The Kent Championships also known as the Kent All-Comers' Championships and later Kent Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham, Kent, England between 1886 and 1996 and was held in the first half of June.

History

From 1886 until 1910 the tournament was organized as an All-Comers event, the winner of which would play the title holder from previous year in the Challenge Round. The tournament was played on outdoor grass courts at Beckenham Cricket Club a multi sport club that was established in 1866 in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham with the lawn tennis section of the club established in 1879. At the inaugural edition "The programme consisted of five events, the principal of which were the Kent All-Comers' Championship singles, and the gentlemen's singles handicap.^[1] The former designation was adopted so that the event may not be confused with the Kent County Championship, announced to be held at the Blackheath Club.^[2] There was only a mixed doubles event staged that year for women to participate in the Beckenham Cricket Club Tournament.

Herbert Chipp, later a Wimbledon umpire, came through a field of 13 entries to capture the inaugural 1886 men's singles title over Beckenham committee member Edward Avory. The Field informed its readers, "The final was a terribly tedious affair. Both players kept at the back of the court and played an excessively careful game." There were 14 pairs in the gentleman's doubles and seven pairs in the mixed doubles. The first event made a loss of £1. 10s. 9d. Two years later, from a field of 11 entries, May Jacks beat Edith Gurney to win the first women's singles tournament.

Slazenger's provided the tournament tennis balls every year from 1902, while the Challenge Round was abolished in 1911 and an Under 21 event, which became a national championship, started in 1921. When the former Soviet Union joined the International Tennis Federation in 1958, a small delegation was invited to Beckenham ahead of The Championships at Wimbledon.

The Kent Championships were the first UK tournament to have a sponsor, Rothmans, in 1963, after a special dispensation from the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body of British tennis. Almost five years later in March 1968 at a Special General Meeting in Paris, Beckenham was awarded the status of an Open event. The club welcomed amateur and professional players to compete in the world's first Open grass-court tournament in June 1968. It was the third Open field in 1968 after the British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth and the French Open at Roland Garros.

When a sponsor couldn't be found for the tournament after 1996, the event was consigned to tennis history. In total, 33 'double' winners (those who won the singles title at Beckenham and Wimbledon) had etched their names in Beckenham folklore.

Champions

Men's singles

Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships^[3]

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1886	Herbert Chipp	Edward J. Avory	6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1887	Frederick A. Bowlby	Herbert Chipp	1–6, 8–6, 6–4, 6–1
1888	Ernest G. Meers	Frederick A. Bowlby	5–7, 3–6, 9–7, 6–3, 6–2
1889	Harry S. Barlow	Ernest G. Meers	6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 9–7
1890	Ernest G. Meers	Harry S. Barlow	5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3
1891	Ernest G. Meers	Arthur Gore	6–0, 6–2, 6–2
1892	Harry S. Barlow	Ernest G. Meers	4–6, 2–6, 8–6, 6–2, 6–3
1893	Harry S. Barlow	William Renshaw	2–6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–4
1894	Horace A. B. Chapman	Harry S. Barlow	3–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1895	Harry S. Barlow	Horace A. B. Chapman	2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
1896	Manliffe Goodbody	Harry S. Barlow	6–1, 6–2, 2–6, 6–0
1897	George Greville	Manliffe Goodbody	4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1898	Wilberforce Eaves	George Greville	6–0, 6–0, 6–1
1899	Harold Mahony	Wilberforce Eaves	6–1, 6–1, 6–8, 3–6, 8–6
1900	Arthur Gore	Harold Mahony	6–4, 6–4, 6–4
1901	Laurence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1902	Laurence Doherty	George Simond	6–4, 6–0, 6–3
1903	Laurence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–1, 6–2, 6–3
1904	Harold Mahony	Brame Hillyard	6–3, 8–6, 7–9, 4–6, 6–3
1905 [lower-alpha 1]	Norman Brookes	Arthur Gore	6–3, 9–7, 6–2
1906	Arthur Gore	A.L. Bentley	6–0, 6–2, 6–1
1907	Anthony Wilding	Arthur Gore	9–7, 6–2, 3–6, 0–6, 6–1
1908	Herbert Roper Barrett	Charles P. Dixon	6–0, 9–7, 6–2
1909	Herbert Roper Barrett	Major Ritchie	cancelled (rain)
1910	Beals Wright	Herbert Roper Barrett	4–6, 7–5, 12–10, 6–4
1911	Anthony Wilding	Major Ritchie	6–0, 6–0, 6–3
1912	Anthony Wilding	Herbert Roper Barrett	6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–2
1913	Alfred Beamish	George Thomas	6–3, 6–3, 3–6, 7–5
1914	Algernon Kingscote	Hope Crisp	7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–2
1915	No competition (due to World War I)
1916
1917
1918
1919	Algernon Kingscote	F.M.B. Fisher	4–6, 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–2
1920	Algernon Kingscote	Zenzo Shimidzu	7–5, 3–2 ret.
1921	Algernon Kingscote	Sydney M. Jacob	6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3
1922	Algernon Kingscote	Randolph Lycett	6–3, 3–1 ret.
1923	William M. Johnston	Donald Greig	6–2, 6–3
1924	Algernon Kingscote	Jack Hillyard	8–6, 9–7, 6–2
1925	Randolph Lycett	Harry Lewis-Barclay	6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4
1926	Gordon Crole Rees	Patrick Spence	6–4, 6–2
1927	Donald Greig	Charles Kingsley	4–6, 6–2, 6–3
1928	Charles Kingsley	Patrick Spence	2–6, 6–4, 8–6
1929	Harry Lee	Charles Kingsley	7–5, 6–4, 6–2
1930	Bunny Austin	Harry Lee	6–2, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
1931	Colin Gregory	John Olliff	3–6, 6–3, 7–9, 6–3, 6–0
1932	Ted Avory	Buster Andrews	6–1, 6–4
1933	Vernon Kirby	Colin Robbins	8–6, 6–4
1934	Bunny Austin	Jiro Yamagishi	6–3, 6–0
1935	Jiro Yamagishi	Ian Collins	6–3, 6–1
1936	David N. Jones	Frank Wilde	11–9, 6–3
1937	Jiro Yamagishi	Raymond Tuckey	8–6, 1–6, 7–5
1938	John Olliff	Nigel Sharpe	6–2, 6–3
1939	Murray Deloford	Donald MacPhail	3–6, 6–2, 9–7
1940	No competition (due to World War II)
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946	Geoffrey Browne	Hans van Swol	6–1, 6–4
1947	Bill Sidwell	Torsten Johansson	6–2, 10–8
1948	Frank Sedgman	Jack Harper	6–4, 6–4
1949	Gardnar Mulloy	Earl Cochell	2–3 ret.
1950	Geoffrey Browne	Bill Sidwell	8–6, 7–9, 17–15
1951	Don Candy	Gardnar Mulloy	3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1952	Ham Richardson	Don Candy	6–2, 6–8, 6–2
1953	Ham Richardson	Gardnar Mulloy	6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1954	Competition cancelled at quarterfinal stage
1955	Tony Trabert	Herb Flam	6–4, 6–2
1956	Mal Anderson	Sammy Giammalva	cancelled
1957	Mal Anderson	Herb Flam	6–2, 4–6, 8–6
1958	Neale Fraser	Kurt Nielsen	6–4, 6–4
1959	Alex Olmedo	Kurt Nielsen	8–6, 3–6, 6–4
1960	Robert Mark	Butch Buchholz	6–3, 6–4
1961	Jon Douglas	Lew Gerrard	4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1962	Barry Phillips-Moore	Owen Davidson	6–4, 8–6
1963	Ken Fletcher	Marty Mulligan	6–3, 6–2
1964	John Newcombe	Fred Stolle	6–2, 5–7, 12–10
1965	John Newcombe	Lew Gerrard	6–3, 6–1
1966	John Newcombe	Premjit Lall	6–4, 15–13
1967	Owen Davidson	Ken Fletcher	3–6, 6–2, 6–3
Open era
1968 [lower-alpha 2]	Fred Stolle	Roy Emerson	6–3, 6–1
1969	Ove Bengtson	Tom Gorman	6–4, 7–5
1970	Clark Graebner	Robert Maud	6–4, 10–8
1971	Stan Smith	Premjit Lall	7–9, 6–4, 6–2
1972	Alex Metreveli	Vijay Amritraj	6–2, 7–5
1973	Alex Metreveli	Björn Borg	6–3, 9–8
1974	Vijay Amritraj	Tom Gorman	6–7, 6–2, 6–4
1975	Arthur Ashe	Roscoe Tanner	7–5, 6–4
1976	Roscoe Tanner	Jimmy Connors	6–3, 6–4
1977	Mark Edmondson	Tim Gullikson	6–3, 6–4
1978	Jimmy Connors	Stan Smith	9–8, 6–3
1979	Peter Fleming	Roscoe Tanner	3–6, 6–3, 7–5
1980	Onny Parun	Sandy Mayer	6–4, 4–6, 9–7
1981	Kevin Curren	Chris Lewis	6–2, 6–3
1982	Kevin Curren	Buster Mottram	7–6, 6–4
1983	Steve Denton	Pat Cash	7–6, 7–6
1984	Pat Cash	Paul McNamee	3–6, 6–2, 6–1
1985	Tim Mayotte	Danie Visser	7–5, 6–1
1986	Ramesh Krishnan	Danie Visser	6–3, 6–7, 6–3
1987	Scott Davis	Leif Shiras	7–6, 6–3
1988	Christian Saceanu	Paul McNamee	3–6, 6–2, 6–1
1989	John McEnroe	Broderick Dyke	6–4, 7–6
1990	Ivan Lendl	Darren Cahill	6–3, 7–5
1991	Ivan Lendl	Pat Cash	3–6, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4)
1992	David Wheaton	Christo van Rensburg	6–3, 1–6, 6–1
1993	David Wheaton	Chris Bailey	6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–2)
1994	Guy Forget	Jeremy Bates	6–2, 6–3
1995	Andrew Richardson / Petr Korda		divided (rain)
1996	Mark Petchey	Petr Korda	6–2, 6–4

Women's singles

Source:Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club, Kent Championships^[3]

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1888	May Jacks	Edith Gurney	1–6, 6–3, 6–0
1889	Maud Shackle	May Jacks	6–3, 7–5
1890	May Jacks	Maud Shackle	4–6, 6–0, 6–4
1891	Maud Shackle	May Jacks	6–4, 6–0
1892	Maud Shackle	May Jacks	6–3, 6–1
1893	Maud Shackle	Ruth Legh	6–3, 6–4
1894	Edith Austin	Amy Wilson	6–4, 6–2
1895	Edith Austin	Amy Wilson	6–3, 6–1
1896	Edith Austin	Ruth Legh	6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1897	Edith Austin	Miss E. R. Morgan	6–2, 6–0
1898	Charlotte Cooper	Edith Austin	6–2, 4–6, 6–3
1899	Edith Austin	Charlotte Cooper	1–6, 7–5, 6–2
1900	Edith Greville	Muriel Robb	6–1, 6–3
1901	Dorothea Douglass	Edith Greville	6–1, 4–6, 6–4
1902	Dorothea Douglass	Hilda Lane	7–5, 6–4
1903	Connie Wilson	Dorothea Douglass	3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1904	Dorothea Douglass	Connie Wilson	6–2, 6–2
1905 [lower-alpha 1]	Connie Wilson	Alice Greene	6–2, 6–4
1906	Dorothea Douglass	Connie Wilson	6–3, 2–2 ret.
1907	May Sutton	Dorothea Douglass	6–2, 6–4
1908	Agnes Morton	Dora Boothby	6–2, 6–1
1909	Dora Boothby	Agnes Morton	6–4, 6–4
1910	Dorothea Douglass	Dora Boothby	6–4, 6–3
1911	Dorothea Douglass	Mildred Coles	6–3, 7–5
1912	Winifred McNair	Dora Boothby	6–1, 6–4
1913	Dorothea Douglass	Phyllis Satterthwaite	6–4, 6–4
1914	Edith Hannam	Agnes Morton	0–6, 11–9 ret.
1915	No competition (due to World War I)
1916
1917
1918
1919	Elizabeth Ryan	Dorothea Douglass	2–6, 7–5, 6–4
1920	Elizabeth Ryan	Winifred McNair	7–9, 3–2 divided
1921	Elizabeth Ryan	Geraldine Beamish	9–7, 6–4
1922	Kitty McKane	Elizabeth Ryan	6–3, 6–3
1923	Elizabeth Ryan	Phyllis Satterthwaite	6–3, 3–6, 6–3
1924	Elizabeth Ryan	Kitty McKane	6–8, 6–1, 6–1
1925	Elizabeth Ryan	Geraldine Beamish	4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1926	Lilí Álvarez	Molla Mallory	6–4, 6–2
1927	Helen Wills	Kitty McKane Godfree	6–2, 6–4
1928	Elizabeth Ryan	Violet Chamberlain	6–2, 10–8
1929	Phyllis Howkins Covell	Peggy Saunders Mitchell	6–1, 6–4
1930	Jenny Sandison	Ann Owen	6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1931	Phyllis Mudford	Dorothy Round	6–1, 6–2
1932	Mary Heeley	Freda James	1–6, 6–3, 6–0
1933	Dorothy Round	Peggy Saunders Mitchell	7–5, 6–2
1934	Phyllis Mudford King	Joan Hartigan	6–2, 6–3
1935	Dorothy Round	Kay Stammers	6–2, 6–0
1936	Anita Lizana	Betty Nuthall	3–6, 6–0, 6–1
1937	Jadwiga Jędrzejowska	Alice Marble	6–1, 9–11, 6–1
1938	Jadwiga Jędrzejowska	Bobbie Heine Miller	7–5, 3–6, 6–2
1939	Alice Marble	Kay Stammers	6–3, 6–1
1940	No competition (due to World War II)
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946	Vera Dace	Betty Nuthall	6–4, 6–4
1947	Kay Menzies	Sheila Piercey Summers	6–2, 11–9
1948	Mary Terán de Weiss	Patsy Rodgers	7–5, 6–1
1949	Patricia Todd	Sheila Piercey Summers	6–3, 6–0
1950	Gussie Moran	Nancy Morrison	4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1951	Betty Rosenquest	Barbara Scofield	4–6, 7–5, 6–1
1952	Hazel Redick-Smith	Vera Thomas	6–2, 6–2
1953	Maureen Connolly	Julia Sampson Hayward	6–2, 6–3
1954	Abandoned
1955	Louise Brough	Mary Carter	6–2, 6–4
1956	Darlene Hard	Betty Rosenquest Pratt	Abandoned (rain)
1957	Althea Gibson	Darlene Hard	6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1958	Sandra Reynolds	Jean Forbes	6–4, 6–4
1959	Darlene Hard	Sally Moore	6–1, 7–5
1960	Christiane Mercelis	Vera Roberts	7–5, 4–6, 6–4
1961	Margaret Smith	Christine Truman	6–3, 4–6, 8–6
1962	Jan Lehane	Lesley Turner	7–5, 6–3
1963	Margaret Smith	Jan Lehane	6–0, 6–1
1964	Maria Bueno	Margaret Smith	3–5 divided (rain)
1965	Margaret Smith	Maria Bueno	4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1966	Karen Krantzcke	Maria Bueno	w.o.
1967	Ann Haydon-Jones	Virginia Wade	6–3, 1–6, 6–3
Open era
1968	Margaret Court	Ann Jones	11–9, 6–2
1969	Denise Carter-Triolo	Kerry Melville	6–3, 7–5
1970	Patti Hogan	Olga Morozova	6–1, 6–3
1971	Kerry Melville	Kristy Pigeon	6–0, 3–6, 9–7
1972	Olga Morozova	Jill Cooper	6–4, 6–1
1973	Dianne Fromholtz	Janet Newberry	7–5, 0–6, 6–1
1974	Paulina Peisachov	Kate Latham	5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1975	Greer Stevens	Patti Hogan	4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1976	Olga Morozova	Marise Kruger	7–5, 2–6, 6–3
1977	Yvonne Vermaak	Michelle Tyler	6–4, 5–7, 6–1
1978	Evonne Cawley	Laura DuPont	6–4, 6–2
1979	Evonne Cawley	Pam Shriver	6–3, 6–2
1980	Andrea Jaeger	Jo Durie	6–4, 6–1
1981	Pam Shriver	Elizabeth Little	6–2, 6–2
1982	Pam Shriver	Elizabeth Sayers	6–3, 6–2
1983	Billie Jean King	Barbara Potter	6–4, 6–3

References

Notes

External links

• Kent Championships – Gentlemen’s Singles Roll of Honour
• Kent Championships Tournament history
• Beckenham Lawn Tennis Club history
• Beckenham Cricket Club website

51°24′50″N 0°01′19″W / 51.4140°N 0.0219°W / 51.4140; -0.0219