British Covered Court Championships

British Covered Court Championships
British Covered Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	Grand Prix circuit (1970–1971)
Founded	1885
Abolished	1971
Editions	72
Location	London, England
Venue	Hyde Park (1885–1894); Queen's Club (1895–1971)
Surface	Wood / indoor

Last updated December 01, 2024

The British Covered Court Championships (BCCC) was an indoor tennis event held from 1885 through 1971 and played in London, England. The tournament dates fluctuated between October and March.

History

For its first five years the tournament was held at the Hyde Park Lawn Tennis Club in Porchester Square, London and consisted only of a men's singles competition. In 1890, when it was decided to add a women's singles and men's doubles competition, the tournament moved to the Queen's Club in London, although the men's singles remained at Hyde Park until 1895.^[1] The mixed doubles event was added to the championships in 1898.^[2] A third court was added to the championships in 1912, and, like the original two courts, it had a wooden surface.^[3] In 1923, the Challenge Round system, allowing the champion to skip next year's competition and only play the winner of that competition, was abolished.^[4] In 1925, the tournament was merged with the London Covered Court Championships.^[5] The women's doubles event was added to the tournament in 1934 and renamed to The National Covered Court Championships.^[6] From its inception, it grew into an important event through the first half of the 20th century, but by the late 1950s, its stature had diminished greatly and in 1966, they couldn't find a sponsor. In 1968, the BCCC became part of the first Dewar Cup circuit, but that was its final year at Queens Club.^[7] In 1969, it merged with the Wembley Championship while continuing to be called the British Covered Court Championships, and it was an official ILTF Grand Prix event in 1970 and 1971. With several top players who were part of the World Championship Tennis circuit barred from competition in 1972 and no sponsors to be found, the tournament was discontinued.^[7]

Frenchman Jean Borotra is the male record holder with eleven singles titles and British Dorothea Douglass Chambers holds the record for women with seven singles titles.

Champions

Men's singles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score	Surface
1885	Herbert Lawford	Charles Ross	7–5, 6–3, 6–0	Wood
1886	Teddy Williams	Herbert Lawford	6–2, 1–6, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1887	Ernest Lewis	Teddy Williams	6–2, 6–2, 6–1	Wood
1888	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–3, 6–0, 6–1	Wood
1889	Ernest Lewis	James Crispe	6–1, 6–1, 6–1	Wood
1890	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–2, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1891	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–4, 8–6, 6–3	Wood
1892	Ernest George Meers	Ernest Lewis	6–3, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2	Wood
1893	Harold Mahony	Ernest George Meers	6–2, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1894	Harold Mahony	Ernest George Meers	6–4, 6–4, 6–3	Wood
1895	Ernest Lewis	Harold Mahony	walkover	Wood
1896	Ernest Lewis	Wilberforce Eaves	6–4, 6–1, 6–8, 4–6, 7–5	Wood
1897	Wilberforce Eaves	Ernest Lewis	6–3, 6–3, 7–5	Wood
1898	Wilberforce Eaves	Laurence Doherty	6–4, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1899	Wilberforce Eaves	Harold Mahony	6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4	Wood
1900	Arthur Gore	Major Ritchie	6–1, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1901	Laurence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–3, 6–1, 6–1	Wood
1902	Laurence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3	Wood
1903	Laurence Doherty	George Hillyard	6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1904	Laurence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–2, 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3	Wood
1905	Laurence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–1, 8–6, 6–2	Wood
1906	Laurence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–2, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1907	Anthony Wilding	Laurence Doherty	walkover	Wood
1908	Arthur Gore	Anthony Wilding	4–6, 8–6, 6–0, 8–6	Wood
1909	Major Ritchie	Arthur Gore	7–5, 8–6, 6–3	Wood
1910	Gordon Lowe	Arthur Lowe	6–4, 6–0, 6–1	Wood
1911	André Gobert	Gordon Lowe	6–3, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1912	André Gobert	Anthony Wilding	3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1913	Percival Davson	Erik Larsen	5–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1914	Major Ritchie	Percival Davson	8–6, 6–3, 6–1	Wood
1915–1918	Not held (due to World War I)
1919	Percival Davson	Major Ritchie	6–2, 6–3, 8–6	Wood
1920	André Gobert	Percival Davson	6–4, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1921	André Gobert	Walter Crawley	6–2, 6–4, 4–6, 0–6, 7–5	Wood
1922	André Gobert	Brian I. C. Norton	4–6, 6–1, 6–8, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1923	John D. Wheatley	Hassan Ali Fyzee	1–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1924	Patrick Spence	John D. Wheatley	6–2, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1	Wood
1925	Sydney Jacob ^[8]	Patrick Spence	3–6, 7–5, 6–0, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1926	Jean Borotra	Donald Greig	6–3, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1927	Edward Higgs	Gordon Crole Rees	6–4, 6–3, 6–4	Wood
1928	Jean Borotra	Gordon Crole Rees	4–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3	Wood
1929	Jean Borotra	Nigel Sharpe	7–5, 6–2, 6–2	Wood
1930	Jean Borotra	Henry Austin	6–1, 0–6, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1931	Jean Borotra	Jiro Satoh	10–8, 6–3, 0–6, 6–3	Wood
1932	Jean Borotra	Harry Lee	6–2, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1933 ^[9]	Jean Borotra	Henry Austin	6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4	Wood
1934	Henry Austin	Jean Borotra	6–2, 4–6, 6–0, 6–8, 6–2	Wood
1935	Jean Borotra	Nigel Sharpe	6–0, 6–2, 6–0	Wood
1936	Karl Schröder	Jean Borotra	8–6, 6–1, 9–7	Wood
1937	Henry Austin	Karl Schröder	6–2, 3–6, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1938	Jean Borotra	Donald Butler	6–0, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1939–1946	Not held (due to World War II)
1947	Ivo Rinkel	Ernest Wittman	3–6, 7–5, 7–5	Wood
1948	Jean Borotra	Geoffrey Paish	6–3, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1949	Jean Borotra	Geoffrey Paish	6–4, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1950	Jaroslav Drobný	Geoffrey Paish	6–3, 6–2, 6–0	Wood
1951	Geoffrey Paish	Ignacy Tłoczyński	6–4, 6–4, 6–1	Wood
1952	Jaroslav Drobný	Tony Mottram	6–3, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1953	Jaroslav Drobný	Robert Wilson	6–2, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1954	Jaroslav Drobný	Władysław Skonecki	7–5, 7–5, 7–9, 6–4	Wood
1955	Władysław Skonecki	William Knight	5–7, 7–5, 6–4, 9–7	Wood
1956	Alfred Huber	Geoffrey Paish	7–5, 7–5, 7–9, 6–4	Wood
1957	Not held
1958	Mike Davies	Owen Davidson	5–7, 6–1, 6–2, 6–2	Wood
1959	Robert Wilson	Kurt Nielsen	6–3, 8–6, 6–2	Wood
1960	William Knight	Robert Wilson	6–3, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1961	Anthony Pickard	Manuel Santana	6–1, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1962	Robert Wilson	William Knight	3–6, 6–3, 8–6, 2–6, 6–2	Wood
1963	Robert Wilson	Roger Taylor	16–14, 6–2, 9–7	Wood
1964	Mike Sangster	Robert Wilson	6–3, 8–6, 6–4	Wood
1965	Robert Wilson	Mark Cox	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4	Wood
1966–1967	Not held
Open era
1968	Bob Hewitt	Bob Lutz	4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 10–8	Wood
1969	Rod Laver	Tony Roche	6–4, 6–1, 6–3	Carpet
1970	Rod Laver	Cliff Richey	6–3, 6–4, 7–5	Carpet
1971	Ilie Năstase	Rod Laver	3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4	Carpet

Women's singles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score	Surface
1890	May Jacks	Maud Shackle	6–0, 6–1	Wood
1891	Maud Shackle	May Jacks	7–5, 6–2	Wood
1892	Maud Shackle	May Arbuthnot	6–3, 3–6, 6–2	Wood
1893	Maud Shackle	May Arbuthnot	6–2, 1–6, 7–5	Wood
1894	Edith Austin	May Arbuthnot	2–6, 6–4, 7–5	Wood
1895	Charlotte Cooper	Edith Austin	6–4, 3–6, 6–1	Wood
1896	Edith Austin	Charlotte Cooper	6–2, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1897	Edith Austin	Ruth Dyas	9–11, 6–4, 12–10	Wood
1898	Edith Austin	Ruth Pennington-Legh	6–3, 2–6, 6–2	Wood
1899	Edith Austin	Charlotte Cooper	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1900	Toupie Lowther	Edith Austin Greville	2–6, 7–5, 6–4	Wood
1901	Blanche Bingley Hillyard	Toupie Lowther	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1902	Toupie Lowther	Gladys Duddell	6–3, 6–1	Wood
1903	Toupie Lowther	Adine Masson	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1904	Dorothea Douglass	Edith Austin Greville	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1905	Hilda Lane	Gladys Eastlake Smith	6–4, 8–6	Wood
1906	Dorothea Douglass	Hilda Lane	6–2, 6–0	Wood
1907	Gladys Eastlake Smith	Mildred Coles	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1908	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Gladys Eastlake Smith	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1909	Dora Boothby	Madeline O'Neill	6–1, 6–3	Wood
1910	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Madeline O'Neill	6–4, 6–3	Wood
1911	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Helen Aitchison	6–3, 6–1	Wood
1912	Dorothy Holman	Aurea Edgington	6–2, 6–0	Wood
1913	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Dorothy Holman	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1914	Dorothy Holman	Madeline O'Neill	7–9, 6–1, 6–2	Wood
1915–1918	Not held
1919	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Dorothy Holman	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1920	Elizabeth Ryan	Doris Craddock	6–4, 6–2	Wood
1921	Dorothy Holman	Irene Bowder Peacock	6–1, 3–6, 6–4	Wood
1922	Dorothy Holman	Doris Craddock	6–2, 6–1	Wood
1923	Mabel Davey Clayton	Aurea Edgington	6–3, 6–2	Wood
1924	Geraldine Beamish	Doris Craddock	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1925	Joan Reid-Thomas	Blanche Colston	6–2, 7–5	Wood
1926	Peggy Saunders	Betty Dix	6–4, 6–2	Wood
1927	Eileen Bennett	Cristobel Hardie	6–4, 6–0	Wood
1928	Kathleen McKane Godfree	Eileen Bennett	6–1, 6–2	Wood
1929	Peggy Saunders Michell	Joan Ridley	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1930	Joan Ridley	Joan Fry	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1931	Mary Heeley	Jeanette Morfey	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1932	Peggy Scriven	Kay Stammers	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1933	Phyllis King	Kay Stammers	10–12, 6–1, 6–3	Wood
1934	Phyllis King	Mary Hardwick	6–3, 4–6, 6–2	Wood
1935	Peggy Scriven	Ermyntrude Harvey	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1936	Anita Lizana	Mary Hardwick	6–3, 6–0	Wood
1937	Peggy Scriven	Phyllis King	6–1, 6–2	Wood
1938	Peggy Scriven	Alexandra McOstrich McKelvie	6–3, 4–6, 6–1	Wood
1939–1947	Not held
1948	Gem Hoahing	Joan Curry	1–6, 6–3, 7–5	Wood
1949	Joan Curry	Jean Quertier	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1950	Jean Quertier	Joan Curry	3–6, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1951	Susan Partridge	Jean Walker-Smith	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1952	Angela Mortimer	Susan Partridge	6–3, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1953	Angela Mortimer	Georgie Woodgate	6–3, 6–2	Wood
1954	Angela Mortimer	Shirley Bloomer	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1955	Anne Shilcock	Pat Ward	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1956	Angela Buxton	Anne Shilcock	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1957	Not held
1958	Anne Shilcock	Christine Truman	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1959	Angela Mortimer	Pat Ward	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1960	Angela Mortimer	Ann Haydon	7–5, retired	Wood
1961	Angela Mortimer	Christine Truman	2–6, 6–1, 6–4	Wood
1962	Ann Haydon	Christine Truman	6–4, 4–6, 9–7	Wood
1963	Deidre Catt	Renée Schuurman	4–6, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1964	Ann Haydon-Jones	Fay Toyne	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1965	Ann Haydon-Jones	Fay Toyne	6–2, 6–1	Wood
1966–1967	Not held
Open era
1968	Margaret Court	Virginia Wade	10–8, 6–1	Wood
1969	Ann Haydon-Jones	Billie Jean King	9–11, 6–2, 9–7	Carpet
1970	Billie Jean King	Ann Haydon-Jones	8–6, 3–6, 6–1	Carpet
1971	Billie Jean King	Françoise Dürr	6–1, 5–7, 7–5	Carpet

Records

Men's singles

Source: ^[10]

Most titles: Jean Borotra, 11
Most consecutive titles: Jean Borotra, 6
Most finals: Jean Borotra, 13
Most consecutive finals: Jean Borotra, 9
Most matches played: Major Ritchie, 83
Most matches won: Jean Borotra, (67)
Most consecutive match wins: Jean Borotra, 35
Most editions played: Major Ritchie, 30
Best match winning %: André Gobert 94.12%
Longest final: Laurence Doherty v Major Ritchie, result: 6–2, 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3, 57 games, 1904
Shortest final: Jean Borotra v Nigel Sharpe, result: 6–0, 6–2, 6–0, 20 games, 1935
Title won with the fewest games lost, Ernest Wool Lewis, 22, 1887
Oldest champion: Jean Borotra, 51y 1m and 28d, 1949
Youngest champion: Edward Lake Williams, 19y 9m and 12d, 1886

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References

↑ McKelvie, Roy (1986). The Queen's Club Story, 1886-1986. London: Stanley Paul. p. 35. ISBN 0091660602.
↑ McKelvie, p.36
↑ McKelvie, pp.41,42
↑ McKelvie, p.113
↑ McKelvie, p.114
↑ McKelvie, p.117
1 2 Max Robertson, ed. (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis: 100 Years of Great Players and Events. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 209, 210. ISBN 0047960426.
↑ "Jacob Family History". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
↑ "Borotra's Tactics". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 127, 25 November 1933. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
↑ "British Covered Court Championships Tournament Records". thetennisbase.com. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 25 November 2017.

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[1] McKelvie, Roy (1986). The Queen's Club Story, 1886-1986. London: Stanley Paul. p. 35. ISBN 0091660602.

[2] McKelvie, p.36

[3] McKelvie, pp.41,42

[4] McKelvie, p.113

[5] McKelvie, p.114

[6] McKelvie, p.117

[robertson-7] 1 2 Max Robertson, ed. (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis: 100 Years of Great Players and Events. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 209, 210. ISBN 0047960426.

[8] "Jacob Family History". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-01-04.

[9] "Borotra's Tactics". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 127, 25 November 1933. Retrieved 19 September 2016.

[10] "British Covered Court Championships Tournament Records". thetennisbase.com. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 25 November 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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[10]

v t e Men's tennis seasons
Seasons & ILTF Circuit	1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
ILTF Independent Tour ITF Independent Tour	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
National Tennis League	1968 1969
World Championship Tennis	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978–81: not held 1982 1983 1984
ILTF Grand Prix ITF Grand Prix	1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
ATP Tour	1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

British Covered Court Championships

Contents

History

Champions

Men's singles

Women's singles

Records

Men's singles

See also

Related Research Articles

References