New Zealand Championships

The New Zealand Championships was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1885 in Napier, New Zealand also known as the New Zealand National Lawn Tennis Championships or the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association Championships. The championships were organised by Tennis New Zealand, and played in various locations during its run that ended in 2020.

History

In December 1886, the first New Zealand Championships were held at Farndon Park, in the small town of Clive, near Napier.Tennis New Zealand The championships were organised by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, which was formed in Napier.

The championships were held in numerous locations throughout the course of their history. The championships were not held from 1915 to 1918 due to World War I and also from 1940 to 1945 during World War II. Although the majority of the winners of the event were from New Zealand, a number of players from overseas also won the title, including Grand Slam singles winners Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Vivian McGrath and John Bromwich. New Zealand's multiple Grand Slam singles winner Anthony Wilding also won the New Zealand championships title. Before 1922 the Australasian championships were held in New Zealand on two occasions, but this was a separate tournament from the New Zealand championships. From 1922 onwards the Australasian Championships were no longer held at New Zealand or Perth and the event changed its name to the Australian Championships in 1927.

From 1973 to 1987 the event was sponsored by the oil company BP and was known as the BP New Zealand Championships. From 1988 the event was a New Zealand national event and continued to be held through till 2020 when it was discontinued. The tournament was played almost exclusively on grass courts from its inception until 1988 when it switched to hard courts.

The winner of the first men's singles title was Percival Fenwick, and the ladies singles was won by Sarah Lance. The final winner of the men's singles title was Finn Tearney and the women's singles was won by Paige Hourigan.Tennis New Zealand. pp. 18, 19, 20. The towns where the championships were held included Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hastings, Mount Eden, Miramar, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston, Timaru and Wellington. From 1979 the event was held permanently in Wellington. Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) YearChampionRunner-upScore1886 Percival Fenwick Eric Hudson 6-2, 6-0, 6-41887 Percival Fenwick Richard Harman 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 10-8, 6-21888 Percival Fenwick Minden Fenwick 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 9-71889 Minden Fenwick Joy Marshall 6-4, 0-6, 6-3, 6-31890 Joy Marshall Minden Fenwick 6-3, 6-4, 10-81891 Richard Harman Joy Marshall 6-4, 6-4, 10-81892 Minden Fenwick Richard Harman 1-6, 7-5, 9-7, 3-6, 6-41893 Minden Fenwick Patrick Marshall 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-31894 James Hooper Harry Parker 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-11895 Harry Parker James Hooper 6-4, 6-2, 6-51896 Joy Marshall James Hooper 8-6, 6-2, 6-01897 James Hooper Harry Parker 6-1, 8-6, 6-41898 Cecil Cox John Collins 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-31899 James Hooper John Peacock 10-8, 6-3, 7-51900 Alfred Dunlop John Peacock 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-41901 John Peacock Frederick Laishley 6-2, 6-4, 7-51902 Harry Parker John Peacock 6-2, 6-2, 6-11903 Harry Parker John Peacock 6-3, 6-2, 6-21904 Harry Parker Andrew Borrows 6-1, 6-2, 6-11905 Harry Parker Clifford Dickie 6-1, 6-0, 6-21906 Anthony Wilding Harry Parker 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-11907 Harry Parker Thomas Quill 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-31908 Anthony Wilding Harry Parker 6-2, 6-1, 6-41909 Anthony Wilding Frank Fisher 6-1, 6-1, 6-11910 John Peacock Frank Fisher 6-1, 0-6, 6-1, 7-51911 Geoff Ollivier John Peacock 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-11912 Robert Swanston Frank Fisher 2-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-11913 Alexander Wallace Clifford Dickie 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 rtd.1914 Geoff Ollivier Lancelot Jennings 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-11915-18 No competition 1919 Geoff Ollivier James Laurenson 6-2, 1-6, 6-0, 7-51920 Bill Tilden Watson Washburn 6-0, 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-31921 James Laurenson Edgar Bartleet 6-2, 6-4, 6-41922 Geoff Ollivier James Laurenson 6-4, 6-3, 7-51923 Arthur Sims Geoff Ollivier 9-7, 6-3, 6-11924 Geoff Ollivier James Laurenson 6-2, 6-0, 6-01925 Geoff Ollivier Donald France 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-11926 Eskell 'Buster' Andrews Allan North 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-31927 Geoff Ollivier Edgar Bartleet 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-71928 Edgar Bartleet Cam Malfroy 4-6, 7-5, 8-6, 6-41929 Charlie Angas Donald France 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-11930 Alan Stedman Harold Barnett 7-5, 6-1, 6-31931 Charlie Angas Harold Barnett 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-01932 Eskell 'Buster' Andrews Cam Malfroy 6-0, 6-4, 2-6, 6-31933 Cam Malfroy Clifford Sproule 4-6, 8-6, 6-3, 6-8, 6-31934 Fred Perry Abel Kay 6-2, 6-3, 6-21935 Vivian McGrath Eskell 'Buster' Andrews 5-7, 10-8, 7-5, 6-01936 Dennis Coombe Noel Bedford 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-11937 Alistair Browne Robert Pattinson 6-0, 7-5, 6-11938 Neil Edwards Harold Barnett 6-4, 6-1, 6-11939 John Bromwich Jack Crawford 7-5, 6-3, 6-31940-45 No competition 1946 Ron McKenzie Stanley Painter 6-1, 6-1, 7-51947 Ron McKenzie Leo Roach 6-2, 0-6, 6-1, 6-31948 Ron McKenzie Jeff Robson 7-5, 6-2, 6-21949 Jeff Robson Ron McKenzie 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, 6-41950 George Worthington Jeff Robson 6-4, 6-3, 7-51951 Ron McKenzie John Barry 6-2, 9-7, 6-41952 Jeff Robson Bill Sidwell 1-6, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5, 6-11953 George Worthington Jeff Robson 6-4, 6-4, 7-51954 John Barry Mark Otway 8-6, 6-3, 6-31955 John Barry Jeff Robson 6-4, 6-3, 6-21956 Jeff Robson Ron McKenzie 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 7-51957 Mike Davies Jeff Robson 2-6, 10-8, 6-3, 6-41958 Bob Howe Jeff Robson 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 7-51959 Bob Howe John Barry 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 6-0, 6-21960 Lew Gerrard Mark Otway 6-1, 6-4, 6-41961 Lew Gerrard Brian Woolf 6-1, 6-2 6-11962 Lew Gerrard Ian Crookenden 8-6, 7-5, 6-11963 Lew Gerrard Robert Clarke 6-2, 6-1, 6-21964 Lew Gerrard Gene Scott 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 9-71965 Barry Phillips-Moore Lew Gerrard 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-31966 Ken Fletcher Roger Taylor 6-4, 5-7, 4-6, 6-0, 9-71967 Mark Cox Brian Fairlie 7-5, 6-0, 6-11968 Brian Fairlie Colin Stubs 6-2, 6-3, 6-11969 Brian Fairlie Onny Parun 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-11970 Onny Parun Richard Hawkes 6-1, 12-10, 6-41971 Colin Dibley Bob Giltinan 6-1, 6-4, 6-41972 Onny Parun Steve Faulk 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 7-61973 Syd Ball Kim Warwick 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-51974 Onny Parun Russell Simpson 7-6, 6-4, 6-41975 Gerhard Wimmer Russell Simpson 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-41976 Onny Parun Peter Langsford 7-5, 7-6, 7-61977 Brian Fairlie Dale Collings 6-3, 6-4, 7-51978 Denis Gibson Peter Langsford 7-5, 6-41979 Larry Loeb David Mustard 6-2, 6-11980 Mark Lewis Onny Parun 2-6, 6-3, 9-71981 Onny Parun Bruce Derlin 6-3, 6-21982 Onny Parun Rand Evett 7-5, 6-21983 John McCurdy David Mustard 7-6, 6-41984 David Mustard Steve Guy 7-6, 6-41985 Kelly Evernden David Lewis 7-6, 6-41986 Kelly Evernden James Dunphy 1987 Kelly Evernden Bruce Derlin 6-3, 6-4

Women's Singles