# British Hard Court Championships

The British Hard Court Championships was a Grand Prix tennis and WTA Tour affiliated tennis tournament, played in the Open Era from 1968 to 1983 and again (albeit not named as such) from 1995 to 1999.

## History

As an amateur tournament, the inaugural edition was held in 1924 in Torquay, moving to the West Hants Tennis Club in Bournemouth, England in 1927. The tournament remained there until 1983, although the 1977 and 1979 editions were cancelled due to lack of sponsorship.
At that time, the tournament was played outdoors on red shale, which is similar to European clay but with a grittier, looser surface, thus leading to faster play. When the tournament became a fixture of the Open Era in 1968 (see below), many professional competitors from overseas, unused to the playing conditions, complained that the shale courts were wet and slippery. By the mid-1970s, however, the event had become a destination for several top European and South American clay courters: winners of the men's singles championship during those years include Ilie Năstase, Adriano Panatta, Manuel Orantes, Victor Pecci and José Higueras. This did not prevent it from being cancelled once again in 1984, which the organisers explained was due to the lack of a sponsor and the withdrawal of television coverage.
In 1995, the event was revived at Bournemouth as a women's WTA tournament but was only played there that one time; the final edition the following year was held in Cardiff, Wales. A men's ATP World Series tournament was also staged at the West Hants Club on American green clay from 1996 to 1999, before being relocated to indoor hard courts in Brighton for the 2000 edition (see Brighton International).
Bournemouth was once one of the world's major tournaments, second only to Wimbledon in England and on the same level as Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg. In the pre-war era, it was regarded as the most important event outside the four Grand Slams. Fred Perry is the record holder with five consecutive titles, from 1932 through to 1936.

## Start of Open Era

The Championships hold the distinction of being the first tennis tournament to be held in the Open Era, taking place in April 1968. It started on 22 April at 1:43 p.m. when John Clifton served and won the first point. Ken Rosewall won the men's singles title, taking home $2,400, while runner-up Rod Laver received $1,200. Virginia Wade won the women's singles title, defeating Winnie Shaw in the final, but did not take home the winner's prize of $720 as she was still an amateur at the time of the tournament. She thus became the first amateur to win a title in the Open Era. Christine Janes and her sister Nell Truman became the first winners of an open tennis event by winning the women's doubles title. The tournament was considered a success and attracted almost 30,000 visitors. The young British player Mark Cox went down in tennis history, when at the second round of the championships he became the first amateur player to beat a professional, after defeating the American Pancho Gonzales in five sets in two and a quarter hours.

## Results
### Men's singles

| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| 1924 | Randolph Lycett | Christiaan van Lennep | 6–1, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1925 | Patrick Spence | Charles Kingsley | 6–1, 6–4, 9–7 |
| 1926 | Jacques Brugnon | Bunny Austin | 7–5, 4–6, 3–6, 8–6, 6–3 |
| 1927 | René Lacoste | Patrick Spence | 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1928 | René Lacoste | Patrick Spence | 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1929 | Bunny Austin | Louis Raymond | 6–3, 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 |
| 1930 | Harry Lee | Eric Peters | 6–3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1931 | Christian Boussus | Pat Hughes | 8–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
| 1932 | Fred Perry | George Lyttleton Rogers | 4–6, 7–9, 6–3, 6–0, 6–2 |
| 1933 | Fred Perry | Bunny Austin | 2–6, 7–5, 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1934 | Fred Perry | Jack Crawford | 8–6, 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1935 | Fred Perry | Bunny Austin | 0–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1936 | Fred Perry | Bunny Austin | 6–2, 8–6, 6–3 |
| 1937 | Bunny Austin | Harry Lee | 6–2, 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1938 | Kho Sin-Kie | Bunny Austin | 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1939 | Kho Sin-Kie | Choy Wai-Chuen | 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1940–1945 | Not held (WW2) | Not held (WW2) | Not held (WW2) |
| 1946 | Jack E. Harper | Derrick W. Barton | 7–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1947 | Eric Sturgess | Ignacy Tłoczyński | 11–9, 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1948 | Eric Sturgess | Ignacy Tłoczyński | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1949 | Pedro Masip | Henri Cochet | 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 9–7 |
| 1950 | Jaroslav Drobný | Geoff Brown | 7–5, 6–0, 6–4 |
| 1951 | Jaroslav Drobný | Felicisimo Ampon | 6–4, 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1952 | Jaroslav Drobný | Frank Sedgman | 6–2, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 |
| 1953 | Enrique Morea | Felicisimo Ampon | 6–3, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1954 | Tony Mottram | Geoffrey Paish | 6–4, 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1955 | Sven Davidson | Roger Becker | 11–9, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1956 | Budge Patty | Ham Richardson | 1–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1957 | Jaroslav Drobný | Lew Hoad | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1958 | William Knight | Giuseppe Merlo | 5–7, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1959 | Lew Gerrard | William Knight | 3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 7–5, 9–7 |
| 1960 | Mike Davies | William Knight | 6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1961 | Roy Emerson | Rod Laver | 8–6, 6–4, 6–0 |
| 1962 | Rod Laver | Ian Crookenden | 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1963 | William Knight | Martin Mulligan | 5–7, 6–3, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1964 | William Knight | Cliff Drysdale | 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 5–7, 7–5 |
| 1965 | Jan-Erik Lundqvist | Cliff Drysdale | 3–6, 6–4, 8–6, 6–1 |
| 1966 | Ken Fletcher | Tom Okker | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 1967 | Jan-Erik Lundqvist | Bob Hewitt | 6–1, 6–8, 6–3, 6–2 |
| ↓ Open era ↓ ||||
| 1968 | Ken Rosewall | Rod Laver | 3–6, 6–2, 6–0, 6–3 |
| 1969 | John Newcombe | Bob Hewitt | 6–8, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1970 | Mark Cox | Bob Hewitt | 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1971 | Gerald Battrick | Željko Franulović | 6–3, 6–2, 5–7, 6–0 |
| 1972 | Bob Hewitt | Pierre Barthès | 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1973 | Adriano Panatta | Ilie Năstase | 6–8, 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1974 | Ilie Năstase | Paolo Bertolucci | 6–1, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1975 | Manuel Orantes | Patrick Proisy | 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 |
| 1976 | Wojciech Fibak | Manuel Orantes | 6–2, 7–9, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1977 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1978 | José Higueras | Paolo Bertolucci | 6–2, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1979 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1980 | Ángel Giménez | Shlomo Glickstein | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1981 | Víctor Pecci | Balázs Taróczy | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1982 | Manuel Orantes | Ángel Giménez | 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1983 | José Higueras | Tomáš Šmíd | 2–6, 7–6, 7–5 |
| 1984–1995 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1996 | Albert Costa | Marc-Kevin Goellner | 6–7, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1997 | Félix Mantilla | Carlos Moyá | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1998 | Félix Mantilla | Albert Costa | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1999 | Adrian Voinea | Stefan Koubek | 1–6, 7–5, 7–6 |

### Women's singles

| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| 1924 | Elizabeth Ryan | Geraldine Beamish | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1925 | Elizabeth Ryan | Joan Fry | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1926 | Joan Fry | Phoebe Holcroft Watson | 6–1, 7–9, 6–1 |
| 1927 | Betty Nuthall | Edith Clarke | 8–6, 6–2 |
| 1928 | Elsie Goldsack | Joan Ridley | 8–6, 6–3 |
| 1929 | Bobby Heine | Joan Ridley | 6–4, 3–6, 8–6 |
| 1930 | Joan Fry | Madge List | 6–1, 2–6, 6–2 |
| 1931 | Simonne Mathieu | Mary Heeley | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1932 | Simonne Mathieu | Dorothy Round | 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1933 | Dorothy Round | Helen Jacobs | 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1934 | Dorothy Round | Peggy Scriven | 6–2, 2–6, 8–6 |
| 1935 | Kay Stammers | Peggy Scriven | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1936 | Kay Stammers | Anita Lizana | 7–5, 7–5 |
| 1937 | Anita Lizana | Peggy Scriven | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1938 | Peggy Scriven | Nancye Wynne | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1939 | Kay Stammers | Anita Ellis | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1940–1945 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1946 | Jean Bostock | Kay Menzies | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1947 | Nancye Bolton | Joan Curry | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1948 | Betty Hilton | Pamela Bocquet | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1949 | Joan Curry | Jean Quertier | 3–6, 7–5, 7–5 |
| 1950 | Joan Curry | Mary Terán de Weiss | 8–6, 8–6 |
| 1951 | Doris Hart | Jean Walker-Smith | 6–4, 8–6 |
| 1952 | Doris Hart | Shirley Fry | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1953 | Doris Hart | Shirley Fry | 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1954 | Doris Hart | Joy Mottram | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1955 | Angela Mortimer | Angela Buxton | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1956 | Angela Mortimer | Shirley Bloomer | 7–5, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 1957 | Shirley Bloomer | Patricia Ward | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1958 | Shirley Bloomer | Ann Haydon | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1959 | Angela Mortimer | Christine Truman | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1960 | Christine Truman | Ann Haydon | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Angela Mortimer | Deidre Catt | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1962 | Renée Schuurman | Angela Mortimer | 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1963 | Ann Haydon-Jones | Norma Baylon | 6–0, 1–6, 9–7 |
| 1964 | Ann Haydon-Jones | Jan Lehane | 6–2, 12–10 |
| 1965 | Ann Haydon-Jones | Annette Van Zyl | 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1966 | Ann Haydon-Jones | Virginia Wade | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1967 | Virginia Wade | Ann Haydon-Jones | 6–1, 10–8 |
| ↓ Open era ↓ ||||
| 1968 | Virginia Wade | Winnie Shaw | 6–4, 6–1 |
| 1969 | Margaret Court | Winnie Shaw | 5–7, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1970 | Margaret Court | Virginia Wade | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1971 | Margaret Court | Evonne Goolagong | 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1972 | Evonne Goolagong | Helga Niessen Masthoff | 6–0, 6–4 |
| 1973 | Virginia Wade | Evonne Goolagong | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1974 | Virginia Wade | Julie Heldman | 6–1, 3–6, 6–1 |
| 1975 | Janet Newberry | Terry Holladay | 7–9, 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1976 | Helga Masthoff | Sue Barker | 5–7, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1977–1994 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1995 | Ludmila Richterová | Patricia Hy-Boulais | 6–7, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1996 | Dominique Van Roost | Laurence Courtois | 6–4, 6–2 |

### Men's doubles

| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| 1968 | Roy Emerson Rod Laver | Andrés Gimeno Pancho Gonzales | 8–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1969 | Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan | Jean-Claude Barclay Bobby Wilson | 6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 9–7 |
| 1970 | Tom Okker Tony Roche | William Bowrey Owen Davidson | 2–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1971 | William Bowrey Owen Davidson | Patricio Cornejo Jaime Fillol | 8–6, 6–2, 3–6, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 1972 | Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan | Ilie Năstase Ion Țiriac | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1973 | Juan Gisbert Sr. Ilie Năstase | Adriano Panatta Ion Țiriac | 6–4, 8–6 |
| 1974 | Juan Gisbert Sr. Ilie Năstase | Corrado Barazzutti Paolo Bertolucci | 6–4, 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1975 | Juan Gisbert Sr. Manuel Orantes | Syd Ball Dick Crealy | 8–6, 6–3 |
| 1976 | Wojciech Fibak Fred McNair | Juan Gisbert Sr. Manuel Orantes | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5 |
| 1977 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1978 | Louk Sanders Rolf Thung | David Carter Rod Frawley | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1979 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1980 | Eddie Edwards Craig Edwards | Andrew Jarrett Jonathan Smith | 6–3, 6–7, 8–6 |
| 1981 | Ricardo Cano Víctor Pecci | Buster Mottram Tomáš Šmíd | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1982 | Paul McNamee Buster Mottram | Henri Leconte Ilie Năstase | 3–6, 7–6, 6–3 |
| 1983 | Tomáš Šmíd Sherwood Stewart | Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy | 7–6, 7–5 |

### Women's doubles

| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| 1968 | Christine Truman Janes Nell Truman | Fay Toyne-Moore Annette du Plooy | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1969 | Margaret Court Judy Tegart | Ada Bakker Marijke Schaar | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1970 | Margaret Court Judy Tegart | Rosie Casals Billie Jean King | 6–2, 6–8, 7–5 |
| 1971 | Mary-Ann Eisel Françoise Dürr | Margaret Court Evonne Goolagong | 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 |
| 1972 | Evonne Goolagong Helen Gourlay | Brenda Kirk Betty Stöve | 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1973 | Patricia Coleman Wendy Turnbull | Evonne Goolagong Janet Young | 7–5, 7–5 |
| 1974 | Julie Heldman Virginia Wade | Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1975 | Lesley Charles Sue Mappin | Delina Ann Boshoff Greer Stevens | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1976 | Delina Ann Boshoff Ilana Kloss | Lesley Charles Sue Mappin | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1977–1994 | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1995 | Mariaan de Swardt Ruxandra Dragomir | Kerry-Anne Guse Patricia Hy-Boulais | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1996 | Katrina Adams Mariaan de Swardt | Els Callens Laurence Courtois | 6–0, 6–4 |

## Records
### Men's singles

* Most titles: Fred Perry, 5
* Most consecutive titles: Fred Perry, 5
* Most finals: Bunny Austin, 7
* Most consecutive finals: Fred Perry, 5
* Most matches played: William Knight, 55
* Most matches won: William Knight, 44
* Most consecutive match wins: Fred Perry, 25
* Most editions played: Tony Pickard, 16
* Best match winning %: Kho Sin-Kie 100.00%
* Longest final: John Newcombe v Bob Hewitt, result: 6–8, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4, 55 games, 1969
* Shortest final: Manuel Orantes v Ángel Giménez, result: 6–2, 6–0, 14 games, 1982
* Title with the fewest games lost: Ken Fletcher, 21, 1966
* Oldest champion: Randolph Lycett, 37y 7m and 26d, 1924
* Youngest champion: Lew Gerrard, 21y 0m and 15d, 1959
Source:The Tennis Base.