The British Open is a real tennis tournament, with the men's draw held annually at Queen's Club in London, England, and the women's draw held at the Seacourt Tennis Club on Hayling Island. The men's event is a national Open carrying ranking points for the Real Tennis World Championship. The women's event does not carry any ranking points.
History
Challenge era
The men's event was established in 1931 as the Prince's Club shield, and was originally a challenge format with Edgar Baerlein defeating Marylebone Cricket Club professional William Groom in the inaugural edition 3 sets to 2. A second challenge was held later the same year, with E Ratcliff defeating Moreton Morrell professional Ted Johnson in the same year. The event changed to a best of 13 format in 1932 with Groom defeating Ratcliff, but losing to amateur champion Lowther Lees in 1934. Lees would hold the title until 1938 where he was defeated by Queen's Club professional Jim Dear. No challenges would be held during World War II, with Dear resigning his title in 1952. The title was picked up by rackets professional Ronald Hughes, who held it until 1967, when he retired during the challenge against Frank Willis.
Willis would battle the title against amateur Howard Angus five times during the 1970s, with Angus becoming champion in 1970. An annual doubles Open championship was first contested in 1971, first won by Ronald Hughes and Norwood Cripps. Cripps would win eleven of the first thirteen doubles championships, partnered with Hughes, Charles Swallow and Alan Lovell. In the singles, Angus won the Real Tennis World Championship in 1976, uniting the British Open and World Championships for the first time. In 1979, he was challenged for both titles by professional Chris Ronaldson, to be held at the Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court. Ronaldson won both titles, defeating Angus 7–0, and thereafter relinquished the British Open title, allowing it to become an annual event at Queen's Club.
Open era
With the tournament now held annually, the 1980s were dominated by Chris Ronaldson winning six times between 1980 and 1985. In 1984, Ronaldson became the first player to win all four Opens in the same year - a calendar year grand slam. The era saw a rise in the number of Australian professionals travelling to participate, with Graham Hyland, Lauchlan Deuchar and Wayne Davies competing against Ronaldson in various finals, Davies taking the match to a fifth set on three occasions and Hyland once. Ronaldson's hold on the Championship was broken by Deuchar in 1986, who would go on to win a further five consecutive titles until 1991. Deuchar's dominance prevented Davies from completing a calendar year grand slam in 1988, the latter having held the three other titles that year. Davies and Deuchar won the doubles together on eight occasions, undefeated at the Open between 1984 and 1992.
A changing of the guard occurred in the early 1990s, with British amateur Julian Snow winning three titles between 1992 and 1994. The tournament saw the early rise of Robert Fahey, retiring from the 1993 final against Snow and thus failing to complete a calendar year grand slam. Fahey won his first title in 1995, but his dominance started in 2000. Fahey won eleven singles titles between 2000 and 2011, losing only the 2002 final to Tim Chisholm in five sets. He also won nine doubles titles between 2001 and 2012, missing out in 2004 and 2009. Fahey's grip on the Open title was broken by Bryn Sayers in 2012, though he would later win the 2018 as well.
The 2010s saw the rise of Camden Riviere. Riviere had reached the final in 2008, but it wouldn't be until 2014 that he would win for the first time. Riviere would be undefeated at the British Open from 2014 onwards, though he was absent in 2018 and 2021. Riviere also has been undefeated in doubles since 2013, partnered with Tim Chisholm on four occasions and John Lumley on two occasions.
Past finals
Men's singles
YearChampionsRunners-upScore Challenge era1931 Edgar Baerlein William Groom 6/2 1/6 4/6 6/5 6/11931 E Ratfcliff Ted Johnson 3–11932 William Groom E Ratcliff 7–11934 Lowther Lees William Groom 7–11934 Lowther Lees William Groom 7–21938 Jim Dear Lowther Lees 5–11952 Ronald Hughes Henry Johns 5–31962 Ronald Hughes David Warburg 5–11967 Frank Willis Ronald Hughes 4–3 ret.1968 Frank Willis Howard Angus 5–21970 Howard Angus Frank Willis 5–21972 Howard Angus Frank Willis 7–51975 Howard Angus Frank Willis 7–61976 Howard Angus Frank Willis 7–21979 Chris Ronaldson Howard Angus 7–0 Open era1979 Howard Angus Chris Ronaldson 3–01980 Chris Ronaldson Alan Lovell 3–01981 Chris Ronaldson Wayne Davies 3–21982 Chris Ronaldson Graham Hyland 3–21983 Chris Ronaldson Lachlan Deuchar 3–01984 Chris Ronaldson Wayne Davies 3–21985 Chris Ronaldson Wayne Davies 3–21986 Lachlan Deuchar Chris Ronaldson 3–11987 Lachlan Deuchar Wayne Davies 3–21988 Lachlan Deuchar Chris Ronaldson 3–01989 Lachlan Deuchar Chris Ronaldson 3–01990 Lachlan Deuchar Julian Snow 3–01991 Lachlan Deuchar Robert Fahey 3–21992 Julian Snow Chris Bray 3–01993 Julian Snow Robert Fahey 0–1 ret.1994 Julian Snow Lachlan Deuchar 3–11995 Robert Fahey Lachlan Deuchar 3–01996 Mike Gooding Lachlan Deuchar 3–11997 Chris Bray Robert Fahey 3–01998 Julian Snow Steve Virgona 3–21999 James Male Mike Gooding 3–12000 Robert Fahey Chris Bray 3–02001 Robert Fahey Tim Chisholm 3–12002 Tim Chisholm Robert Fahey 3–22003 Robert Fahey Ruairiadh Gunn 3–02004 Robert Fahey Ruairiadh Gunn 3–02005 Robert Fahey Ruairiadh Gunn 3–02006 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 3–02007 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 3–12008 Robert Fahey Camden Riviere 3–12009 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 3–12010 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 3–12011 Robert Fahey Bryn Sayers 3–22012 Bryn Sayers Robert Fahey 3–12013 Steve Virgona Bryn Sayers 3–22014 Camden Riviere Steve Virgona 3–22015 Steve Virgona Tim Chisholm 3–02016 Camden Riviere Chris Chapman 3–02017 Camden Riviere Bryn Sayers 3–02018 Robert Fahey Chris Chapman 3–02019 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 3–02020 Not held2021 John Lumley Ben Taylor-Matthews 3–12022 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 3–02023 Camden Riviere John Lumley 3–1 2024 Camden Riviere Nick Howell 3–1
Men's doubles
YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1971 Ronald Hughes / Norwood Cripps Howard Angus / N W Smith 3–2 1972 Frank Willis / Chris Ennis Charles Swallow / Norwood Cripps 3–0 1973 Charles Swallow / Norwood Cripps Frank Willis / Chris Ennis 3–0 1974 Charles Swallow / Norwood Cripps Frank Willis / Chris Ennis 3–0 1975 Charles Swallow / Norwood Cripps Howard Angus / David Warburg 3–2 1976 Frank Willis / David Cull Chris Ennis / Mick Dean 3–1 1977 (April) Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Frank Willis / David Cull 3–1 1977 (December) Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Frank Willis / David Cull 3–0 1978 Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–0 1979 Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–0 1980 Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Barry Toates / Frank Willis 3–0 1981 Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean Wayne Davies / Lauchlaan Deuchar 3–2 1982 Alan Lovell / Norwood Cripps Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–0 1983 Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean Colin Lumley / Lachlan Deuchar 3–1 1984 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–1 1985 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–0 1986 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Chris Ronaldson / Mick Dean 3–1 1987 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Norwood Cripps / Paul Tabley 3–1 1988 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Jonathan Howell / Kevin Sheldon 3–0 1989 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Jonathan Howell / Kevin Sheldon 3–0 1990 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Robert Fahey / Peter Meares 3–0 1991 Chris Bray / Mike Gooding Lachlan Deuchar / Paul Tabley 3–2 1992 Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies Frank Filippelli / James Male w/o 1993 Chris Bray / Mike Gooding Julian Snow / Nick Wood 3–0 1994 Chris Bray / Mike Gooding Lachlan Deuchar / Wayne Davies 3–0 1995 Robert Fahey / Frank Filippelli Chris Bray / Mike Gooding 3–2 1996 Chris Bray / Mike Happell Lachlan Deuchar / Mike Gooding 3–2 1997 James Male / Julian Snow Robert Fahey / Mike Gooding 3–0 1998 James Male / Julian Snow Ruaraidh Gunn / Steve Virgona 3–0 1999 Ruaraidh Gunn / Steve Virgona Julian Snow / James Male 3–1 2000 Chris Bray / Nick Wood Julian Snow / Tim Chisholm 3–2 2001 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Chris Bray / James Willcocks 3–0 2002 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Julian Snow / Tim Chisholm 3–1 2003 Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn Julian Snow / Adam Phillips 3–1 2004 Mike Gooding / Nick Wood Chris Bray / James Willcocks 3–0 2005 Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn Steve Virgona / David Woodman 3–0 2006 Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn Steve Virgona / Jon Dawes 3–0 2007 Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn Steve Virgona / James Willcocks 3–1 2008 Robert Fahey / James Male Nick Wood / Camden Riviere 3–1 2009 Steve Virgona / Nick Wood Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn 3–0 2010 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Tim Chisholm / Conor Medlow 3–0 2011 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Bryn Sayers / Kieran Booth 3–0 2012 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Bryn Sayers / Kieran Booth 3–0 2013 Tim Chisholm / Bryn Sayers Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona 3–2 2014 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere Robert Fahey / Bryn Sayers 3–1 2015 Steve Virgona / Chris Chapman Bryn Sayers / Ricardo Smith 3–1 2016 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere Bryn Sayers / Ricardo Smith 3–1 2017 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 3–1 2018 Robert Fahey / Nick Howell Chris Chapman / Steve Virgona 3–0 2019 Camden Riviere / John Lumley Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 3–0 2020 Not held 2021 Robert Fahey / Nick Howell Bryn Sayers / Ben Taylor-Matthews 3–0 2022 Camden Riviere / John Lumley Tim Chisholm / Bryn Sayers 3–1 2023 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 3–0 2024 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere Nick Howell / Leon Smart 3–0
References