian Cole	6–4, 6–4
1885	Gertrude Gibbs (2)	Edith Davies	2–6, 6–4, 6–0
1886	Lottie Dod	Maud Watson	7–5, 6–4
1887	Lottie Dod (2)	Maud Watson	7–5, 6–4
1888	Lottie Dod (3)	N. Pope	6–3, 6–0
1889	Louisa Martin	Florence Stanuell	4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1890	Louisa Martin (2)	N. Pope	6–3, 8–6
1891	N. Pope	Mary Agg	6–0, 7–5
1892–94	Not held
1895	Helen Jackson	Madeline Fisher O'Neill	6–1, 6–1
1896	Charlotte Cooper	Ruth Dyas	4–6, 7–5, 6–3
1899–1919	Not held (then due to World War I)
1920	Mabel Parton	Doris Covell Craddock	9–7, 6–8, 6–4
1921	Phyllis Howkins	Doris Covell Craddock	10–8, 6–2
1922	Doris Covell Craddock	Edith Boucher Hannam	6–1, 6–1
1923	Elizabeth Ryan	Doris Covell Craddock	8–6, 6–3
1924	Phyllis Howkins Covell (2)	Joan Austin	6–4, 6–3
1925	Kathleen Lidderdale Bridge	Doris Covell Craddock	6–4, 1–6, 6–3
1926	Not held
1927	Mary McIlquham	Margaret McKane Stocks	6–1, 6–1
1928	Phyllis Howkins Covell (3)	Betty Dix	7–5, 6–1
1929	Gethyn Harry	Mrs Helen Boucher	4–6, 6–1, 6–1
1930	Kathleen Lidderdale Bridge	Freda Scott	6–1, 8–6
1931	Doris Eastley	Vera Montgomery	3–6, 7–5, 6–3
1932	Not held
1933	Kay Stammers	Andrée Lucas	6–2, 6–2
1934	Andrée Lucas	Gethyn Harry	6–2, 6–2
1935	Gethyn Harry (2)	Mona Riddell	6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1936	Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling	Daphne White Birch	6–2, 6–2
1937^[15]	Anita Lizana	Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling	?
1938	Mona Riddell	Gem Hoahing	1–6, 6–3, 6–4
1939	Diana Wood	Joan Curry	6–2, 8–10, 6–2
1940	Kay Stammers Menzies	Peggy Scriven	8–10, 6–3, 6–3
1941–45	Not held (partly due to World War II)
1946	Joy Marriott Hibbert	Miss Moss	3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1947	Joan Curry	Pam Seaton Bocquet	6–4, 6–0
1948	Joan Curry (2)	Pam Seaton Bocquet	6–2, 6–3
1949	Joan Curry (3)	Peggy McCorkindale	3–6, 6–3, 9–7
1950	Dorothy Head	Helena Straubeová	6–3, 6–1
1951	Beverly Baker	Beryl Bartlett	6–3; 6–3
1952	Patricia Canning Todd	Beryl Bartlett	7–5, 6–2
1953	Doris Hart	Angela Mortimer	7–5, 6–3
1954	Pat Ward	Heather Nicholls-Brewer	divided title
1955	Doris Hart (2)	Dorothy Head Knode	6–1, 6–3
1956	Althea Gibson	Daphne Seeney	6–2 10–8
1957	Angela Mortimer	Edda Buding	7–5, 6–0
1958	Maria Bueno	Angela Mortimer	6–0, 6–3
1959	Maria Bueno (2)	Sandra Reynolds	6–4, 6–3
1960	Deidre Catt	Renée Schuurman	7–5, 7–5
1961	Sandra Reynolds	Deidre Catt	7–5, 10–8
1962^[11]	Margaret Smith	Maria Bueno	6–1, 3–6, 6–2
1963	Edda Buding	Elizabeth Starkie	9–7, 6–3
1964	Karen Hantze Susman	Françoise Dürr	6–8, 6–3, 6–3
1965	Nancy Richey	Elizabeth Starkie	7–5, 6–2
1966	Betty Stöve	Norma Baylon	6–3, 7–5
1967	Pat Walkden	Edda Buding	0–6, 6–4, 6–3
1968	Kerry Melville	Karen Krantzcke	6–0, 6–1
↓  Open era  ↓
West of England Open Championships
1969	Margaret Smith Court (2)	Billie Jean Moffitt King	6–3, 6–3
1970	Margaret Smith Court (3)	Françoise Dürr	6–1, 6–1
1971	Not held
Bristol Open
1972	Billie Jean Moffitt King	Kerry Melville	6–3, 6–2
1973–80	Not held (women's tournament ends)

See also

• Bristol and Clifton Open (1882–1897) tennis tournament held in Clifton, Bristol.

References

1. "McKinley to Finals". The Victoria Advocate. 13 June 1964. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
2. "Miss Susman Disappointed". The Glasgow Herald. 10 June 1964. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
3. Nauright, John; Parrish, Charles, eds. (2012). Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781598843002.
4. "Abolition of Challenge rounds". EVENING POST. 20 March 1922. Retrieved 6 October 2016 – via Papers Past.
5. Bancroft, James W. (8 December 2021). The Early Years of the FA Cup: How the British Army Helped Establish the World's First Football Tournament. Barnsley, England: Frontline Books. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-3990-9994-3.
6. "West of England Championships 1896". tennisarchives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
7. "Steadmans Success Defeat of Irish Giant". EVENING POST. 25 August 1933. Retrieved 14 October 2016 – via Papers Past.
8. "Overseas Tennis Championship Finals". NEW ZEALAND HERALD. 19 June 1939. Retrieved 14 October 2016 – via Papers Past.
9. "West of England Championships 1946". tennisarchives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
10. "West of England Championships 1953". tennisarchives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
11. "Wimbledon Stars Upset". Retrieved 14 October 2016.
12. "West of England Championships 1964". tennisarchives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
13. "Layendecker Net Winner". Retrieved 14 October 2016.
14. "Sports Roundup". Retrieved 14 October 2016.
15. "Play in England". EVENING POST. 14 June 1937. Retrieved 14 October 2016 – via Papers Past.

External links

• http://www.tennisarchives.com/West of England Championships Men's Singles Roll of Honour
• ITF Search (search Bristol)