The North Island Open Championships was a regional men's and women's grass court then later hard court tennis tournament founded in 1932 as the North Island Championships. The tournament was first played at the Lower Hutt Tennis Club (f.1927), Lower Hutt, Wellington Province, New Zealand. The tournament was played at other locations until 1978 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Independent Circuit.
History This tournament has it origins in the Wairarapa Provincial Lawn Tennis Association Championships founded in 1899 and played at the Masterton, Lawn Tennis Club until 1915. In 1934 a nascent Northern Lawn Tennis Association of New Zealand was established (today its known as Tennis Northern) it organised the North Island Championships. The tournament was first played at the Lower Hutt Tennis Club (f.1927),Tennis Kiwi Lower Hutt, Wellington Province, New Zealand. The event was part of ILTF Australasia Circuit (1934–72) a sub circuit of the ILTF World Open Circuit, then later the ILTF Oceania Circuit a regional circuit of the ILTF Independent Circuit from 1975 until 1978 when it was downgraded from the worldwide independent circuit it became a local regional event of Tennis New Zealand and is still held today.
The tournament was held in Nelson, but also other locations including,Hutt Valley, Hamilton, Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Wellington and Whanganui.
The South Island equivalent to this tournament was the South Island Open Championships founded in 1934 by the Southern Lawn Tennis Association.
Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) North Island ChampionshipsYearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore1934Lower Hutt Cam Malfroy Jack Curtis Charters6–2, 6–2, 6–21937Lower Hutt Cam Malfroy (2) Buster Andrews 6–3, 6–41957Wellington Jeff Robson Ron McKenzie6-1, 5–7, 6-31958Lower Hutt Jeff Robson (2) Ron McKenzie6-3, 4–6, 7–5, 7-51959Wellington Billy Knight Mike Davies6-4, 2–6, 6–4, 6-21961Wellington Richard Hawkes M Hussey6-2, 6-21963Hamilton Lew Gerrard Ian Crookenden 6-2, 6-31964Whanganui Lew Gerrard (2) Jeff Robson 7-5, 6-01967Lower Hutt Mark Cox Brian Fairlie6-2, 6-41968Timuru Brian Fairlie Onny Parun6–3, 6–4, 6–1↓ Open Era ↓1969Hamilton Toomas Leius Onny Parun6-3, 6-4 5–7, 6-11970Hutt Valley Onny Parun Richard Hawkes6-1, 5–7, 7–9, 6–2, 6-31971Palmerston North Onny Parun (2) Hans Kary6-4, 7–5, 6-3North Island Open Championships1972Hamilton Armistead Neely Steve Faulk7-5, 6–3, 7-51973Palmerston North Bob Rheinberger Lars Olander6–4, 6–3, 6–21978Wellington Bob Carmichael João Soares2-6, 6–3, 7-5
Women's singles (incomplete roll) North Island ChampionshipsYearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore1932Palmerston North Miss M. Whyte ? ?1961Lower Hutt Ruia Morrison M. Johnston 6–3, 6–21967Lower Hutt Marilyn Headifen Beverley Vercoe 6–0, 6–2↓ Open Era ↓1969Nelson Jennifer Goodall NelsonFriends of the Nelson Library Lynn Harris6–4, 6–4.1970Hutt Valley Alice Tym Beverley Vercoe6–2, 6–21971Palmerston North Jill Fraser Beverley Vercoe 6–3, 5–7, 6–3North Island Open Championships1975Hutt Valley Ceci Martinez Michèle Gurdal6–3, 2–6, 6–3
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