The Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Championship also known as the Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts was a men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1926 as the Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Club Tournament. The event was staged annually at Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England until 1965.
History In 1922 the Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Club was founded. In 1926 the club established the Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Club Tournament.Birmingham Mail (1939) It was staged annually until 1939 when it was suspended due to World War II. The tournament did not resume until 1949 in part due to a lack of water still not available after the war to maintain its courts. In 1950 it was rebranded as the Sutton Coldfield Hard Court Championships. The tournament continued to held through to 1965 when it was discontinued. Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club is still active today.
Finals Men's Singles Incomplete roll includes: Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Club TournamentYearWinnersRunners-upScore1937 Norman Taylor Kho Sin-Khie3-6, 9–7, 6-21938Leicester Daily Mercury Norman Taylor (2) Jimmy Jones3-6, 9–7, 6-2Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Championship1949 Tony Mottram Howard F. Walton6-0 6-31950 Koon Hung Ip Wilfred D. Rowe6-0 6-31951 Peter Cawthorn Ignacy Tloczynski6-2, 9-71952 Peter Cawthorn (2) Don Tregonning6-2, 8–10, 6-31953 Jack Arkinstall John Horn6-0 6-11954 David Samaai Don Hamilton7-5, 3–6, 6-31955 Bill Gilmour Sr. Tony Mottram4-6, 7–5, 6-31956 Brian C. Bowman Robert J (Bob) Lee 6-1, 6-41957 Roger Becker Derek Lawer 6-3, 6-21958 Lew Gerrard John Hurry3-6, 6–4, 8-61959 Robin Sanders Howard Walton6-2, 6-31960 Robin Sanders (2) Gaetan Koenig6-2, 6-31963 John Hillebrand Martin Mulligan6-4, 8-61964 Roy Dixon John Hillebrand 6-2, 8-61965 Roy Dixon (2) Uwe Gottschalk3-6, 6–4, 6-4
Women's singles Incomplete roll includes. Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Club TournamentYearWinnersRunners-upScore 1933 E. Woodhall Olga Greenwood 6-2, 1–6, 6-3 1939 Betty Clements Molly Wadlow 6-1, 6-3Sutton Coldfield Hard Courts Championship 1950Birmingham Weekly Mercury Barbara Knapp Gillian Gittings Worrall 6-3, 7-5 1951 Margaret Emerson Sheila Speight 7-5, 6-1 1952 Rosemary Walsh Hazel Cheadle6-4, 6-3 1953 Hazel Cheadle Audrey Housley 6-2, 7-5 1954 Angela Mortimer Heather Nicholls Brewer 6-4, 6-3 1955 Daphne Seeney Hazel Cheadle 6-2, 3–6, 7-5 1956 Anne Shilcock Ann Haydon 3-6, 9–7, 6-4 1957 Angela Mortimer (2) Rita Bentley 9-7, 7-5 1958Football Gazette (South Shields) (31 May 1958)p.6. Angela Mortimer (3) Rita Bentley 6-4 6-0 1959 Angela Mortimer (4) Ann Haydon 6-2, 6-2 1960 Barbara Drew Françoise Dürr6-1, 9-7 1963 Hazel Cheadle Jean Haskew6-1, 6-2 1964 Ann Haydon Jones Rita Bentley 1-6, 8–6, 6-4 1965 Pat McClenaughan Faye Toyne6-3, 6-1
Tournament records Men's singles Most Men's Titles: Norman Taylor & Peter Cawthorn & Robin Sanders & Roy Dixon (2) Most Men's Finals: Norman Taylor & Peter Cawthorn & Robin Sanders & Roy Dixon & Tony Mottram & John Hillebrand (2)
Women's singles Most Women's Titles: Angela Mortimer (4) Most Women's Finals: Angela Mortimer (4)
References