Galashiels Open

Galashiels Open Galashiels Championship
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	SLTA Circuit (1895-1912) ILTF Circuit (1913-1920)
Founded	1884;141 years ago (1884)
Abolished	1920;105 years ago (1920)
Location	Galashiels Scotland
Venue	Mossilee Cricket Ground
Surface	Grass

The Galashiels Open ^[1] was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1884 early editions of the singles events were called the Galashiels Championship. It was organised by Gala Lawn Tennis Club, and played at the Mossilee Cricket Ground, Galashiels Scotland through till 1920 when it was discontinued as a stand-alone event.

History

The first Gala Lawn Tennis Club was founded in 1884. ^{[1] [2]} That year it held the first Galashiels Open tournament, ^[3] that featured three events men's singles and doubles and a mixed doubles event. ^[1] In 1886 the event featured Wimbledon player George Kerr. ^[4] The tournament organised by the Gala Club was usually played at the Galashiels Cricket Club Mossilee Cricket Ground. In 1895 the tournament was held in conjunction with the first Border Lawn Tennis Championships (1895–1965) until the early 1900s. That tournament moved to be played on cinder courts (clay) at Langhaugh Gardens, Galashiels circa. 1905. ^[5] The tournament continued till around 1920. ^[6]

Finals

Men's singles

(Incomplete roll)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1884	Alfred Aitken Thomson	S.C. Knott	6–5, 6–1, 6–2. [1]
1886	Arthur John Neville Story	George Kerr [7]	7–9, 6–4, 6–2, 7–9, 6–0. [1]
1887	Richard Millar Watson	James Hill Conyers	6–3, 6–1, 6–1. [1]

Men's doubles

(Incomplete roll)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1884	E.M. Inglis S.C. Knott	Alex Buchanan Forrester John Thomson	3–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–9, 6–4. [1]
1887	Arthur John Neville Story Richard Millar Watson	Kenneth Sanderson James Hill Conyers	6–4, 6–3, 6–4. [1]

Mixed doubles

(Incomplete roll)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1884	Alfred Aitken Thomson Miss. Ness	W. Smith Miss Ash	6–3, 3–6, 6–4. [1]

See also

• Galashiels
• Tennis in Scotland

References

1. "Tournaments: Galashiels Open" . The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
2. "Gala Tennis Club: Third Annual Galshiels Open tournament will be held on the new ground at Langshaw, Galashiels, Thursday to Saturday 18th to 18th July" . Southern Reporter. Selkerkshire, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 16 June 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
3. Southern Reporter
4. "G. Kerr (GBR) - Gentlemen's Singles (1885)" (PDF). Wimbledon. AELTC. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
5. "LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT GALASHIELS. Play was continued in the annual tournament of the Border Counties Tennis Association at Langhaugh Cinder Courts, Galashiels, yesterday" . Edinburgh Evening News. Midlothian, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 15 July 1905. p. 7. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
6. "Lawn Tennis Fixtures: Galashiels Open Lawn Tennis Tournament" . The Scotsman. Midlothian, Scotland: British Newspaper Archive. 23 June 1920. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
7. AELTC