Kenya Open (tennis)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenya Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit
(1934–73)
ILTF Independent Circuit
Founded1934; 90 years ago (1934)
Abolished1986; 38 years ago (1986)
LocationNairobi, Kenya
SurfaceClay (outdoors)

The Kenya Open also known as the Kenya Championships[1] was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1934 as the Kenyan International Championships.[2] later called the Kenyan Closed Championships It was organised by the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (f.1922), Nairobi, Kenya and played on clay courts and ran until 1986 as part of the ILTF Independent Circuit.[2]

History[edit]

In 1922 the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA) was founded.[3] In 1934 the KLTA became an associate member of the ILTF.[4] The same year it organised the first Kenyan International Championships an open tournament initially held in August then played annually in the summer. In 1968 the association changed the denomination of that tournament to Kenya Championships and moved the event till late winter usually starting at the end of January and finishing end of February or starting mid February ending early March this was also an open event. From 1974 it was re branded as the Kenya Open until 1982, it later became a closed tournament (for Kenyan players only) from 1983 to the late 1980s.[2] The tournament was played as part of the ILTF African Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1968 to 1972, the it became part ILTF Independent Circuit until 1986 when it was downgraded from the world circuit. The event however was till being held as late as 2022.[5]

Finals[edit]

Men's singles[edit]

(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948 United Kingdom Jack Piercy United Kingdom Robert Cooper 6–3, 6–0, 6–2.[2]
1949 Kenya R.J.E. Mayers United Kingdom Jack Piercy 6–2, 2–6, 10–12, 6–1, 6–3.[2]
1950 Kenya R.J.E. Mayers United Kingdom F.D.M. Flowerdew 6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1961 Kenya Yashvin Shretta[6] ? ?
1965 India Shyam Minotra[7] Kenya Yashvin Shretta 7-9, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.[2]
1966 India Ramanathan Krishnan Kenya Yashvin Shretta 6–2, 6–0, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Invitation
1967 United States Jim McManus United States John Pickens 6–2, 2–6, 7–5, 6–8, 6–2.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
Kenya Championships
1969 Belgium Bernard Mignot Kenya Yashvin Shretta 6–0, 6–2.[2]
1970[8] Kenya Yashvin Shretta (2) Egypt Ahmed Hassanein 7–5, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1971 Egypt Aly El Dawoudi Kenya Yashvin Shretta 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4.[2]
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973 Jamaica Richard Russell United Kingdom David Lloyd 8–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Open
1974 France Pierre Joly United States Lee Tomlinson 7–6, 6–3, 6–1.[2]
1976 United States Norman Holmes United Kingdom John Feaver 6–0, 6–2, 7–6.[2]
1977 Australia Bob Rheinberger West Germany Uli Heyne[9] 6–2, 6–7, 6–2.[2]
1978 Austria Peter Feigl Belgium Bernard Mignot 6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1979 Niger David Imonitie Sweden Per Larsson 6–7, 7–6, 11–9.[2]
1980 Australia Wayne Pascoe Sweden Ola Hellgren 6–4, 2–6, 6–1.[2]
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983 Kenya Selim Rana[10] Kenya Steven Kasigwa[11] 6–3, 6–2

Women's singles[edit]

(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948 Kenya Sheila Paterson Dowdeswell Kenya Mrs J.F. Mark 6–0, 6–2
1949 Kenya Mrs J.F. Mark Kenya M. Muir 6–2, 6–1
1950 Kenya Margot Lumb Gordon Kenya Mrs M.C. Swan 6–2, 6–1
1951 Kenya Doris Unwin Kenya Grizel Swynnerton 2–6, 6–2, 6–2
1952 Kenya Grizel Swynnerton Kenya Mrs E. Boswell 6–1, 6–0
1953 South Africa Julia Wipplinger South Africa Thea S. Hale 7–5, 6–2
1954 Kenya Margot Lumb Gordon Kenya Frances Hook Marshall 6–2, 7-5
1955 Kenya Frances Hook Marshall Kenya Mrs W. Michell 6–4, 6–4
1956 Kenya Frances Hook Marshall (2) Pakistan Khanum Haji Singh 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1957 United Kingdom Grizel M. Swynnerton (2) Kenya J. Sheridan 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1958 Kenya Margot Lumb Gordon (2) Kenya Miss Morgan 6–3, 6–3
1960 Rhodesia Eve Sladden Rhodesia Loise Surgey 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1961 Kenya Debbie Adams United Kingdom Grizel M. Swynnerton 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1962 Kenya Doris Unwin Kenya F. Spring 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
1963 United Kingdom Grizel M. Swynnerton Kenya Elizabeth Haggie 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
Kenyan Championships
1968 United Kingdom Virginia Wade West Germany Kerstin Seelbach 4–6, 6–1 6–2
1969 Kenya Elizabeth Haggie Kenya Mrs Wendy Hall 4–6, 6–1 6–2
1970 United States Alice Tym Rhodesia Daphne Paterson 6–1, 6–3
1971 India Nirupama Mankad Kenya Jenny Patterson 6–2, 6–1
1972 United Kingdom Winnie Shaw France Gail Chanfreau 2–6, 6–2, 6–4
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973 South Africa Brenda Kirk Kenya Jenny Patterson 7–5, 6–1
Kenya Open
1974 United Kingdom Annette Coe United Kingdom Corinne Molesworth 7–5, 6–1
1976 United Kingdom Annette Coe Austria Uschi Ulrich 6–2, 6–4
1980 United Kingdom Lesley Charles United Kingdom Debbie Stewart 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983 Kenya Carol Hughes Kenya S. Trempenau 6–3, 6–2
1984 Kenya Susan Wakhungu Kenya Jane Ndunda 7–5, 6–3
1985 Kenya Carol Hughes Kenya Jane Ndunda 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1986 Kenya Judi Wakhungu Kenya R. Wilson ?

References[edit]

  1. ^ Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Tournaments: Kenya National Championships - Kenya Open". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen and Unwin. p. 277. ISBN 9780047960420.
  4. ^ Robertson
  5. ^ "Kenya Nationals Tournament". www.sportyhq.com. Tennis Kenya. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Shyam Minotra: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC.
  9. ^ "Uli Heyne: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Saleem Rana: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Steven Kasigwa: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.