Kent Championships

The Kent Championships also known as the Kent All-Comers' Championships and later Kent Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham, Kent, England between 1886 and 1996 and was held in the first half of June.

History From 1886 until 1910 the tournament was organized as an All-Comers event, the winner of which would play the title holder from previous year in the Challenge Round. The tournament was played on outdoor grass courts at Beckenham Cricket Club a multi sport club that was established in 1866 in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham with the lawn tennis section of the club established in 1879. At the inaugural edition "The programme consisted of five events, the principal of which were the Kent All-Comers' Championship singles, and the gentlemen's singles handicap."The Field Lawn Tennis Calendar" (1887). London. England. The former designation was adopted so that the event may not be confused with the Kent County Championship, announced to be held at the Blackheath Club."The Field Lawn Tennis Calendar" (1887). London. England. There was only a mixed doubles event staged that year for women to participate in the Beckenham Cricket Club Tournament.

Herbert Chipp, later a Wimbledon umpire, came through a field of 13 entries to capture the inaugural 1886 men's singles title over Beckenham committee member Edward Avory. The Field informed its readers, "The final was a terribly tedious affair. Both players kept at the back of the court and played an excessively careful game." There were 14 pairs in the gentleman's doubles and seven pairs in the mixed doubles. The first event made a loss of £1. 10s. 9d. Two years later, from a field of 11 entries, May Jacks beat Edith Gurney to win the first women's singles tournament.

Slazenger's provided the tournament tennis balls every year from 1902, while the Challenge Round was abolished in 1911 and an Under 21 event, which became a national championship, started in 1921. When the former Soviet Union joined the International Tennis Federation in 1958, a small delegation was invited to Beckenham ahead of The Championships at Wimbledon.

The Kent Championships were the first UK tournament to have a sponsor, Rothmans, in 1963, after a special dispensation from the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body of British tennis. Almost five years later in March 1968 at a Special General Meeting in Paris, Beckenham was awarded the status of an Open event. The club welcomed amateur and professional players to compete in the world's first Open grass-court tournament in June 1968. It was the third Open field in 1968 after the British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth and the French Open at Roland Garros.

When a sponsor couldn't be found for the tournament after 1996, the event was consigned to tennis history. In total, 33 'double' winners (those who won the singles title at Beckenham and Wimbledon) had etched their names in Beckenham folklore.

Champions

Men's singles Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships YearChampionsRunners-upScore1886 Herbert Chipp Edward J. Avory 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3 1887 Frederick A. Bowlby Herbert Chipp 1–6, 8–6, 6–4, 6–11888 Ernest G. Meers Frederick A. Bowlby 5–7, 3–6, 9–7, 6–3, 6–2 1889 Harry S. Barlow Ernest G. Meers 6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 9–7 1890 Ernest G. Meers Harry S. Barlow 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3 1891 Ernest G. Meers Arthur Gore 6–0, 6–2, 6–21892 Harry S. Barlow Ernest G. Meers 4–6, 2–6, 8–6, 6–2, 6–31893 Harry S. Barlow William Renshaw 2–6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 1894 Horace A. B. Chapman Harry S. Barlow 3–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 1895 Harry S. Barlow Horace A. B. Chapman 2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–31896 Manliffe Goodbody Harry S. Barlow 6–1, 6–2, 2–6, 6–01897 George Greville Manliffe Goodbody 4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 1898 Wilberforce Eaves George Greville 6–0, 6–0, 6–1 1899 Harold Mahony Wilberforce Eaves 6–1, 6–1, 6–8, 3–6, 8–6 1900 Arthur Gore Harold Mahony 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 1901 Laurence Doherty Arthur Gore 6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–41902 Laurence Doherty George Simond 6–4, 6–0, 6–31903 Laurence Doherty Arthur Gore 6–1, 6–2, 6–31904 Harold Mahony Brame Hillyard 6–3, 8–6, 7–9, 4–6, 6–31905 Norman Brookes Arthur Gore 6–3, 9–7, 6–21906 Arthur Gore A.L. Bentley 6–0, 6–2, 6–1 1907 Anthony Wilding Arthur Gore 9–7, 6–2, 3–6, 0–6, 6–1 1908 Herbert Roper Barrett Charles P. Dixon 6–0, 9–7, 6–2 1909 Herbert Roper Barrett Major Ritchie cancelled (rain)1910 Beals Wright Herbert Roper Barrett 4–6, 7–5, 12–10, 6–41911 Anthony Wilding Major Ritchie 6–0, 6–0, 6–31912 Anthony Wilding Herbert Roper Barrett 6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–21913 Alfred Beamish George Thomas 6–3, 6–3, 3–6, 7–51914 Algernon Kingscote Hope Crisp 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–21915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181919 Algernon Kingscote F.M.B. Fisher 4–6, 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–21920 Algernon Kingscote Zenzo Shimidzu 7–5, 3–2 ret.1921 Algernon Kingscote Sydney M. Jacob 6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 1922 Algernon Kingscote Randolph Lycett 6–3, 3–1 ret. 1923 William M. Johnston Donald Greig 6–2, 6–3 1924 Algernon Kingscote Jack Hillyard 8–6, 9–7, 6–21925 Randolph Lycett Harry Lewis-Barclay 6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 6–41926 Gordon Crole Rees Patrick Spence 6–4, 6–21927 Donald Greig Charles Kingsley 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 1928 Charles Kingsley Patrick Spence 2–6, 6–4, 8–61929 Harry Lee Charles Kingsley 7–5, 6–4, 6–21930 Bunny Austin Harry Lee 6–2, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 1931 Colin Gregory John Olliff 3–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–3, 6–01932 Ted Avory Buster Andrews 6–1, 6–41933 Vernon Kirby Colin Robbins 8–6, 6–4 1934 Bunny Austin Jiro Yamagishi 6–3, 6–01935 Jiro Yamagishi Ian Collins 6–3, 6–11936 David N. Jones Frank Wilde 11–9, 6–31937 Jiro Yamagishi Raymond Tuckey 8–6, 1–6, 7–51938 John Olliff Nigel Sharpe 6–2, 6–31939 Murray Deloford Donald MacPhail 3–6, 6–2, 9–71940 No competition (due to World War II)194119421943194419451946 Geoffrey Browne Hans van Swol 6–1, 6–41947 Bill Sidwell Torsten Johansson 6–2, 10–81948 Frank Sedgman Jack Harper 6–4, 6–41949 Gardnar Mulloy Earl Cochell 2–3 ret.1950 Geoffrey Browne Bill Sidwell 8–6, 7–9, 17–151951 Don Candy Gardnar Mulloy 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 1952 Ham Richardson Don Candy 6–2, 6–8, 6–2 1953 Ham Richardson Gardnar Mulloy 6–4, 4–6, 6–31954 Competition cancelled at quarterfinal stage1955 Tony Trabert Herb Flam 6–4, 6–21956 Mal Anderson Sammy Giammalva cancelled1957 Mal Anderson Herb Flam 6–2, 4–6, 8–61958 Neale Fraser Kurt Nielsen 6–4, 6–41959 Alex Olmedo Kurt Nielsen 8–6, 3–6, 6–4 1960 Robert Mark Butch Buchholz 6–3, 6–4 1961 Jon Douglas Lew Gerrard 4–6, 6–3, 6–31962 Barry Phillips-Moore Owen Davidson 6–4, 8–61963 Ken Fletcher Marty Mulligan 6–3, 6–21964 John Newcombe Fred Stolle 6–2, 5–7, 12–101965 John Newcombe Lew Gerrard 6–3, 6–11966 John Newcombe Premjit Lall 6–4, 15–13 1967 Owen Davidson Ken Fletcher 3–6, 6–2, 6–3Open era1968 Fred Stolle Roy Emerson 6–3, 6–1 1969 Ove Bengtson Tom Gorman 6–4, 7–5 1970 Clark Graebner Robert Maud 6–4, 10–8 1971 Stan Smith Premjit Lall 7–9, 6–4, 6–21972 Alex Metreveli Vijay Amritraj 6–2, 7–5 1973 Alex Metreveli Björn Borg 6–3, 9–8 1974 Vijay Amritraj Tom Gorman 6–7, 6–2, 6–41975 Arthur Ashe Roscoe Tanner 7–5, 6–4 1976 Roscoe Tanner Jimmy Connors 6–3, 6–41977 Mark Edmondson Tim Gullikson 6–3, 6–41978 Jimmy Connors Stan Smith 9–8, 6–31979 Peter Fleming Roscoe Tanner 3–6, 6–3, 7–51980 Onny Parun Sandy Mayer 6–4, 4–6, 9–7 1981 Kevin Curren Chris Lewis 6–2, 6–31982 Kevin Curren Buster Mottram 7–6, 6–41983 Steve Denton Pat Cash 7–6, 7–61984 Pat Cash Paul McNamee 3–6, 6–2, 6–11985 Tim Mayotte Danie Visser 7–5, 6–11986 Ramesh Krishnan Danie Visser 6–3, 6–7, 6–31987 Scott Davis Leif Shiras 7–6, 6–31988 Christian Saceanu Paul McNamee 3–6, 6–2, 6–11989 John McEnroe Broderick Dyke 6–4, 7–61990 Ivan Lendl Darren Cahill 6–3, 7–51991 Ivan Lendl Pat Cash 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4) 1992 David Wheaton Christo van Rensburg 6–3, 1–6, 6–11993 David Wheaton Chris Bailey 6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–2)1994 Guy Forget Jeremy Bates 6–2, 6–31995 Andrew Richardson / Petr Korda divided (rain)1996 Mark Petchey Petr Korda 6–2, 6–4

Women's singles Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships