The Hoylake Open Championships also known as the Rothman's Hoylake Open Championships (for sponsorship reasons) was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1930 as the Hoylake and West Kirby Open. The event was staged annually at Ashton Park, West Kirby, Cheshire, England until 1974.
History On 25 August 1930 the Hoylake and West Kirby Open lawn tennis tournament was established.Liverpool Echo (28 August 1930) p.8. The tournament was unique in that it was played on public tennis courts at the Ashton Park, West Kirby, Cheshire. It began mainly as a local British event for the first couple of decades It then began to attract international players from the 1950s onward. The tournament continued under same the brand name until 1966. In 1967 the newspaper company the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo Ltd took over sponsorship of the event, and it was rebraded as Liverpool Daily Post and Echo Hoylake Open. In 1970 the tobacco company Rothmans International took over sponsorship of the tournament. It became a major stop on the ILTF Circuit in July just after Wimbledon until its demise in the mid-1970s.
In 1960 and from 1967 the tournament was also valid as North of England Championships with the winners succeeding to both titles. The tournament was predominantly played on grass courts except for the 1974 edition that was played on clay courts.
Finals Men's Singles Incomplete roll includes: Hoylake and West Kirby OpenYearWinnersRunners-upScore1949 W. Devine G.J. Chibbett3-6, 9–7, 6-21950 T.A. Cowdy G.J. Chibbett4-6, 7–5, 6-41951 David Samaai Chew Bee Ong6-2, 9-71952 Koon Hung Ip Ignacy Tloczynski6-2, 6-31953 Gerry Oakley Ignacy Tloczynski6-4, 7-51954 Gerry Oakley (2) Koon Hung Ip6-2, 7-51955 Gerry Oakley (3) Colin Hannam 7-5, 5–7, 6-31956 John O'Brien Don Black 6-2, 6-41957 Peter Frankland Don Black 6-3, 9–7, 6-21958 Isaías Pimentel Roy Stillwell10-8, 6-21959 Ramanathan Krishnan Premjit Lall6-2, 6-11960 Bertie Gaertner David Samaai6-1, 2–6, 6-41961 John Hillebrand Martin Mulligan6-3, 6-41962 Roger Becker Billy Knight6-3, 2–6, 6-41963 Bob Howe Martin Mulligan6-4, 8-61964 John Hillebrand (2) Fred Stolle divided title1965 Mike Sangster Bob Hewitt6-4, 6-31966 Mike Sangster (2) Bob Hewitt6-1, 6-1Hoylake Open1967 John Newcombe Roger Taylor7-5, 3–6, 6-31968 Mike Sangster (3) Herb Fitzgibbon 2-6, 6–4, 12-10Open era 1969 Ray Ruffels Brian Fairlie6-3, 6-3Hoylake Open Championships1970 John Newcombe (2) Owen Davidson4-6, 9–7, 6-41971 Andrew Pattison Jaidip Mukerjea6-2, 5–7, 6-21972 Douglas Irvine Ray Keldie divided title1973 Bob Giltinan Owen Davidson1-6, 6–3, 6-21974 Bernie Mitton John Yuill6-4, 6-4
Women's singles Incomplete roll includes. Hoylake and West Kirby OpenYearWinnersRunners-upScore 1949 Mrs B. Dixon Mrs P. Williams 6-4, 6-1 1950 Ann Layfield Peggy Astill Knight 6-3, 1–6, 6-2 1951 Ann Layfield (2) Elsie Hamilton Phillips 7-5, 1–6, 6-2 1952 Rosemary Walsh Georgie Woodgate 2-6, 6–2, 6-3 1953 Mary Harris Evelyn Attwood 7-5, 5–7, 6-4 1954 Joan Curry Georgie Woodgate 10-8, 6-1 1955 Shirley Bloomer Rita Bentley 6-3, 6-0 1956 Shirley Bloomer (2) Georgie Woodgate 6-0, 6-1 1957 Margaret R. O'Donnell Kay Newcombe 6-3, 6-4 1958 Margaret R. O'Donnell (2) Sonia Cox6-1, 6-3 1959 Sheila Armstrong Deidre Catt 5-7, 7–5, 6-2 1960 Renée Schuurman Sheila Armstrong 6-3, 7-5 1961 Margaret R. O'Donnell (3) Louise Grundy 6-0, 6-0 1962 Angela Mortimer Jill Blackman 6-4, 6-4 1963 Ann Haydon Jones Jill Blackman 6-2, 6-1 1964 Rita Bentley Madonna Schacht divided the title 1965 Margaret Smith Judy Tegart 6-4, 6-4 1966 Margaret Smith (2) Annette Van Zyl3-6, 6–1, 6-4Hoylake Open 1967 Virginia Wade Judy Tegart6-3, 6-4 1968 Margaret Smith Court (3) Virginia Wade6-2, 6-4Open era 1969 Virginia Wade (2) Christine Truman Janes0-6, 6–4, 8-6Hoylake Open Championships 1970 Evonne Goolagong Kerry Melville 2-6, 6–2, 6-1 1971 Billie Jean Moffitt King Rosie Casals6-3, 6-3 1972 Evonne Goolagong (2) Betty Stövedivided the title 1973 Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh11-9, 4–6, 6-4 1974 Jackie Fayter Patti Hogan6-0, 7-5
Event names Hoylake and West Kirby Open (1930-1966) Liverpool Daily Post and Echo Hoylake Open (1967-1969) Rothman's Hoylake Open Championships (1970-1974)
Tournament records Men's singles Most Men's Titles: Gerry Oakley & Mike Sangster (3) Most Men's Finals: Gerry Oakley & Mike Sangster (3)
Women's singles Most Women's Titles: Margaret O'Donnell & Margaret Smith Court (3) Most Women's Finals: Georgie Woodgate & Margaret O'Donnell & Margaret Smith Court (3)
References