The Meadow Club Invitation or formally the Meadow Club of Southampton Invitation and also known as the Southampton Invitation or Southampton Invitational was predominantly a men's grass court tennis tournament established in 1887 at the Meadow Club, Southampton, Long Island, New York, United States. The tournament was staged as part of ILTC Circuit until 1973 when it was discontinued.Cummings, Mary (2006) p.40.}

History In 1887 the Meadow Club was foundedCummings, Mary (2006) p.40. It is a private members located at Southampton, Long Island, New York, United States. The club inaugurated a major international tennis tournament called the Meadow Club Invitation

The tournament originally also carried the title of the Championship of Long Island. During its first decade, the event was recognized by the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) as a premier Sectional Championship, a designation used to formalize the regional competitive circuit across the United States. In this early era of American lawn tennis, the tournament functioned as one of the most prestigious grass-court stops on the Eastern circuit, frequently serving as a key preparatory event for the U.S. National Championships. Following the 1896 edition, the "Championship of Long Island" title largely disappeared from primary book sources at the Meadow Club, as the event transitioned into the more exclusive Southampton Invitation.

In 1909 the Long Island Championships was revived at the Kings County Tennis Club in Brooklyn, New York. Over its tenure, the event moved to various venues across the Long Island region, including its final home in Roslyn, New York, where the last edition was held in 1972.

The Southampton Invitaion was staged for 85 editions between 1888 and 1973, though it was not staged continuously. A women's invitation singles tournament was introduced briefly in the late 1920s to early 1940s under the title of the Southampton Invitational Round Robin or Meadow Club Invitational Round Robin, though women did take part most years in the mixed doubles events.

With the exception of 1903 when the English player Laurie Doherty won the men's event it was completely dominated by American players until the mid-1940s with multiple winners such as; Howard Augustus Taylor, Vinnie Richards, Bill Tilden II, Frank Parker, and Bobby Riggs. After World War II up until at least 1969 more foreign players won this event including; Pancho Segura, Roy Emerson, Ian Vermaak, Fred Stolle, Tony Roche and Owen Davidson and Rod Laver.Tennis Archives The Meadow Club Invitation ran until 1973 when it was discontinued.Cummings, Mary (2006) p.41.

Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) YearWinnersRunners-upScore↓  USNLTA Circuit  ↓ 1887 Howard Augustus Taylor Henry Warner Slocum6-4, 7-9, 3-6, 9-7, 6-31888 Howard Augustus Taylor (2) Joseph Sill Clark6-8, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-31889 Howard Augustus Taylor (3) Joseph Sill Clark6-1, 6-4, 6-31890 Howard Augustus Taylor (4) Rodmond Vernon Beach6-2, 6-2, 6-21891 Valentine Gill Hall Howard Augustus Taylorw.o.1892 Edward Ludlow Hall Valentine Gill Hall4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 2-6, 8-61893 William Larned Edward Ludlow Hall 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-01894 William Larned (2) Manliffe Goodbody 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-31899 Mal Whitman Leo Ware7-5, 6-4, 8-61903 Laurence Doherty William Larned6-1, 6-2, 6-11918 Bill Tilden II Theodore Pell6-4, 6-2, 6-41919 Chuck Garland Willis Davis6-4, 6-3, 6-31920 Vinnie Richards William Jackson Clothier6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-01921 Willis E. Davis Vinnie Richards3-6, 8-6, 6-3, 6-41922 Vinnie Richards (2) Robert Kinsey6-3, 6-4, 7-51923 Vinnie Richards (3) Carl Fischer6-2, 6-2, 6-2↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓1924 Howard Kinsey Harvey Burton Snodgrass3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-31925 Howard Kinsey (2) George Lott 6-2, 6-4, 6-01926 Bill Tilden II (2) Brian Norton6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 7-51927 Bill Tilden II (3) George Lott6-2, 7-5, 6-21928 Berkeley Bell Gregory Mangin6-0, 6-3, 7-51929 Fritz Mercur John Doeg6-4, 6-3, 6-41930 Sidney Wood Wilmer Allison3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 1931 George Lott Clifford Sutter6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-11932 Sidney Wood (2) Gregory Mangin4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 12-14, 7-51933 Frank Shields Frank Parker6-2, 6-2, 6-11934 Frank Parker Bryan Grant6-3, 9-7, 6-01935 Frank Parker (2) J. Gilbert Hall7-5, 6-4, 6-11936 Frank Parker (3) Gregory Mangin1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-01937 Bobby Riggs Jiro Yamagishi6-4, 6-3, ret.1938 Bobby Riggs (2) Sidney Wood6-0, 6-3, 7-51939 Bobby Riggs (3) Sidney Wood10-8, 6-4, 6-41940 Don McNeill Frank Kovacs6-4, 6-3, 6-31941 Bobby Riggs (4) Frank Kovacs6-2, 6-2, 6-31942 Ted Schroeder Sidney Wood3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 6-11943 Pancho Segura Sidney Wood 6-3, 7-5, 9-71944 Pancho Segura (2) Don McNeill7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-11945 Bill Talbert Alejo Russell6-4, 6-2, 6-41946 Gardnar Mulloy Bill Talbert8-6, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6, 10-81947 Pancho Segura (3) Seymour Greenberg6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-11948 Pancho Gonzales Budge Patty6-3, 6-0, 6-31949 Bill Talbert (2) Pancho Gonzales6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-21950 Earl Cochell Gardnar Mulloy9-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-21951 Tony Trabert Herb Flam6-2, 10-8, 5-7, 6-31952 Noel Brown Sidney Schwartz8-6, 6-1, 6-01953 Jack Tuero Charles F. Masterson 6-2, 10-8, 5-7, 3-6, 7-51954 Eddie Moylan Bill Talbert6-0, 6-2, 6-41955 Eddie Moylan (2) Tony Trabert6-3, 2-6, 6-8, 8-6, 1-0, ret.1956 Roy Emerson Grant Golden6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 8-61957 Whitney Reed Roy Emerson10-8, 1-0, ret.1958 Ham Richardson Sammy Giammalva Jr.6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-11959 Ian Vermaak Raymond Weedon6-1, 4-6, 6-11960 Rod Laver Ronald Holmberg12-10, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-31961 Allen E. Fox Bob Mark5-7, 8-6, 6-1, 4-4, ret.1962 Fred Stolle Whitney Reed7-5, 6-2, 8-61964 Gene Scott Charlie Pasarell10-8, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-41965 Chuck McKinley Gene Scott3-6, 6-3, 8-6, 10-81966 Tony Roche Graham Stilwell6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-41967 Owen Davidson Ray Ruffels6-4, 7-5, 6-41968 Ronald Holmberg Gene Scott6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 13-11↓  Open era  ↓ 1969 Clark Graebner Bob Lutz6-2, 6-2, 6-4

Women's singles YearWinnersRunners-upScore1943 Pauline Betz (1st) Louise Brough (2nd)Round Robin

See also Long Island Championships

References