Midland Counties Championships
| Midland Counties Championships | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Event name | Midland Counties Championships |
| Tour | Pre open era |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Abolished | 1977 |
| Editions | 72 |
| Location | Edgbaston Birmingham Great Britain |
| Venue | Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club |
The Midland Counties Championships [1] also known as the Midland International was a grass court tennis tournament held at Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Great Britain from 1881 to 1977.
History[edit]
The first unofficial championship was established in 1881 at the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston near Birmingham, England as part of the Edgbaston Open Tournament. In 1882 the Midland Counties Challenge Cup became a separate event and ran for seventy two editions until 1977. The event featured both men's and women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles competitions [1] and was classified as an open tournament.[2]
Finals[edit]
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) [3] in some tournaments not all.
Men's singles[edit]
Included:[4][5] (Incomplete roll) Notes: * This edition was part of the Edgbaston Open Tournament.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Counties Challenge Cup | |||
| 1881 * |  Walter Chamberlain |
F.S. Goodwin |
6-3, 6-4, 6-4 |
| Midland Counties Championship | |||
| 1882 | R. W. Smith |
George Reston Brewerton |
2 sets to 1 |
| 1884 | Walter Chamberlain (2) |
John Redfern Deykin |
6-3, 2-6, 10-8, 6-1 |
| 1885 | Conway J Morgan |
Walter Chamberlain |
6-4, 2-6, 2-6, 6-2, 9-7 |
| 1886 | Frank Noon |
Conway J Morgan |
6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1887[6] | John Redfern Deykin |
Frank Noon |
6-4, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1888[7] | Harry Scrivener |
John Redfern Deykin |
6-2, 6-0, 9-7 |
| 1889[8] | John Redfern Deykin (2) |
Harold Weston Carlton |
2-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1890 | John Redfern Deykin (3) |
Henry Guy Nadin |
0-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1891 | James Baldwin |
Harry S, Barlow |
6-3, 7-9, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1892 | Harry S, Barlow |
Tom Chaytor |
6-4, 6-1 |
| 1893 | George Hillyard |
Henry Guy Nadin |
6-3, 6-1, 6-3 |
| 1894 | George Hillyard (2) |
R A Bennett |
6-4, 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1895 | George Hillyard (3) |
Sydney Howard Smith |
6-4, 8-6, 4-6, 6-1 |
| 1896 | Sydney Howard Smith |
Charles Henry Ridding |
6-3, 8-6 |
| 1897 | Sydney Howard Smith (2) |
George Hillyard |
6-2, 6-3, 8-6 |
| 1898 | Sydney Howard Smith (3) |
George Hillyard |
4-6, 9-7, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 |
| 1899 | Wilberforce Eaves |
Ernest D Black |
8-6, 6-2 |
| 1900 | Sydney Howard Smith (4) |
George Hillyard |
6-2, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 1901 | Sydney Howard Smith (5) |
Wilberforce Eaves |
6-3, 6-1 |
| 1902 | Sydney Howard Smith (6) |
Frank Riseley |
6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1903 | Sydney Howard Smith (7) |
Josiah Ritchie |
5-7, 7-5, 7-5, 6-2 |
| 1904 | Sydney Howard Smith (8) |
Wilberforce Eaves |
6-4, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1905 | Sydney Howard Smith (9) |
 Norman Brookes |
15-13, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 1906 | John Mycroft Boucher |
Wilberforce Eaves |
6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1907 | John Mycroft Boucher (2) |
 James Cecil Parke |
6-2, 8-10, 6-3, 9-7 |
| 1908 | John Mycroft Boucher (3) |
James Cecil Parke |
6-2, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1909 | Stanley Doust |
James Cecil Parke |
6-2, 6-0 |
| 1910 | James Cecil Parke |
Stanley Doust |
9-7, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1911 | Arthur Lowe |
James Cecil Parke |
2-6, 6-3, 6-2 [5] |
| 1912 | Stanley Doust (2) |
 Charles L Wilmslow |
6-4, 6-0, 6-1 |
| 1913 | Stanley Doust (3) |
 Erik Larsen |
6-1, 6-3 |
| 1914 | Alfred Beamish |
William L Clements |
6-1, 9-7, 2-6, 6-0 |
| 1915/1918 | men's event not held due to World War I | ||
| 1919 | Stanley Doust |
Pat O'Hara Wood |
6-4, 6-4 |
| 1920 |  Bill Tilden |
Chales L Wilmslow |
6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 1921 | Brian Norton |
Frank Lorymer Riseley |
8-6, 6-0, 6-0 |
| 1922 | Gordon Francis Lowe |
N M Greeg |
6-2 6-2 6-2 |
| 1923 |  Hassan Ali Fyzee |
Donald Greig |
6-2 6-4 |
| 1924 | Jack M Hillyard |
Gordon Crole-Rees |
6-4, 7-5, 6-4 |
| 1925 | John Brian Gilbert |
 Hector Fisher |
4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 |
| 1926 | Hector Fisher |
Jack M Hillyard |
6-1, 9-7, 5-7, 6-1 |
| 1927 | Bunny Austin |
Keats Lester |
6-1, 6-3 |
| 1928 | Mohammed Sleem |
Keats Lester |
4-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0 |
| 1929 | William Henry Powell |
Jack Lysaght |
6-1, 6-2 |
| 1930 | Keats Lester |
 Ryuki Miki |
6-3, 6-3 |
| 1931 | Jiro Satoh |
Herman David |
7-5, 6-4 |
| 1932 | John Olliff |
 Antoine Gentien |
1-6, 6-4, 2-0, retired. |
| 1933 | Ryuki Miki |
Keats Lester |
6-4, 6-2 |
| 1934 | Keats Lester (2) |
Antoine Gentien |
4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1935 | Vivian McGrath |
 Walter Musgrove |
8-6, 6-2 |
| 1936 |  Cam Malfroy |
Alan Stedman |
WEA |
| 1937 |  Kho Sin-Kie |
Herman David |
6-4, 6-3 |
| 1938 |  Franjo Punčec |
Kho Sin-Kie |
6-3, 2-6, 7-5 |
| 1939 | Donald Butler |
Herman David |
3-3, unfinished |
| 1940/1945 | men's event not held due to World War II | ||
| 1946 | Kho Sin-Kie |
 Enrique Morea |
6-2, 1-6, 6-3 |
| 1947 |  Constantin Tănăsescu |
Jack Crawford |
6-1, 8-6, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3 |
| 1948 |  Felicisimo Ampon |
Raymundo Deyro |
6-2, 6-3 |
| 1949 | Tony Mottram |
 Ricardo Balbiers |
6-3, 9-7 |
| 1950 |  Jaroslav Drobný |
 Koon-Hong Ip |
6-2, 6-2 |
| 1951 | Don Candy |
 Naresh Kumar |
6-4, 6-2 |
| 1952 | Owen Gordon Williams |
Trevor Fancutt |
6-4, 6-2 |
| 1953 | William Russell Seymour |
Tony Mottram |
8-6, 7-5 |
| 1954 | Jaroslav Drobný (2) |
Roger Becker |
6-0, 6-3 |
| 1955 | Jaroslav Drobný (3) |
Arthur Larsen |
7-5, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 1956 | Trevor Fancutt |
Mike Davies |
7-5, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1957 | Budge Patty |
Luis Ayala |
7-5, 3-6, 6-1 |
| 1959 | K F Buswell |
Robert M Powell |
7-5, 8-6 |
| 1960 | Bobby Wilson |
 Ivo Ribeiro |
6-0, 6-2 |
| 1962 | Roger Becker |
Ian Crookenden |
6-3, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 1963 | Roy Emerson |
 Rafael Osuna |
4-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 1964 | Fred Stolle |
Billy Knight |
3-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1965 | Billy Knight |
Bobby Wilson |
7-5, 6-3 |
| 1966[9] | Roy W. Dixon |
Keith Bland |
6-2, 6-3 |
| 1967[10] | Roy W. Dixon (2) |
Keith Bland |
6-4, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 1968 | Roy W. Dixon (3) |
Peter Breed |
3-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| Bio-Strath Edgbaston | |||
| 1970 [11] |  Andrew Pattison |
Peter Doerner |
6-4, 6-4 |
| Midland Counties Championship | |||
| 1973 | Roy W. Dixon (4) |
Martin Ladbrooke |
7-6, 6-2 |
| 1974 | Peter R. Breed |
Alan G. Purnell |
7-6, 6-4 |
| 1975 | Hugh Thomson |
 Ricardo Ycaza |
7-6, 6-3 |
| 1976 | Peter Pierson |
Nimish Desai |
6-2, 6-4 |
| 1977 | Sochio Kato |
Mike Newberry |
6-0, 6-4 |
Women's singles[edit]
(Incomplete roll)
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Counties Championships | |||
| 1881 |  Maud Watson |
Lilian Watson |
? |
| 1882 | Constance Langley Smith |
Miss Heaton |
6-2, 6-1 |
| 1883 | Miss Hutton |
L. Sanders |
6-5 ,8-6 |
| 1884 | Edith Noon |
Miss Richardson |
6-3, 8-6, 6-3 |
| 1885 | Margaret Bracewell |
Mary Steedman |
6-3, 6-2 |
| 1886 | Blanche Bingley |
Lilian Watson |
6-0, 6-2 |
| 1887 | Margaret Bracewell (2) |
Florence Mardall |
6-0, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 1888 | Margaret Bracewell (3) |
Florence Mardall |
7-5, 6-1 |
| 1889 | event not held | ||
| 1890 | L. Johnstone |
Ethel Taylor Valentin |
6-2, 5-6, 6-4 |
| 1891 | Alice Simpson Pickering |
Mrs Wills |
6-1, 6-3 |
| 1892 | Edith Longhurst |
Winifred Longhurst |
divided prizes |
| 1893 | D. Morgan |
Blanche Bingley Hillyard |
12-10, retd. |
| 1894 | women's event handicap only | ||
| 1895 | Winifred Longhurst |
C. Jones |
4-6, 6-4, 7-5 |
| 1896 | Bertha Steedman |
Katherine Grey |
6-4, 6-2 |
| 1897 | Ruth Dyas |
Alice Simpson Pickering |
8-6, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 1898 | Blanche Bingley Hillyard |
Maude Garfit |
6-3, 6-1 |
| 1899 | Charlotte Cooper |
Ruth Dyas Durlacher |
3-6, 6-4, 8-6 |
| 1900 | Muriel Robb |
Constance Hill |
6-3, 2-6, 6-3 |
| 1901 | Ruth Dyas Durlacher (2) |
Maude Garfit |
6-4, 6-4 |
| 1902 | Winifred Longhurst (2) |
Muriel Robb |
7-5, 7-5 |
| 1903 | Ethel Thomson |
Gertrude Provis Houselander |
6-4, 6-2 |
| 1904 | Connie Wilson |
Blanche Bingley Hillyard |
6-3, 6-3 |
| 1905 | Connie Wilson (2) |
Dorothea Douglass |
7-5, 6-4 |
| 1906 | Connie Wilson (3) |
Alice Greene |
6-1, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 1907 | Charlotte Cooper Sterry |
Alice Greene |
6-3 ,9-7 |
| 1908 | Charlotte Cooper Sterry (2) |
Edith Boucher |
6-3, 6-0 |
| 1909 | Helen Aitchison |
Agnes Tuckey |
6-2, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 1910 | Dora Boothby |
Helen Aitchison |
7-5, 7-5 |
| 1911 | Edith Hannam |
Dora Boothby |
6-4, 2-6, 7-5 |
| 1912 | Edith Hannam (2) |
Ethel Thomson Larcombe |
2-6, 6-4, 7-5 |
| 1913 | Edith Hannam (3) |
Elizabeth Ryan |
6-4, 6-0 |
| 1914 | Winifred McNair |
Helen Aitchison |
4-6, 6-3, 9-7 |
| 1915/1918 | women's event not held due to World War I | ||
| 1919 | Ethel Thomson Larcombe |
Winifred McNair |
4-6, 6-2, 7-5 |
| 1920 | Dorothy Shepherd |
Lesley Cadle |
8-6, 7-5 |
| 1921 | Geraldine Beamish |
Dorothy Shepherd |
8-6, 6-2 |
| 1922 | Geraldine Beamish (2) |
M. Fergus |
6-1, 6-1 |
| 1923 | Jessie Russell Colegate |
Dorothy Shepherd Barron |
10-8, 2-6, 6-4 |
| 1924 | Elizabeth Ryan |
Phyllis Satterthwaite |
6-2, 6-4 |
| 1925 | Phyllis Satterthwaite |
Gwen Sterry |
6-1, 6-0 |
| 1926 | Ermyntrude Harvey |
Joan Fry |
2-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1927 | Jessie Russell Colegate (2) |
Mary McIlquham |
6-2, 6-1 |
| 1928 | Naomi Trentham |
Gwen Sterry |
3-6, 9-7, 9-7 |
| 1929 | Dorothy Round |
Joan Fry |
6-1, 6-4 |
| 1930 | Naomi Trentham (2) |
Mary McIlquham |
6-1, 1-6, 7-5 |
| 1931 | Lolette Payot |
Mary Heeley |
6-4, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 1932 |  Marie-Louise Horn |
Freda James |
6-2, 6-3 |
| 1933 | Olga Webb |
 Marie-Louise Horn |
6-4, 6-4 |
| 1934 |  Countess Gabriela Szapary |
E. Woodhall |
6-3, 4-6, 6-1 |
| 1935 |  Jadwiga Jędrzejowska |
Anita Lizana |
3-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1936 | Jadwiga Jędrzejowska (2) |
 Irmgard Rost |
6-3 6-3 |
| 1937 | Mary Heeley |
Anita Lizana |
0-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1938 | Mary Hardwick |
Simonne Mathieu |
7-5, 6-1 |
| 1939 | Freda James Hammersley |
Simonne Mathieu |
divided prizes |
| 1940/1945 | women's event not held due to World War II | ||
| 1946 | Joan Curry |
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska |
7-5 6-3 |
| 1947 | Joan Curry (2) |
Elsie Hamilton Phillips |
6-3, 6-0 |
| 1948 | Barbara Knapp |
Dorothy Round Little |
7-5, 6-0 |
| 1949 | Mary Terán de Weiss |
Joy Gannon |
9-7, 6-3 |
| 1950 | Nancy Chaffee |
Rita Jarvis Anderson |
6-0, 6-2 |
| 1951 | Doris Hart |
Shirley Fry |
4-6, 6-2, 7-5 |
| 1952 | Doris Hart (2) |
Shirley Fry |
7-5, 3-6, 9-7 |
| 1953 |  Heather Nicholls Brewer |
Billie Woodgate |
6-4, 6-1 |
| 1954 | Heather Nicholls Brewer (2) |
Joan Curry |
6-3, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 1955 | Hazel Redick-Smith |
Beryl Penrose |
11-9, 2-6, 11-9 |
| 1956 | Angela Mortimer |
Jenny Staley Hoad |
6-2, 4-6, 6-0 |
| 1957 | Angela Mortimer (2) |
Maria Helena Amorim |
6-1, 6-1 |
| 1958 | women's event cancelled | ||
| 1959 | Hazel Cheadle |
Miss Bishop |
6-4, 8-6 |
| 1960 | Angela Mortimer (3) |
Margaret Hellyer |
6-0, 6-1 |
| 1961 | Barbara Knapp |
Jennifer Gail Morris |
6-0, 6-3 |
| 1962 | Rita Bentley |
Ann Haydon |
divided title |
| 1963 | Renée Schuurman |
Ann Haydon Jones |
8-6, 6-4 |
| 1964 | Jan Lehane |
Ann Haydon Jones |
7-5, 6-1 |
| 1965 | Margaret Smith |
Virginia Wade |
6-3, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 1968 | Sue Tutt |
Hazel Cheadle |
6-4, 6-3 |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| 1969 | Janice MacFarlane |
Kate Tillin |
6-2, 6-4 |
| Bio-Strath Edgbaston | |||
| 1970 | Sandra Walsham |
Beatriz Araujo |
1-6, 7-5, 6-1 |
| Midland Counties Championships | |||
| 1973 | Hazel Cheadle |
Mrs P. Reynolds |
3-6, 6-2, 7-5 |
| 1974 | C. Aitken |
Hazel Cheadle |
7-6, 6-3 |
| 1975 | Ann Haydon Jones |
 Inge Korsten |
6-0, 6-1 |
| 1976 | Inge Korsten |
Janice Wainwright |
4-6, 6-1, 6-3 |
| 1977 | Ann Haydon Jones (2) |
Corinne Molesworth |
6-4, 6-4 |
| For the successor women's event see Edgbaston Cup | |||
References[edit]
- ^ a b Myers, A. Wallis (1903). "Edgabston". Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad. New York, USA: Scribner's sons. pp. 66–68.
- ^ Cole, Matt. "At The Heart of the Game: The History of Edgbaston Priory Club" (PDF). edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston Priory Club. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ^ "Abolition of Challenge Rounds". EVENING POST. 20 March 1922. Retrieved 29 July 2018 – via Papers Past.
- ^ Nieuwland, Alex (2017). "Tournament – Midland Counties Championships". www.tennisarchives.com. Friesland, Netherlands: Tennis Archives. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b Morris, James; Hegedus, Tomas (2013). "1877 to 2012 Finals Results". www.stevegtennis.com. stevegtennis. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "LAWN TENNIS NOTES: J. R. Deykin became the holder of the Midland Counties Championship for the third time and the second year in succession". Sheffield Independent. Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 3 July 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ Sheffield Independent (1890) p.6.
- ^ Sheffield Independent (1890) p.6.
- ^ "TENNIS FINAL: The Warwickshire tennis champion. Roy Dixon, will meet his county colleague, Keith Bland, in a repeat of last year's men's singles fnal he won last year in the Midland Counties championships at Edgbaston today". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 15 July 1967. p. 39. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "LAWN TENNIS: Two Midland events for Roy Dixon: Roy Dixon (Warwickshirel won two events in the Midland Counties championships at Edfbaston. In the men's singles final he beat his county colleague Keith Bland 6-4, 4-6, 7-5". Birmingham Daily Post. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. p. 21. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ Barrett, John (1971) World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook pp.260-271
Sources[edit]
- "Abolition of Challenge Rounds". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. EVENING POST, VOLUME CIII, ISSUE 65, 20 MARCH 1922.
- Cole, Matt. (2012) "At The Heart of the Game: The History of Edgbaston Priory Club" (PDF). edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston Priory Club.
- Myers, A. Wallis (1903). "Edgabston". Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad. New York, USA: Scribner's sons.
- Nieuwland, Alex (2017). "Tournament – Midland Counties Championships". www.tennisarchives.com. Friesland, Netherlands: Tennis Archives.
Further reading[edit]
- Ayre's Lawn Tennis Almanack And Tournament Guide, 1908 to 1938, A. Wallis Myers.
- British Lawn Tennis and Squash Magazine, 1948 to 1967, British Lawn Tennis Ltd, UK.
- Dunlop Lawn Tennis Almanack And Tournament Guide, G. P. Hughes, 1939 to 1958, Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd, UK
- Lawn tennis and Badminton Magazine, 1906 to 1973, UK.
- Lowe's Lawn Tennis Annuals and Compendia, Lowe, Sir F. Gordon, Eyre & Spottiswoode
- Spalding's Lawn Tennis Annuals from 1885 to 1922, American Sports Pub. Co, USA.
- The World of Tennis Annuals, Barrett John, 1970 to 2001.