The Bilbao International was an ILTF affiliated clay court tennis tournament founded as the Bilbao International Open. Also known as the Trofeo Martin-Balzola from the 1950s onward it was first played at the Campo de Jolaseta, in September 1912 before stopping. In 1946 the event was revived and held annually at the Real Club Jolaseta, Getxo, Bilbao, Spain until 1973 when it was discontinued.
History In 1903 the Sociedad Campos de Sport de Jolaseta begins operating the land of the Sociedad de Neguri, which had the magnificent social foresight to reserve part of its property for sporting activities. The grounds included two concrete tennis courts among its facilities.
The inaugural Torneo Internacional de Bilbao in September 1912 was held at the Campo de Jolaseta was a rare international event in Northern Spain before World War I, won by Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe. Campos de Sport de Jolaseta existed as an informal venue run on leased land.
Following 1912, international tennis in Spain was halted by World War I, subsequent regional instability, and later the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and World War II (1939–1945).
In March, 1933, 35 founding members of the Sociedad Campos de Sport de Jolaseta and formed the Sociedad Deportiva Jolaseta from a sporting and regulatory standpoint. The tennis courts were upgraded to host international championships.Real Club Jolaseta
Following the formalization in 1933 and the granting of the royal prefix in 1943 (Real Club Jolaseta),Real Club Jolaseta the club organized its first major official international open in August 1946 as a formally constituted club after WWII, this counted as the 2nd edition relative to the pioneer 1912 event played on the same site.
The event ran annually until 1973 when the final edition of the tournament was held in Guecho (Getxo) and was officially named the Trofeo Martín Balzola (often rendered in international references as the Martin Balzola International).
The 1973 tournament was named in honor of Martín Balzola, a prominent Basque industrialist and key benefactor of tennis in the Biscay region, that was won by François Jauffret on August 13, 1973.
Finals Mens singles Included: (incomplete roll) Year Winner Runner-Up Score 1912 Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe Ludwig von Salm6–4, 8–6, 6–3 1946 Pedro Masip Francesco Romanoni6–4, 6–4, 6–3 1948 Pedro Masip (2) Jack Harper6–1, 6–4, 6–4 1957 Jack Arkinstall Tony Pickard9–7, 6–3, 6–3 1960 Manuel Santana Antonio Martínez Daniel6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1 1961 Manuel Santana (2) Barry Phillips-Moore6–0, 9–7, 3–6, 6–0 1964 Manuel Santana (3) Cliff Drysdale4–6, 6–1, 7–5, 8–6 1965 Frew McMillan Jaime Pinto Bravo7–5, 4–6, 8–6, 6–3 1968West, Peter (1969). BP Year Book of World Tennis. Sydney and London: Ward Lock and Company Ltd. p. 175. Bill Bowrey Allen Fox6–4, 6–3, 6–4 1969 Juan Gisbert Sr. Štěpán Koudelka6–3, 6–2, 6–1 1970 Geoff Masters Juan Manuel Couder4–6, 6–2, 8–6, 3–6, 7–5 1972 Nicky Kalogeropoulos Julián Ganzábal6–4, 7–5, 6–4 1973Jauffret, vencedor del Trofeo Martín Balzola en Guecho". El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 August 1973. p. 18. François Jauffret Barry Phillips-Moore7–6, 6–7, 6–3, 6–3
Womens singles (incomplete roll) Year Winners Runners-Up Score 1969 Joan Wilshere Elisa Gisbert6–0, 9–7 1970 Sue Alexander Sandra Walsham8–6, 6–2
Mixed doubles (incomplete roll) Year Winners Runners-Up Score 1957 Pat Ward Billy Knight María Weiss Tony Pickard6–4, 6–1 1969 Joan Wilshere Eduardo Gorostiaga Elisa Gisbert Jorge Gisbert6–2, 6–2
References
External links https://centenarytennisclubs.org/real-club-jolaseta/