The Midland Counties Championships also known as the Midland International was a grass court tennis tournament held at Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Great Britain from 1882 to 1977.

History 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 and was classified as an open tournament.

The men' event was succeeded by the Birmingham Open in 1978 a $125k event as part of ITF Grand Prix Circuit that year, it was staged only once, it was later revived in 1991 as an indoor tournament for that season only.

The women's was succeeded five years later by a new event called the Edgbaston Cup a Toyota International Series event on the Toyota Series Circuit.

Finals 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) in some tournaments not all.

Men's singles Included: (Incomplete roll) Notes: * This edition was part of the Edgbaston Open Tournament. YearChampionRunner-upScoreMidland Counties Challenge Cup 1881 * Walter Chamberlain F.S. Goodwin6-3, 6-4, 6-4Midland 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 John Redfern Deykin Frank Noon 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 1888Sheffield Independent (1890) p.6. Harry Scrivener John Redfern Deykin 6-2, 6-0, 9-7 1889Sheffield Independent (1890) p.6. 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 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, 6-01915/1918men'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, unfinished1940/1945men'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 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 Roy W. Dixon Keith Bland 6-2, 6-3 1967 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 Barrett, John (1971) World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook pp.260-271 Andrew Pattison Peter Doerner 6-4, 6-4Midland Counties Championship 1973 Roy W. Dixon (4) Martin Ladbrooke7-6, 6-2 1974 Peter R. Breed Alan G. Purnell7-6, 6-4 1975 Hugh Thomson Ricardo Ycaza7-6, 6-3 1976 Peter Pierson Nimish Desai6-2, 6-4 1977 Sachio Kato Mike Newberry 6-0, 6-4

Women's singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionRunner-upScoreMidland Counties Championships 1881 Maud Watson Lilian Watson? 1882 Constance Langley Smith Miss Heaton6-2, 6-1 1883 Miss Hutton L. Sanders 6-5 ,8-6 1884 Edith Noon Miss Richardson6-3, 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, 6-11889event 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 Longhurstdivided prizes 1893 D. Morgan Blanche Bingley Hillyard12-10, retd.1894women'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 Durlacher3-6, 6-4, 8-6 1900 Muriel Robb Constance Hill6-3, 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 Aitchison7-5, 7-5 1911 Edith Hannam Dora Boothby6-4, 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, 9-71915/1918women'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 Barron10-8, 2-6, 6-4 1924 Elizabeth Ryan Phyllis Satterthwaite 6-2, 6-4 1925 Phyllis Satterthwaite Gwen Sterry6-1, 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 Horn6-4, 6-4 1934 Countess Gabriela Szapary E. Woodhall 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 1935 Jadwiga Jędrzejowska Anita Lizana3-6, 6-3, 6-2 1936 Jadwiga Jędrzejowska (2) Irmgard Rost 6-3 6-3 1937 Mary Heeley Anita Lizana0-6, 6-4, 6-3 1938 Mary Hardwick Simonne Mathieu7-5, 6-1 1939 Freda James Hammersley Simonne Mathieu divided prizes1940/1945women'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 Fry4-6, 6-2, 7-5 1952 Doris Hart (2) Shirley Fry7-5, 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 Penrose11-9, 2-6, 11-9 1956 Angela Mortimer Jenny Staley Hoad6-2, 4-6, 6-0 1957 Angela Mortimer (2) Maria Helena Amorim6-1, 6-11958women's event cancelled 1959 Hazel Cheadle Miss Bishop 6-4, 8-6 1960 Angela Mortimer (3) Margaret Hellyer6-0, 6-1 1961 Barbara Knapp Jennifer Gail Morris6-0, 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 Cheadle6-4, 6-3 ↓  Open era  ↓ 1969 Janice MacFarlane Kate Tillin 6-2, 6-4Bio-Strath Edgbaston 1970 Sandra Walsham Beatriz Araujo1-6, 7-5, 6-1Midland 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 Korsten6-0, 6-1 1976 Inge Korsten Janice Wainwright 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 1977 Ann Haydon Jones (2) Corinne Molesworth 6-4, 6-4For the successor women's event see Edgbaston Cup

References

Sources "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 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.

External links http://www.tennisarchives.com/tournament/midland counties championships