# Western India Championships

The Western India Championships also known as the Western India Tennis Championships, was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1888 as the Bombay Gymkhana Club Open Tournament. The championships were played at the Gymkhana Club grounds, in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. The championships ran until 1980 before they were discontinued.

## History

Tennis was introduced to India in the 1880s by British Army and Civilian Officers. In 1888 the Western India Championships were founded as the Bombay Gymkhana Club Tournament and played at the Bombay Gymkhana Club, Bombay, Maharashtra, India. In 1900 the tournament became known as the Western India Tournament, and in 1912 it was officially named the West India Championships. The championships were staged until 1980 when they were abolished.
In 1947, 1955 and 1959 this tournament was held in conjunction with the All India Hard Court Championships. It was also held jointly with the Cricket Club of India tournament for 1970 and 1975.

## Finals
### Men's singles

(incomplete roll).
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
| Bombay Gymkhana Club Tournament ||||
| 1888 | Francis Reid Ward | T.C. Sangster | 2–6, 6–5, 6–3 |
| 1889 | Alfred Bruce Sangster | Arthur Knapp Oliver | 6–1, 5–6, 6–4 |
| 1890 | Eustace Ferrers Nicholson | Arthur Elliott Barton | 6–5, 6–5, 6–4 |
| 1891 | Eustace Ferrers Nicholson (2) | Arthur Elliott Barton | 6–4, 3–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1892 | Captain C.S. Smith | Pelham George von Donop | 8–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
| 1894 | Captain C.S. Smith (2) | Robert Montagu Poore | 6–3, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1897 | Herbert E. Cheetham | Captain John Glennie Greig | 6-5, 6-2 |
| 1898 | Captain John Glennie Greig | Herbert E. Cheetham | 6-5, 6-3 |
| 1899 | Arthur Cyril Ransome | Percy F. Fisher | 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Western India Tournament ||||
| 1900 | Percy F. Fisher | W. Reid | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 1902 | Francis J. Marshall | W. Reid | 6–5, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1903 | W. Reid | Herbert E. Cheetham | 6–1, 6–3, 6–0 |
| 1904 | W. Reid (2) | Ralph Kidd | 6–0, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1905 | Herbert E. Cheetham (2) | Ralph Kidd | ? |
| 1906 | John C. S. Rendall | Herbert E. Cheetham | 6-3, 6-1 |
| 1907 | W. Reid (3) | T.C. Lucas | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1909 | J. Stuart Milne | A.H. Glendenning | 6-5, 6-3 |
| 1910 | Richard Dubourdieu | W. Reid | ? |
| 1911 | F.R.R. Brooke | J. Stuart Milne | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1912 | Hassan Ali Fyzee | Captain J.T. Lucas | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 1913 | Richard Dubourdieu (2) | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1914 | Hassan Ali Fyzee | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | 6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1915 | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | N.F. Naoroji | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1916 | Udupi D. Ranga Rao (2) | Zenzo Shimidzu | 0–6, 6–0, 6–1 |
| 1917 | Udupi D. Ranga Rao (3) | Hassan Ali Fyzee | 6-3, 6-0 |
| 1918 | Zenzo Shimidzu | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | 6-4, 6-1 |
| 1919 | John C. S. Rendall | Zenzo Shimidzu | 10–8, 4–6, 6–2, 9–7 |
| 1920 | Udupi D. Ranga Rao (4) | Lewis Seymour Deane | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1921 | N.B. Bhagwat | Tawara Tsumoru (Tsumio) Takeshi | 6–4, 2–6, 6–1 |
| 1922 | Udupi D. Ranga Rao (5) | Ernest Taylor Annett | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1923 | Sunao Okamoto | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | 6-1, 6-1 |
| 1924 | Mr. Chunilal | R.A. Wagle | 6-0, 6-2 |
| 1925 | Sunao Okamoto (2) | Thomas William Brough | 6-0, 6-3 |
| 1926 | Syed Mohammad Hadi | Udupi D. Ranga Rao | 2-6, 7-5 6-1 |
| 1927 | Alexander Maurice Dudley Pitt | R.S. Raya Iyer | 8–6, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 1928 | Alexander Maurice Dudley Pitt (2) | Morley Fox | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1929 | Alexander Maurice Dudley Pitt (3) | Morley Fox | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1930 | Buster Andrews | M. Kamruddin | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1931 | N.R. Suvarna | B.H. Khardekar | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1932 | Jiro Satoh | Edward Vivian Bobb | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1933 | Giorgio de Stefani | Edward Vivian Bobb | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1934 | Edward Vivian Bobb | John Edward Tew | 7-5, 7-5 |
| 1935 | Josip Palada | Franjo Punčec | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1936 | Roderich Menzel | Ladislav Hecht | 6-1, 6-1 |
| 1937 | Antoine Gentien | Alan Stedman | 7-5, 6-2 |
| 1938 | Subba L.R. Sawhney | Bernard Thomas Blake | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1939 | Edward Vivian Bobb (2) | Syed Abdul Azim | 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1940 | Edward Vivian Bobb (3) | Syed Abdul Azim | 2–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1941 | Finn Bekkevold | Charles William Barker | 7-5, 6-2 |
| 1942 | Ghaus Mohammed Khan | Prem Lal Pandhi | 6-2, 7-5 |
| 1943 | S.S. Indulkar | R.N. Pandit | 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 |
| 1944/1945 | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) |
| 1946 | Narendra Nath | / Jimmy Mehta | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1947 | Narendra Nath (2) | Khan-Iftikhar Ahmed | 6-4 6-4 6-3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1948 | Torsten Johansson | Lennart Bergelin | 6-4 ret. |
| 1950 | Robert Abdesselam | Philippe Washer | 6–2, 9–7, 6–2 |
| 1952 | Louis Straight Clark | Władysław Skonecki | 8–6, 6–3, 3–6, 2–6, 6–2 |
| 1953 | Narendra Nath (3) | Ramanathan Krishnan | 6–4, 7–5, 6–0 |
| 1954 | Jack Arkinstall | Sumant Misra | 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1955 | Ramanathan Krishnan | Jack Arkinstall | 6–2, 0–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1956 | Ramanathan Krishnan (2) | Jack Arkinstall | 5–7, 7–5, 6–0 ret. |
| 1957 | Jaroslav Drobný | Jack Arkinstall | 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1958 | Ramanathan Krishnan (3) | Billy Knight | 6–1, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1959 | Ramanathan Krishnan (4) | Giuseppe Merlo | 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1960 | Ramanathan Krishnan (5) | Warren Woodcock | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1962 | Ramanathan Krishnan (6) | Billy Knight | 8–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1965 | Shyam Minotra | Ravi Venkatesan | 13–11, 9–7, 6-2 |
| 1966 | Premjit Lall | Osamu Ishiguro | 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 |
| 1967 | Jaidip Mukerjea | Bob Carmichael | 5–7, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 6-3 |
| 1968 | Shiv Prakash Misra | Premjit Lall | 1–6, 8–6, 9–7, 4–6, 6–3 |
| ↓ Open Era ↓ ||||
| 1969 | Shyam Minotra | Mieczysław Rybarczyk | 6-1, 7-5 |

### Women's singles

(incomplete roll)
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1924 | Lena McKenna | Mrs T.E. Cunningham | 6–8, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1925 | Gladys Tedman Bayley | Meherbai Bhabha Tata | 6–1, 1–6, 6–1 |
| 1926 | Phyllis Howkins Covell | Annie Nepean Clayton | 6-0, 6-0 |
| 1927 | Phyllis Howkins Covell (2) | R. Wallis | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1928 | Phyllis Howkins Covell (3) | G. Evans | 6-4, 6-1 |
| 1929 | Mrs M.P. McDougall | Olive Stebbing | 7-5, 6-1 |
| 1930 | Phyllis Howkins Covell (4) | Leila Row | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1931 | Leila Row | Laura Woodbridge | 6-0, 6-1 |
| 1932 | Laura Woodbridge | Esther Bonjour | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1933 | Lucia Valerio | Leila Row | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1934 | Leila Row (2) | Esther Bonjour | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1935 | Jenny Sandison | Leila Row | 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1936 | Jenny Sandison Boland (2) | Hyacinth Harvey-Johnston | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1937 | Leila Row (3) | Meher Dubash | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 1938 | Lolita Simon Foottit | Mrs E.H. Edney | 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 1939 | I.S. Hannay Williams | S. Emery | 6-4, 6-0 |
| 1940 | Leila Row (4) | Khanum Haji | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 1941 | Leila Row (5) | Khanum Haji | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1942 | Khanum Haji | Leila Row | 6–8, 6–2, 9–7 |
| 1943 | Leila Row (6) | Laura Woodbridge | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1946 | Leela Row Dayal (7) | Laura Woodbridge | 6-2, 6-0 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1947 | Leela Row Dayal (8) | Khanum Haji Singh | 5–7, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1948 | (Not held) | (Not held) | (Not held) |
| 1949 | Khanum Haji Singh (2) | Laura Woodbridge | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1950 | Gem Hoahing | Leela Row Dayal | 6-0, 6-1 |
| 1952 | Shirley Fry | Doris Hart | 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1953 | Leela Row Dayal (9) | Laura Woodbridge | 6–3, 7–9, 6–3 |
| 1954 | Urmila Thapar | Laura Woodbridge | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1955 | Rita Davar | Bridget Zachariassen | 6-3, 6-1 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1956 | Totta Zehden | Inge Reh Vogle | 6–3, 2–6, 6–4 |
| Western India & All India Hard Court Championships ||||
| 1957 | Khanum Haji Singh (3) | Mrs Sarah Mody | 6-2, 6-3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1958 | Bridget Zachariassen | Laura Woodbridge | 6–4, 2–6, 8–6 |
| 1959 | Mrs Sarah Mody | Leela Punjabi | 2–6, 9–7, 10-8 |
| 1960 | Mimi Arnold | Margaret Hellyer | 6–8, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Margaret Hellyer | Dechu Appaiah | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1962 | Pia Balling | Dechu Appaiah | 6-1, 6-0 |
| 1965 | Lakshmi Mahedevan | Leela Punjabi | 6-2, 10-8 |
| 1966 | Carol-Ann Prosen | Nirupama Vasant | 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 1968 | Nirupama Vasant | Rattan Thadani | 6-2, 6-4 |
| ↓ Open Era ↓ ||||
| 1969 | Nirupama Vasant (2) | Judith Dibar | 8-6, 6-3 |
| Western India Championships & Cricket Club of India Tournament ||||
| 1970 (Feb) | Nirupama Vasant (3) | Irena Škulj | 3–6, 6–0, 6–3 |
| 1970 (Dec) | Nirupama Vasant (4) | Kiran Peshawaria | 6-2, 6-3 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1971 | (Not held) | (Not held) | (Not held) |
| 1972 | Nirupama Vasant Mankad (5) | Marilyn Tesch | 6-4, 6-1 |
| 1973 | Udaya Kumar | Susan Das | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1974 | Susan Das | Nirupama Vasant Mankad | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1975 | Nirupama Vasant Mankad (6) | Udaya Kumar | 6-1, 6-1 |
| 1976 | Nirupama Vasant Mankad (7) | Lakshmi Mahedevan | 6-1, 6-0 |
| Western India Championships & Cricket Club of India Tournament ||||
| 1977 | Nirupama Vasant Mankad (8) | Amreeta Ahluwalia | 6–4, 6–0 |
| Western India Championships ||||
| 1978 | Amreeta Ahluwalia | Nirupama Vasant Mankad | 5–7, 6–4, 8–6 |
| 1979 | Nirupama Vasant Mankad (9) | Amreeta Ahluwalia | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1980 | Nandini Rangaraja | Namratha Apparao | 7-5, 6-0 |

## Event names

* Bombay Gymkhana Club Tournament (1888–1899)
* Western India Tournament (1900–1911)
* Western India Championships (1912–1980)