The Gulf State Championships was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1892 as the Gulf Coast Championships. It was first played at the Tampa Bay Lawn Tennis Club, Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, Florida, United States in 1892. In 1968 the final edition was played at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after which when it was downgraded from the main worldwide ILTF Circuit.
History In 1892 the first Gulf Coast Championships (also known as the Tampa Bay Championships) were held in at the Tampa Bay Lawn Tennis Club, Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, Florida, United States and was played on outdoor hard cement courts. The first winner of the men's singles title was Albert Empie Wright, he defeated a former top 4 ranked English tennis player, Charles Walder Grinstead in the final, who was touring America at this time. The first gulf tournament ran until 1894 when it was discontinued. In 1901 the tournament was revived under the new name the Gulf State Championships held at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club, New Orleans, Louisiana. The tournament continued to be held there until 1914.Aiello In 1968 the tournament was downgraded from the main worldwide ILTF Circuit and became a USLTA regional event.
Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScoreGulf Coast Championships1892Tampa Albert Empie Wright Charles Walder Grinstead 6–2, 8–6, 6–1. 1893Tampa Bob Wrenn Albert Empie Wright6-2, 6–2, 6–2.1894Tampa Gregory Seeley Bryan Bob Wrennw.o. Gulf State Championships1901New Orleans R.G. Hunt ?? 1911New Orleans Wallace F. Johnson Nat Thornton6–3, 7–5, 6–2. 1912New Orleans Wallace F. Johnson (2) Frank Richard Woodbury6–2, 6–0, 6-–2. 1933Shreveport Arthur Hodges Hendrix Hudson Russell Hamm Jr.6–2, 6–0 6–2. 1951New Orleans Jack Tuero Ham Richardson2–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–1. 1957Baton Rouge Tommy Robinson Ron Fisher4–6, 11–9, 7–5. 1958Baton Rouge Larry Caton Don Caton7–5, 6–1, 1–6, 9–11, 6–4. 1959Baton Rouge Ron Fisher James G. Schmidt Sr 6–2, 6–8, 6–4. 1960Baton Rouge Andy Lloyd Tom Falkenburg6–3, 6–3. 1961Baton Rouge Jerry Walters Clint Nettleton5–7, 6–3, 6–2. 1962Baton Rouge Jerry Walters (2) Clint Nettleton6–4, 4–6, 6–0. 1963Baton Rouge Tom Karp Upton Giles III6–1, 6–3. 1966Baton Rouge Steve Faulk Robert Ecuyer6–3, 6–4.
Women's singles (incomplete roll) YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScoreGulf Coast Championships1893Tampa Miss Valentine Hobart Miss Constance Talmage6–4, 6–3, 6–3. 1894Tampa Miss Valentine Hobart Miss Elizabeth Stroud6–4, 3–6, 6–2Gulf State Championships1903New Orleans Mrs. R. C. Montgomery May Logan6–4, 6–41906New Orleans May Logan ?.?1914New Orleans Ethelyn Legendre May Logan3–6, 6–2 6–21916New Orleans Mrs Irving Murphy Ethelyn Legendre6–1, 6–21933Shreveport Charlotte MacQuiston LaVerne Stages4–6, 6–1, 6–21934Shreveport Charlotte MacQuiston (2) ??1957Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers Sue Zigerbein6–0, 6–21958Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers (2) Sylvia Bradley6–3, 6–21961Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers (3) Kitty Moody6–4, 6–11963Baton Rouge Patsy Lowdon Putsy Trice4–6, 8–6, 6–3
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