North Island Open Championships Explained

North Island Open Championships
Type:defunct
Tour:ILTF World Circuit
ILTF Independent Tour
Location:Christchurch
Hutt Valley
Hamilton
Lower Hutt
Palmerston North
Wellington Whanganui
Venue:Various
Surface:Grass (1934-75)
Hard (1976-78)

The North Island Open Championships was a regional men's and women's grass court then later hard court tennis tournament founded in 1932 as the North Island Championships.[1] The tournament was first played at the Lower Hutt Tennis Club (f.1927),[2] Lower Hutt, Wellington Province, New Zealand. The tournament was played at other locations until 1978 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Independent Tour.[1]

History

This tournament has it origins in the Wairarapa Provincial Lawn Tennis Association Championships founded in 1899 and played at the Masterton, Lawn Tennis Club until 1915.[3] In 1934 a nascent Northern Lawn Tennis Association of New Zealand was established (today its known as Tennis Northern) it organised the North Island Championships.[1] The tournament was first played at the Lower Hutt Tennis Club (f.1927),[4] Lower Hutt, Wellington Province, New Zealand. The event was part of ILTF Australasia Circuit (1934–72) a sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit, then later the ILTF Oceania Circuit a regional circuit of the ILTF Independent Tour from 1975 until 1978 when it was downgraded from the worldwide independent tour it became a local regional event of Tennis New Zealand and is still held today.[1]

The tournament was held in Nelson, but also other locations including,Hutt Valley, Hamilton, Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Wellington and Whanganui.

The South Island equivalent to this tournament was the South Island Open Championships founded in 1934 by the Southern Lawn Tennis Association.[5]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

North Island Championships
YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
1934Lower Hutt Cam Malfroy Jack Curtis Charters6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1937Lower Hutt Cam Malfroy (2)6–3, 6–4
1957Wellington Jeff Robson Ron McKenzie6-1, 5–7, 6-3
1958Lower Hutt Jeff Robson (2) Ron McKenzie6-3, 4–6, 7–5, 7-5
1959Wellington Billy Knight Mike Davies6-4, 2–6, 6–4, 6-2
1961Wellington Richard Hawkes M Hussey6-2, 6-2
1963Hamilton Lew Gerrard6-2, 6-3
1964Whanganui Lew Gerrard (2)7-5, 6-0
1967Lower Hutt Mark Cox Brian Fairlie6-2, 6-4
1968Timuru Brian Fairlie Onny Parun6–3, 6–4, 6–1
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969Hamilton Toomas Leius Onny Parun6-3, 6-4 5–7, 6-1
1970Hutt Valley Onny Parun Richard Hawkes6-1, 5–7, 7–9, 6–2, 6-3
1971Palmerston North Onny Parun (2) Hans Kary6-4, 7–5, 6-3
North Island Open Championships
1972Hamilton Armistead Neely Steve Faulk7-5, 6–3, 7-5
1973Palmerston North Bob Rheinberger Lars Olander6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1978Wellington Bob Carmichael João Soares2-6, 6–3, 7-5

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

North Island Championships
YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
1932Palmerston North Miss M. Whyte ? ?
1961Lower Hutt Ruia Morrison M. Johnston 6–3, 6–2
1967Lower Hutt Marilyn Headifen Beverley Vercoe 6–0, 6–2
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969Nelson Jennifer Goodall Nelson[6] Lynn Harris6–4, 6–4.
1970Hutt Valley Alice Tym Beverley Vercoe6–2, 6–2
1971Palmerston North Jill Fraser Beverley Vercoe6–3, 5–7, 6–3
North Island Open Championships
1975Hutt Valley Ceci Martinez Michèle Gurdal6–3, 2–6, 6–3

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tournaments:North Island Open Championships. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . 27 September 2023. subscription.
  2. Web site: Lower Hutt Tennis Club . Lower Hutt Tennis Club . Tennis Kiwi . 27 September 2023 . en.
  3. Web site: Tournaments:Wairarapa Provincial Championships. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . 27 September 2023. subscription.
  4. Tennis Kiwi
  5. Web site: Tournaments:South Island Open Championships. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . 27 September 2023. subscription.
  6. Friends of the Nelson Library