The Highland Championships (informally called the Scottish Highland Championships) was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first established in 1896 as part of the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament. Also known as the Bell's Highland Championships for sponsorship reasons (1974–1981).

The championships were first held at the Athole Hydropathic tennis courts, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. The tournament was staged annually as part of the ILTF Circuit until 1981.

History In 1878, the Atholl Hydropathic was opened. In August 1896, the hotel established its first lawn tennis event, the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament of which the Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy was played for as part of the gentleman's singles programme.Edinburgh Evening News (1896) It was part of the Scottish Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) circuit from inception. In 1913, the venue's name was changed to the Athol Palace Hotel. The championships were temporarily suspended during both the first and second world wars. It continued to be held annually as part of the official international ILTF Circuit from 1913. At the 1930 championships 149 players entered the tournament for play.

In 1974, the Scottish whisky company Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd. decided to sponsor the event under the brand name the Bell's Highland Championships. That year, 14-year-old Judith Erskine (future mother of grand slam champion Andy Murray) won all three titles of the Bell's Junior Championship of the Highlands. It ran until 1981, when it ceased to part of the international worldwide tennis circuit. The tournament continues to be staged at the same venue today, now known as the Highland Tennis Championships, or Tennis Championships of the Highlands. The tournament is currently administered by Tennis Scotland.

Venue

In 1874, the Perthshire architect, Andrew Heiton was commissioned to design a Scottish baronial-style hydropathic establishment, with accommodation. In 1878, the building was officially opened and named the Athole Hydropathic.Atholl Palace Hotel In 1913, its name was changed to The Atholl Palace Hotel.

Finals Men's singles

(incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore↓  SLTA Circuit  ↓Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy1897 Harry Sibthorpe Barlow Clement Cazaletw.o.1899 Sydney Lawrence Fry Rupert Hamblin-Smith6–1, 6–3, 6–41900 Alfred Aitken Thomson Richard Millar Watsonw.o.Highland Lawn Tennis Championships1901 Sydney Lawrence Fry (2) James Cecil Parke6–1, 6–4, 1–6, 6–21903 E.G. Whittle C.H. Moss6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 6–21905 W.E. McKechnie T.B. Pollard6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓Highland Championships1938 Colin Gregory Alfred Eustace Fannin6–4, 3–6, 8–61940/1945Not held (due to World War II)1947 David M. Duncan S.H. Allan6–2, 7–51948 John Stewart Ross G.W. O'Connor7–5, 7–51949 John C. George Savile Arthur J. Gould8–10, 6–2, 6–01950 Tadeusz Slawek John C. George Savile6–1, 6–11951 Tadeusz Slawek (2) R.H. Thomson6–3, 6–11952 Tadeusz Slawek (3) A.G. Potter6–0, 7–51953 A.L. Graeme N.J. Gibson6–4, 4–6, 6–21954 John R. Maguire D.B. Dempsey6–3, 6–11955 Brian Douglas Ford J.J. Carmichael6–1, 6–21956 Alan Ronald Mills D.B. Dempsey6–0, 6–31957 D.B. Dempsey A. Bloomfield6–3, 6–21959 Aaron S. Black D.C. Burrows13–11, 6–11960 D.B. Dempsey (2) Aaron S. Black 2–6, 11–9, 6–01961 D.B. Dempsey (3) Ken Riley6–3, 4–6, 6–11962 Mark Cox John Blizard 6–3, 6–01964 J.C. Reynolds T.C. MacNair6–2, 6–2↓  Open era  ↓1972 John Graham Clifton David Alan Lloyd 6–2, 6–2Bell's Highland Championships1975 David Alan Lloyd Hugh Thomson6–3, 6–01976 Graeme Notman Ken Revie6–3, 6–21977 Jasper Cooper Robbie Rockwell4–6, 6–2, 6–41978 K. Reynolds Peter Littlewood6–3, 6–31979 K. Reynolds (2) J. McKechnie6–4, 6–31980 Mark Powell Keith Kordula 6–3, 6–21981 P. Priest N. Carmichaell6–3, 6–3

Women's singles

(incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore↓  SLTA Circuit  ↓Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy 1897 Lottie Paterson Jane Corder 6–3, 6–3 1899 Florence Stanuell Lottie Paterson 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 1900 Ruth Dyas Durlacher Lottie Paterson 6–4, 6–3Highland Lawn Tennis Championships 1903 Alice Maud Ferguson Minnie Hunter6–3, 8–6↓  ILTF Circuit  ↓Highland Championships 1922 Mary Gray Welsh Mary Thom 6–1, 9–7 1928 Winifred Mason Olga Webb 1–6, 6–1, 6–3 1929 Winifred Mason (2) Geraldine Beamish6–0, 6–4 1933 Esna Boyd Robertson Joan Hartigan6–2, 6–2 1934 Esna Boyd Robertson (2) Kathleen Robertson 6-2, 6-0 1935 Madge Slaney Esna Boyd Robertson6–2, 6–1 1936 Anita Lizana Madge Slaney 6–4, 6–31940/1945Not held (due to World War II) 1948 Helena Czolowska Betty Lombard6–2, 7–5 1950 Mrs C.M. Mitchell Chloe Rhodes 6–4, 2–6, 8–6 1952 Joyce Reid E. Vlandy 6–0, 7–5 1953 Beryl Bartlett Helena Czolowska6–3, 4–6, 6–4 1961 Ann McAlpine Sally Holdsworth 6–1, 6–4 1962 Joyce Barclay Alison Stroud 7–5, 6–3 1967 Winnie Shaw Margaret H. O'Donnell6–4, 7–5↓  Open era  ↓Bell's Highland Championships 1975 Joyce Barclay Hume (2) Winnie Shaw Wooldridge 6–8, 6–0, 6–3 1976 Joyce Barclay Hume (3) Jill Cottrell 6–3, 7–5 1977 Jill Cottrell Marjorie Love 1–6, 6–1, 6–2 1978 Jill Cottrell (2) E. Armstrong 6–1, 6–4 1979 G. Armstrong Eleanor Lightbody 7–5, 6–8, 6–3 1980 D. Boothman L. Ristic 10–8, 6–2 1981 L. Reid D. Boothman 6–4, 6–1

Event names Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy (1896–1900) Highland Lawn Tennis Championships (1901–1913) Highland Championships (1914–1973) Bell's Highland Championships (1974–1981)

References