Finals
Men's singles
- Incomplete Roll: [7]
Women's singles
- Incomplete Roll:
| Sussex Championships | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Tour | LTA Circuit (1889-1912) ILTF World Circuit (1913-1968) ILTF Independent Circuit (1970-1980) |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Abolished | 1980 |
| Editions | 78 |
| Location | Brighton, East Sussex, England (1889-1926) West Worthing, West Sussex, England (1972-1980) |
| Surface | Grass |
The Sussex Championships or Sussex County Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament that were first staged in 1889. By 1972 it was known as the Sussex Tennis Open Championships. [1] The championships were first held in Brighton, East Sussex, England then moved to West Worthing, West Sussex, England and ran only until 1980.
The tournament is no longer a senior level international tour event, but is still staged today as a closed county tournament to British players only. [2]
A Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament was a brief tennis tournament consisting of a spring tournament usually held in April and another held in autumn usually September. [3] It was originally played on outdoor asphalt courts at Brighton and Hove Rink, England with the exception of the 1884 event that was played on grass courts. In 1882 the organisers staged the spring event. also played on asphalt courts, but for only two editions. there was just four editions of this event but did feature two future Wimbledon Men's singles champions the Renshaw twins it ran until 1885 then was abolished. In 1889 the event was revived as a grass court tournament called the Sussex Championships that was held at Hove County Cricket Ground.
The Sussex Championships was a very successful tournament in the years up to World War I, and was the second largest of the South of England meetings. [4] The September tournament (otherwise called the Autumn Tournament), even when held in August, just before the South of England Championships was the main draw event on the Sussex calendar for many years. [5] In 1911 it became a two-week competition. Many of the leading players of the day took part in the championships. Following the First World War for some unknown reason, the event failed to gain the longevity it needed to keep the success going, unlike the South of England tournament, rescheduling of the event may have been the cause of its early demise.
Following the start of the open era the Sussex Championships were revived, but this time played at a new location in West Worthing. By 1972 it was known as the Sussex Tennis Open Championships. [6] The championships continued as a two-week tournament until 1978. The tournament continued up to 1980 when it was abolished for the final time as a senior tour level event. It was a featured county level event on the Mens Amateur Tour (1877-1912), the Women Amateur Tour (1877-1912), the ILTF Mens Amateur Tour (1913-1967) and the ILTF Women's Amateur Tour (1913-1967).
The 1878 men's tennis season was composed of the third annual pre-open era tour. It now incorporated 15 tournaments staged in Great Britain and Ireland the Wimbledon championships was won by challenger Patrick Francis Hadow defeating the defending champion Spencer Gore.
The 1880 men's tennis season was the fifth amateur tennis tour held that year. It now incorporated 44 tournaments staged in Australia, Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. The 1880 Wimbledon Championships was won by John Hartley against Herbert Lawford, in the Challenge Round.
The 1881 men's tennis season was composed of the sixth annual pre-open era tour now incorporated 73 tournaments staged in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States. The 1881 Wimbledon Championships was won by William Renshaw. This year also saw the inaugural and important 1881 U.S. National Championships held at Newport Casino which Richard Sears won. This was also the year that the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, which is the world's first national tennis association, was founded. Renshaw then won two other big tournaments of the year, the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and Princes Club Championships, whilst Richard Taswell Richardson won the prestigious Northern Championships.
The 1882 men's tennis season was composed of the seventh annual tennis season and now incorporated 72 events. The Wimbledon Championships and Irish Championships was won by William Renshaw, the U.S. National Championships was won by Richard Sears collecting his second title other big winners were Richard Taswell Richardson picking up the Northern Lawn Tennis Championships and Ernest Renshaw winning the Princes Club Championships, The title leader this season was Robert W. Braddell winning 4 tournaments from 6 finals.
The 1883 men's tennis season was the eighth annual tennis season, consisting of 71 tournaments. The Wimbledon Championships was won by William Renshaw for the third consecutive year, while Richard Sears continued his dominance at the U.S. National Championships also winning a third successive title. Other big winners this season were Ernest Renshaw, picking up the Irish Championships, Herbert Wilberforce winning the Northern Lawn Tennis Championships in Manchester, and Herbert Lawford collecting his second and final title at the Princes Club Championships. The title leader this season was Charles Walder Grinstead winning 5 tournaments from 6 finals.
The Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament was an early men's tennis tournament held from 1880 to 1885. It consisted of a spring tournament usually held in April and another held in autumn usually September. It was a forerunner event for the later Sussex Championships formally called the Sussex County Championships that were first staged in 1889 and are still being staged today.
The 1884 men's tennis season was the ninth annual tennis season consisting of 70 tournaments. The season began in April in Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon and ended in December in Melbourne, Australia.
The Midland Counties Championships also known as the Midland International was a grass court tennis tournament held at Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Great Britain from 1881 to 1977.
The 1885 men's tennis season was the tenth annual tennis tour, consisting of 119 tournaments it began at the beginning of the year on 1 January New York City, United States and ended 11 November in Singapore, British Malaya.
The Essex County Cricket Club Tournament was an early men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held initially at Knighton, Essex in England in 1879 and finally at Leyton in 1888.
The 1886 men's tennis season was composed of the eleventh annual pre-open era tennis circuit incorporating 135 tournaments. The season began in March in Auckland, New Zealand and ended in December in Napier, New Zealand.
The men's tennis season was composed of the twelfth annual pre-open era tennis circuit incorporating 126 tournaments.
The Brighton Lawn Tennis Club Tournament was an early men's tennis tournament held from 1880 through 1885.
The Exmouth Open, originally called the Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club Tournament or simply Exmouth Tournament, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1880. From 1890 the event was known as the Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament. It was hosted by the Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Exmouth, Devon, Great Britain until 1927. It was then hosted by the newly founded Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club until it was abolished as a senior tour event in 1975.
The Woodford Parish Championship was an early Victorian era men's grass court tennis tournament usually staged in the first week of July annually. It first established in 1880 at Woodford Parish, Essex, England which ran for only four editions until 1883.
Charles Gladstone Allen was a British tennis player in the early years of Wimbledon. He was an all comers finalist at 1896 Wimbledon Championships in men's doubles event partnering with his brother Roy Allen, where the lost to Reginald Doherty and Harold Nisbet. He was active from 1887 to 1914 and contested 17 career finals in singles and won 8 titles.
The East Grinstead Open was a combined grass court tennis tournament held at the East Grinstead Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club(f.1882), East Grinstead, West Sussex, England from 1882 to 1939.
The Leamington Open Tournament, also known as the Leamington Lawn Tennis Club Tournament, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England from 1882 to 1931 as part of the pre-open era tennis tour. It was founded on 1 August 1882 as the Royal Leamington Lawn Tennis Tournament.
The Bedford Open also known as the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament was men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Bedfordshire LTC Tournament. It was held at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club, Bedford, Berkshire, England and ran through until 1974 when it was abolished.
The Shanklin Open was men's and women's grass and hard court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Shanklin LTC Tournament. It held Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England and ran through until 1939 when it was abolished.