# Slazenger Torquay Open

The Slazenger Torquay Open was an indoor tennis tournament originally founded as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts in 1936 that was sponsored by the Dunlop Company for that year only. From the 1950s it was known as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships, that ran until 1967. In 1968 the Scottish whisky company John Dewar & Sons became sponsors of the event, and it was rebranded as the Dewar Cup Torquay until 1972 when sponsorship ended causing the 1973 edition not being held. In 1974 the sports company Slazenger took over sponsorship of the event until 1978 when it was abolished. It was at played at the Palace Hotel, Torquay, Devon, England.

## History

The Palace Hotel Covered Courts tournament was founded in 1936, and was sponsored by the Dunlop Company for the first edition. It continued to be staged as an annual event under that name until 1959. In 1960 the tournament was rebranded as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships through till 1967. In 1968 Dewar's then became sponsors of the Palace Hotel event, and it was rebranded as the Dewar Cup Torquay until 1972 when sponsorship ended causing the 1973 edition not being held. In 1974 Slazenger then took over sponsorship of the tournament and it was rebranced as the Slazenger Torquay Open. It was played on indoor courts at the Palace Hotel, Torquay, Devon, England
From 1968 to 1974 it was part of the fourth leg of Dewar Cup Circuit of indoor tournaments.

## Finals
### Men's singles

| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
| Palace Hotel Covered Courts ||||
| 1936 | Harry Lee | Frank Wilde | 6–4, 6–0 |
| 1937 | Ronald Shayes | Frank Wilde | 6-2 6-4 |
| 1938 | Ronald Shayes (2) | Murray Deloford | 6-3 8-6 |
| 1940/1945 | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) |
| 1948 | Howard Walton | Donald Butler | 6-2 6-3 |
| 1949 | Paddy Roberts | Czeslaw Spychala | 6-3 2-6 6-2 |
| 1950 | Ignacy Tłoczyński | George Godsell | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1951 | Jaroslav Drobný | Paddy Roberts | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1952 | Tony Mottram | John Horn | 3–6, 6–1, 6–0 |
| 1953 | Gerry Oakley | Geoffrey Paish | 2–6, 7–5, 10–8 |
| 1954 | Mike Davies | Gerry Oakley | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1955 | Bob Howe | Roger Becker | 6–3, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1956 | Jaroslav Drobný (2) | Gerry Oakley | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1957 | Bobby Wilson | Gerry Oakley | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1958 | Bobby Wilson (2) | Alan Mills | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1959 | Bobby Wilson (3) | Mike Sangster | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships ||||
| 1960 | Bobby Wilson (4) | Roger Becker | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Jaroslav Drobný (3) | Mike Sangster | 6–2, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 1962 | Bobby Wilson (5) | Tony Pickard | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1963 | Keith Diepraam | Bobby Wilson | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1964 | Roger Taylor | Mike Sangster | 11–9, 16–14 |
| 1965 | Keith Wooldridge | Bobby Wilson | 4–6, 6–3, ret. |
| 1966 | Keith Wooldridge (2) | John Clifton | 5–7, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1967 | Bobby Wilson (6) | Mike Sangster | 8–6, 6–2 |
| Open era ||||
| Dewar Cup Torquay ||||
| 1968 | Bob Hewitt | Owen Davidson | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1969 | Mark Cox | John Clifton | 8-6 6-3 |
| 1970 | Vladimir Zednik | Paul Raymond Hutchins | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1971 | Bob Hewitt (2) | Gerald Battrick | 3–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1972 | Ray Moore | Pat Cramer | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Slazenger Torquay Open ||||
| 1974 | David Lloyd | Mark Farrell | 6–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1975 | Mark Cox | Richard Lewis | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1976 | David Lloyd (2) | Martin Robinson) | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1977 | Clive Rothwell | Theo Gorter | 6–3, 7–6 |
| 1978 | Jonathan Smith | John Whiteford | 2–6, 7–6, 6–3 |

### Women's singles

| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
| Palace Hotel Covered Courts ||||
| 1936 | Anita Lizana | Dorothy Round | 8–10, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1937 | Freda James | Billie Yorke | 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1938 | Mary Hardwick | Nina Brown | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1939/1947 | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) | Not held (due to World War II) |
| 1948 | Joan Curry | Betty Clements Hilton | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1949 | Joan Curry (2) | Jean Bridger Walker-Smith | 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 1950 | Joan Curry (3) | Jean Bridger Walker-Smith | walkover |
| 1951 | Susan Partridge | Jean Bridger Walker-Smith | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1952 | Angela Mortimer | Joan Curry | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1953 | Angela Mortimer (2) | Georgie Woodgate | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1954 | Angela Mortimer (3) | Shirley Bloomer | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1955 | Angela Mortimer (4) | Angela Buxton | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1956 | Thelma Coyne Long | Angela Buxton | 6–4, 4–6, 7–5 |
| 1957 | Joan Curry | Rita Bentley | 6–2, 10–8 |
| 1958 | Angela Mortimer (5) | Ann Haydon | 6–1, 6–0 |
| 1959 | Angela Mortimer (6) | Ann Haydon | 7-5, 6–3 |
| Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships ||||
| 1960 | Ann Haydon | Angela Mortimer | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Angela Mortimer (7) | Deidre Catt | 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1962 | Angela Mortimer (8) | Ann Haydon Jones | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1963 | Deidre Catt | Ann Haydon Jones | 6–3, 8–6 |
| 1964 | Ann Haydon Jones (2) | Deidre Catt | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1965 | Ann Haydon Jones (3) | Pat McClenaughan Faulkner | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1966 | Joyce Barclay Williams | Ann Haydon Jones | 6–4, 5–5 ,retired |
| 1967 | Virginia Wade | Ann Haydon Jones | 6–2, 12–14, 6–2 |
| Open era ||||
| Dewar Cup Torquay ||||
| 1968 | Margaret Smith Court | Virginia Wade | 12–10, 8–6 |
| 1969 | Julie Heldman | Virginia Wade | 4–6, 8–6, 6–3 |
| 1970 | Ann Haydon Jones (4) | Virginia Wade | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1971 | Evonne Goolagong | Françoise Dürr | 6–1, 6–0 |
| 1972 | Margaret Smith Court (2) | Virginia Wade | 2–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Slazenger Torquay Open ||||
| 1974 | Ann Haydon Jones (5) | Janet Newberry | 7–5, 7–6 |
| 1975 | Ann Haydon Jones (6) | Winnie Shaw Wooldridge | 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1976 | Sue Barker | Michele Tyler | 6–4, 6–2 |