| Exmouth Open | |
| Type: | defunct |
| Event Name: | Robertson Viota Exmouth Open (1970-71) Exmouth Open (1972-75) |
| Tour: | ILTF Circuit (1913–1975) |
| Location: | Exmouth, Devon, Great Britain |
| Venue: | Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (1880–1927) Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club (1927–1975) |
| Surface: | Grass outdoors |
The Exmouth Open, originally called the Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club Tournament or simply Exmouth Tournament,[1] was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1880.[2] From 1890 the event was known as the Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament. It was hosted by the Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Exmouth, Devon, Great Britain until 1927. It was then hosted by the newly founded Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club until it was abolished as a senior tour event in 1975.
The Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club was founded in 1879.[3] In 1880 the club hosted the first Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club Tournament for men only.[4] In 1881 the tournament became an open event for both men and women as well. The first winner of the open men's singles was England's Ernest Maconchy (later Brigadier General),[5] [6] and first winner of the women's open singles was Ireland's Lilian Cole.[7] The event was one of the earliest English tournaments that featured a women's singles event.
In 1880s following the Wimbledon Championships it was part of what was known as the "Western tour" over the course of five weeks taking in the grass court events such as the Teignmouth and Shaldon Tournament at Teignmouth,[8] the Torquay Lawn Tennis Tournament at Torquay,[9] the Bournemouth Open Tournament at Bournemouth,[9] and finishing off at the South of England Championships at Eastbourne.[9]
In August 1888 a Battle of the Sexes charity tennis match was staged at the tournament, predating the modern famous match by 85 years, between Ernest Renshaw and Lottie Dod, Renshaw won but only just![10] From 1890 the event was known as the Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament. In 1968 following the start of the open era it was renamed to the Exmouth Open. The event was part of the Amateur Tour (1877–1912), the ILTF Amateur Tour (1913–1967) and the ITF Independent Tour (1968–1975). In 1970 the tournament was called the Robertson Viota Exmouth Open for sponsorship reasons. In 1971 it was known as the Bio-Strath Exmouth Open until 1972.[11]
Former notable of winners the men's singles event include; Charles Lacy Sweet, Charles Walder Grinstead, Harry Grove, Ernest Wool Lewis, William Renshaw, Reggie Doherty, Ryuki Miki, Jaroslav Drobny. Former winners of the women's singles title included; Maud Watson, Blanche Bingley Hillyard, Phyllis Satterthwaite and Sue Barker. The final men's edition held in 1975 was won by Britain's Jonathan Smith, and the final winner of the women's singles was Czech player Jana Simonova.
Incomplete roll
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth LTC Tournament | |||
| 1881[12] | Ernest Maconchy | Thomas Hoare | 6–3, 1–6, 6–4 |
| 1882[13] | Charles Lacy Sweet | Pelham Von Donop | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1883 |  Charles Walder Grinstead | 6–2, 6–5, 6–4 | |
| 1884 | Charles Walder Grinstead (2) | 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 | |
| 1886 | Henry E. Hunter Kent | 6–2, 7–9, 6–4, 7–5 | |
| 1887 | Harry Grove (2) | James Baldwin | 6–1, 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1888 | Ernest Wool Lewis | Herbert Chipp | 6–1, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1889 | Ernest Wool Lewis (2) | 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 | |
| Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament | |||
| 1890 | Ernest Wool Lewis (3) |  Manliffe Goodbody | 6–2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3 |
| 1891 | Ernest Wool Lewis (4) | Horace Chapman | 6–1, 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1892 | Tom Chaytor | H. Walters | 6–2, 7–5, 6–0 |
| 1893 | William Renshaw | Harry Grove | 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1894 | Tom Chaytor | 6–2, 7–5, 4–6, 0–6, 12–10 | |
| 1895 | 7–5, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 | ||
| 1897 | John Mycroft Boucher | Arthur Riseley | 6–1, 6–0, 6–4 |
| 1898 | Roy Allen | 6–4, 6–4, 5–7, 5–7, 6–4 | |
| 1902 | Sidney Charles Atkey | E. W. Church | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1903 | B. Walker | M. A. H. Fell | 6–0, 7–5 |
| 1907 | Charles Gladstone Eames | R. F. J. Harrison | 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1910 | Roy Allen | Henry Reginald Fussell | 6–2 6–2 ret. |
| 1914/1919 | Not held (due to World War I) | ||
| 1920 | Henry Reginald Fussell |  Arthur John Veysey | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1921 | Herbert Amphlett Davis | Charles E. L. Lyle | 4–6, 6–4, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2 |
| 1922 | Charles Pyne Luck | Charles E. L. Lyle | 6–2, 6–3, 1–6, 6–4 |
| 1923 | Charles Pyne Luck (2) | Charles E. L. Lyle | 6–2, 6–3, 1–6, 6–4 |
| 1931 |  Ryuki Miki | John Pennycuick | 9–7, 6–3 |
| 1935 |  Cam Malfroy | Bob Tinkler | divided title |
| 1936 | Pat Hughes | William Michelmore | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1937 | Bob Tinkler | 6–1, 6–4 | |
| 1938 | Henry Billington (2) | Bob Tinkler | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1939 | Harry Lee | Henry Billington | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1940/1945 | Not held (due to World War II) | ||
| 1946 | Jeffrey Michelmore | 6–2, 6–4 | |
| 1947 | Derrick Leyland (2) | John K. Drinkall | 9–7, 2–6, 6–3 |
| 1949 | Paddy Roberts | Douglas Scharenguivel | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1950 | Douglas Scharenguivel | Jeffrey Michelmore | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1951 | Douglas Scharenguivel (2) | Jeffrey Michelmore | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1952 | D. S. Anderson | 6–3, 6–3 | |
| 1953 | Bob Lee | Tony Starte | 3–6, 6–2, 10–8 |
| 1954 | John M. Ward | Geoffrey L. Ward | 8–6, 6–2 |
| 1955 | Darrell H. Shaw | D. S. Anderson | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1956 | Bill Threlfall | Mike Sangster | 8–6, 6–4 |
| 1957 | Bill Threlfall (2) | A. N. Price | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1958 | Mike Sangster | Peter Moys | 6–3, 9–7 |
| 1959 | Mike Sangster (2) | Freddy S. Field | 6–1, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 1960 | Mark Cox | Geoff Bluett | 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1961 | Alan Mills | Tony Pickard | 8–6, 4–6, 6–1 |
| 1962 | Jaroslav Drobny | Roger Becker | 8–6, 6–4 |
| 1966 | Brian Fairlie | Onny Parun | 6–8, 7–9, 6–2 |
| 1967 | John D. C. Crump | Rayno Seegers | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1968 | Brian Fairlie (2) | Onny Parun | 10–8, 7–9, 6–2 |
| ↓ Open Era ↓ | |||
| Exmouth Open | |||
| 1969 | Paul W. Sussams | Lindsey P. Murphy | 12–14, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Robertson Viota Exmouth Open | |||
| 1970 |  Munawar Iqbal | Mark Joseph Farrell | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Bio-Strath Exmouth Open | |||
| 1971 |  Premjit Lall | Stephen Warboys | 3–6, 12–10, 6–4 |
| Exmouth Open | |||
| 1973 | Mark Joseph Farrell | Mike Collins | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1974 |  Alvin R. Gardiner | Graeme Thomson | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1975 | Jonathan Smith |  Peter Fisher | 7–6, 1–6, 6–3 |
Incomplete roll
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth LTC Tournament | |||
| 1881 | William John Down T. P. Hogg | Spencer Cox G. M. Minchin | def. |
| 1882 | ? | ||
| 1888 | Ernest Wool Lewis George Hillyard | Ernest Renshaw Charles Lacy Sweet | 6–2, 6–4. |
Incomplete roll
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth LTC Tournament | |||
| 1881 | Lilian Cole | Eveline Belfield | 6–0, 6–0 |
| 1882 | Lilian Cole (2) | Charlotte Taylor | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1883 | Maud Watson | Lilian Cole | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1884 | Maud Watson (2) | Agnes Watts | 6–1, 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1886 | Maud Watson (3) | Blanche Bingley | 7–5, 0–6, 6–3 |
| 1887 | Blanche Bingley Hillyard | Maud Watson | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1888 | Blanche Bingley Hillyard (4) | Constance Bryan | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1889 | Katharine Hole | Lilian Pine-Coffin | 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament | |||
| 1890 | Lilian Pine-Coffin (3) | Katharine Hole | 6–1, 5–7, 6–4 |
| 1891 | Edith Austin | Lilian Pine-Coffin | 6–3, 9–7 |
| 1892 | Lilian Pine-Coffin (4) | Constance Bryan | 8–6, 4–6, 6–2 |
| 1893 | Lilian Pine-Coffin (5) | Constance Bryan | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1894 | Lilian Pine-Coffin (6) | Helen Jackson | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1895 | Helen Jackson | Jane Corder | 6–0 3–6 6–3 |
| 1897 | Violet Pinckney | Elsie Pinckney | w.o. |
| 1898 | Ellen Thynne | Edith Riseley | 9–11, 6–3, 8–6 |
| 1899 | Edith Riseley | Winifred Longhurst | 6–3, 2–6, 6–3 |
| 1901 | Mrs Thompson | Amy Mooijaart | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1903 | D. Compton-Lundie | Miss Brown | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1907 | Aurea Farrington | Miss McDonald | 6–0, 6–0 |
| 1909 | Margaret Compton-Lundie | 6–1, 5–5 ret. | |
| 1910 | M. Fergus | Lois Putman Hawker | 6–3, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1911 | Winifred Longhurst | Phyllis Carr | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1912 | Joan Retallack (2) | M. Leacroft | 5–1, ret. |
| 1913 | Phyllis Satterthwaite | 6–4, 6–4 | |
| 1913 | Phyllis Satterthwaite (2) | E. White | 6–0, 6–0 |
| 1915/1919 | Not held (due to World War I) | ||
| 1920 | Phyllis Satterthwaite (3) | M. Aplin | 6–3, 6–0 |
| 1921 | Elizabeth Ryan | Mrs Hall | 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1967 | Corinne Molesworth (2) | Margaret Harris | 2–6, 7–5, 9–7 |
| 1968 | Corinne Molesworth (2) | Marianne Brummer | 2–6, 7–5, 9–7 |
| ↓ Open Era ↓ | |||
| Exmouth Open | |||
| 1969 | Jill Cooper | Rita Bentley | 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 |
| Robertson Viota Exmouth Open | |||
| 1970 | Rita Bentley | Nuala Dwyer | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Bio-Strath Exmouth Open | |||
| 1971 | Susan Alexander | Vicki Lancaster | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Exmouth Open | |||
| 1973 | Sue Barker | Annette Coe | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1974 | Sue Barker (2) | Annette Coe | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1975 | Jana Simonova | Jo Durie | 7–5, 7–6 |
Incomplete roll
| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exmouth LTC Tournament | |||
| 1881 | Georgiana Kindersley Henry Kindersley | 2–6, 7–5, 7–5 | |
| 1882 | Charlotte Taylor Charles Pine-Coffin | 6–2, 6–3 | |
| 1884 | Alice Bagnall-Wild Harry Grove | 6–2, 6–0 | |
| 1886 | Maud Watson John Redfern Deykin | 5–7, 7–5, 8–6 | |
| 1887 | Blanche Bingley Hillyard George Hillyard | 5–7, 7–5, 8–6 | |
| 1888 | Blanche Bingley Hillyard George Hillyard | 6–1, 4–6, 6–4 | |
| Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament | |||
| 1891 | Elsie Constance Pinckney Francis Haskett-Smith | 6–4, 8–10, 6–4 | |
| 1894 | Lilian Pine-Coffin William Renshaw | 6–1, 6–1 | |