The French Switzerland Championships^[1] or Championnats de Suisse romande was a men's and women's open international clay court tennis tournament founded in 1905. It was first staged at the Le Montreux Palace Lawn Tennis Club, Le Montreux Palace Hotel, Montreux, Switzerland. The championships ran until 1948.^[2]

History

The French Switzerland Championships were established in September 1905 and first played at the Tennis Club du Montreux Palace. In 1908 the event was moved to the Tennis Club de Montreux. During World War I the tournament was only held two times, then resuming fully in 1920. During World War II it was not held from 1939 to 1941, but resumed thereafter. Hosting of this event was shared between both venues, but the majority of time was played at the Montreux Lawn Tennis Club. The championships were discontinued in 1948.

Former winners of the men's singles title included; Robert Wallet, Roy Allen, Max Decugis, Anthony Wilding, Norman Brookes, Uberto De Morpurgo, Otto Froitzheim, Henry Mayes, Giorgio de Stefani, Hector Fisher, Gottfried von Cramm, Boris Maneff, Pierre Pellizza and Gianni Cucelli.^[3] Previous winners of the women's singles championship included; Aurea Farrington Edgington, Germaine Régnier Golding, Cilly Aussem, Ilse Friedleben, Lolette Payot, Hilde Krahwinkel, Alice Weiwers and Annelies Ullstein Bossi.

Tournament names

The tournament sometimes carried the title of the Montreux Palace Hotel Autumn Championships or Montreux Autumn Meeting.

Venues

The event was first held at the Le Montreux Palace Hotel in 1907 the following year in 1908 it was held at the Montreux Lawn Tennis Club founded in 1890,^[4] in the grounds of the Hôtel des Alpes-Grand Hôtel, Territet both venues held the event at various times.

References