The Aldeburgh Open and later known as the Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts was a men's and women's international grass court tennis tournament founded in 1884 as the Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament. The tournament was organised by the Aldeburgh LTC and first staged at the West Hill grounds, Aldeburgh-on-Sea, Suffolk, England. In 1924 the event switched to clay courts. The tournament ran annually until 1939 when it was discontinued because of World War II.
History In 1884 the Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis tournament was established. The tournament was held annually through till 1914 when it was discontinued due to World War I. Initially it was played on grass tennis courts, it resumed in 1920 and in 1923 the event switched to hard clay courts and was known as the Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts.Bury Free Press (30 August 1930) British page. 10. The event continued to be held through till 1938. In 1939 it was discontinued because of World War II.
Finals Men's singles Incomplete roll included: YearWinnersRunners-upScore Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament. 1888 F.E. Haward H. Favarger6-2, 4-6, 8-61890 F.E. Haward Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 7-5, 6-31891 Alexander W. Miller White Charles Sidney Cullingham 5-7, 6-2, 6-21892 Herbert Owen Ransome Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 6-1, 6-2, 6-31893 Herbert Owen Ransome (2) Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith 7-5, 5-7, 6-11894 Robert Baldock Scott Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith w.o. Aldeburgh Open 1908 Edward Gordon Cleather Charles Richard Longe6-1, 6-21914/1918Not held (due to world war one)1920 Hugh Walter Davies Harold Aitken6-3, 6-41922 Henry Alfred Carless B.S. Foster7-5, 6-8, 6-3 Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts 1923 J.F. Park J.K. Stanford6-3, 6-31931 James Giesen Brian William Finnigan9-11, 7-5, 6-31935 Brian William Finnigan G.C. Pryse-Rice2-6, 8-6, 6-0
Women's singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore Aldeburgh Lawn Tennis Tournament. 1890The Ipswich Journal (1890) Mrs Lang Mrs Stapyltonwalkover 1891 Toupie Lowther Miss Carter 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 Aldeburgh Open 1908 Lavinia Radeglia May Morris 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 1909 Dorothy Holman E.G. Willis 6-0, 6-2 1910 Miss Stogdon N. Stanford 6-1, 6-0 1911 Mildred Brooksmith Charlotte Everard 6-2, 6-0 1912 Daisy Clark Kercheval-Hole Mrs Reynolds 6-2, 6-0 1913 Mildred Brooksmith (2) E.M. Brogden 6-2, 6-31914/1918Not held (due to world war one) 1920 Dorothy Kemmis-Betty Mrs Hind 6-3, 6-4 1921 Mrs Darbishire N. Welch 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Aldeburgh Open Hard Courts 1922 Dorothy Kemmis-Betty (2) Violet Southam 6-1, 6-0 1923 Violet Southam Joan Ridley 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 1924 Nancy Palmer Edwards M.C. Hervey 6-4, 6-1 1925 Nancy Palmer Edwards (2) J. Hill 6-2, 11-9 1926 Dorothy Biddle Miss Norman 6-2, 6-4 1927 Mary Cambridge L.K. Bond 6-4, 6-1 1928 Nancy Palmer Edwards (3) Mrs P. Carthew 6-2, 7-5 1929 Nancy Palmer Edwards (4) Betty Boas 6-1, 6-2 1930Bury Free Press Helen Eddis Miss Wentworth-Reeve 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 1931 Kay Stammers Margaret Stocks 6-3, 6-1 1932 Dorothy Biddle de Winton (2) I.M. Boothroyd 6-1, 6-1 1933 Dorothy Biddle de Winton (3) D. Finnigan 7-5, 6-1 1934 D. Finnigan Betty Boas 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 1935 Mrs P. Carthew D. Finnigan 6-4, 6-3 1936Leicester Evening Mail Audrey Wright E. Worrall 6-3, 6-4 1937 Freda Scott Underwood E. Worrall 6-2, 6-3 1938 Nancy Palmer (5) Mrs P. Carthew 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
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