South Florida Open Championships Explained

South Florida Open Championships
Type:defunct
Tour:ILTF World Circuit (1922–72)
ILTF Independent Tour (1973–77)
Location:Fort Lauderdale
Miami
Miami Beach
Punta Gorda
Palm Beach
West Palm Beach
Venue:Various
Surface:Clay

The South Florida Open Championships also known as the South Florida Championships or South Florida Open[1] was an international men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1922.[2] The tournament was first played in Miami, Florida, United States. From 1946 this tournament also carried the joint denomination of West Palm Beach Open.[3] The tournament was played at other locations until 1977 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Independent Tour.[2]

History

The South Florida Championships was a combined men's and women's clay court tournament first established in February 1922 and played in Miami, Florida, United States. The inaugural singles winners were Fritz Bastian (men's)[2] and Martha Floyd (women's). The tournament was part regional USLTA Southern Circuit.[2] In 1954 a second edition of the men's event was held in Fort Lauderdale called the South Florida Fall Championships that was won by

The tournament was held in Miami, Miami Beach, Palm Beach Punta Gorda, West Palm Beach.[2] The fall championships were played in Fort Lauderdale.[2]

The championships ran annually until 1977 when they discontinued from the ILTF Independent Tour,[2] a series of worldwide tournaments not part of the men's Grand Prix Circuit or women's the WTA Tour. The final winners of the singles events were the Canadian player Harry Fritz (men's),[2] the American player Bunny Smith (women's)

Finals

Men's singles (Winter)

(incomplete roll)

YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
South Florida Championships
1922Miami Fritz Bastian James Calder6-2, 6–3, 6–3.
1924Miami G. Carlton Shafer George Bart Pfingst[4] 8-6, 6–4, 6–1.
1926West Palm Beach Jerome (Jerry) Lang John T. Graves jr.6-1, 8–6, 6–3.
1927West Palm Beach Bill Tilden II Manuel Alonso Areizaga6-3, 7–9, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2.
1928Miami Beach Frank Hunter John F. Hennessey6-4, 6–4, 6–3.
1929Miami John F. Hennessey Frank Hunter2-6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–3.
1930Miami George Lott John Doeg2-6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 8–6.
1931Punta Gorda Gustavo Vollmer7-5, 4–6, 6–3, 7–5.
1932Punta Gorda4-6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1.
1939West Palm Beach Wayne Sabin Gene Mako7-9, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2.
1940West Palm Beach Bobby Riggs Henry Prusoff6-1, 7–5, 6–2.
1941Palm Beach Bobby Riggs (2) Jack Kramer6-3, 6–2, 6–3.
1946West Palm Beach Gardnar Mulloy Pancho Segura6–4, 6–3.
1948West Palm Beach Bruce Thomas Sidney Schwartz6-4, 6–4.
1950West Palm Beach Tony Vincent Malcolm Fox7-5, 6–3.
1951West Palm Beach Louis Straight Clark Tony Vincent6-4, 6–1, 5–7, 6–3.
1952West Palm Beach Gardnar Mulloy (2) Tony Vincent6-4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–3.
1953West Palm Beach Malcolm Fox1-6, 6–2, 10–8.
1954West Palm Beach Gardnar Mulloy (3) Lorne Main6-1, 4–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2.
1955West Palm Beach Eddie Moylan Jean-Noël Grinda9-7, 6–2.
1956West Palm Beach Vic Seixas2-6, 6–2, 6–4.
1957West Palm Beach Don Candy Armando Vieira3-6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–1.
1958West Palm Beach Jack Frost Kosei Kamo6-3, 6–2.
1959West Palm Beach Jack Frost (2) John W. Frost6-2, 6–2.
1960West Palm Beach Mike Davies Eduardo Zuleta6-2, 6–0.
1961West Palm Beach John C. Skogstad[5] Eduardo Zuleta6-0, 6–0, 2–6, 2–6, 6–3.
1962West Palm Beach Ed Rubinoff Thomaz Koch8-6, 10–12, 9–7, 7–5.
1963West Palm Beach Miguel Olvera Eduardo Zuleta6-1, 6–3, 6–1.
1964West Palm Beach Nicky Kalogeropoulos Eduardo Zuleta7-5, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3.
1965West Palm Beach Billy Higgins Lester M Sack[6] 6-3, 6–1, 6–0.
1966West Palm Beach Eduardo Zuleta Harry Fauquier6-3, 6–1.
1967West Palm Beach Eduardo Zuleta (2) Keith Carpenter10-8, 6–2.
1968West Palm Beach Eduardo Zuleta (3) Frank Tutvin6-4, 6–3.
↓  Open era  ↓
South Florida Open Championships
1969West Palm Beach Eduardo Zuleta (4) Jamie Pressly[7] 8-6, 6–0.
South Florida Open
1970West Palm Beach Frank Froehling III Pancho Guzmán7-5, 5–7, 6–3.
1971West Palm Beach Frank Froehling III (2) Pat Cramer6-3, 6–2.
1972West Palm Beach Eddie Dibbs Miguel Olvera5-7, 6–4, 7–5.
1973West Palm Beach Eddie Dibbs (2) Norman Holmes6-0, 6–2.
1974West Palm Beach Doug Crawford Rick Fisher6-3, 7–5.
1976West Palm Beach Greg Halder Clive Rothwell[8] 6-2, 6–3.
1977West Palm Beach Harry Fritz Larry Loeb[9] 6-4, 7–6.

Men's singles (Fall)

YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
South Florida Fall Championships/West Palm Beach Fall Open
1954Fort Lauderdale Allen Austin Quay James (Jim) Shakespeare[10] 6-2, 6–2.

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
South Florida Championships
1922Miami Martha Floyd Clare Cassell6-4, 6-4
1923Miami Anna Townsend Godfrey 6-1, 6-1
1929Miami Eleanor Brooks Cottman Gisela Comallonga 6-,2 6-4
1939West Palm Beach Marta Barnett[11] 6-3, 6-2
1940West Palm Beach Mary Hardwick6-1, 6-3
1941Palm Beach Pauline Betz (2)6-4, 6-1
1946West Palm Beach Eleanor Cushingham[12] 6-2, 2-6 6-1
1948West Palm Beach Laura Lou Jahn[13] 6-4, 6-1
1949West Palm Beach Virginia Lee Boyer 6-0, 6-1
1950West Palm Beach Jean Clarke Rhoda Hopkins[14] 7-5, 6–8, 6-1
1951West Palm Beach6-4, 6-4
1953West Palm Beach Thelma Coyne Long Jean Clarke 6-4, 6-4
1954West Palm Beach Laura Lou Kunnen Hana Sládková-Koželuhová9-7, 6-1
1955West Palm Beach Mildred Thornton[15] 9-7, 6-4
1956West Palm Beach Shirley Fry (2)6–1, 6-1
1957West Palm Beach Dottie Head Knode7–9, 7–5, 6-3
1958West Palm Beach Janet Hopps Maria Bueno6–3, 7-5
1959West Palm Beach Barbara Scofield Davidson Marie Martin6–4, 2–6, 9-7
1960West Palm Beach Ann Barclay Sandy Warshaw[16] 7–5, 6-1
1961West Palm Beach Ann Barclay (2)6–1, 6-3
1962West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina8–6, 6-2
1963West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina (2) Nancy Morrison Orthwein6–1, 6-1
1964West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina (3)1–6, 6–4, 6-2
1965West Palm Beach Betty Stöve Trudy Groenman6–4, 6-4
1966West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina (4)6–4, 6-0
1967West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina (5) Vera Cleto6–3, 6-0
1968West Palm Beach Kazuko Sawamatsu Vera Cleto6–1, 6-3
↓  Open era  ↓
South Florida Open Championships
1969West Palm Beach Stephanie DeFina (6) Anna Maria Cavadini[17] 6–1, 6-2
South Florida Open
1970West Palm Beach Chris Evert Stephanie DeFina6–3, 6-2
1971West Palm Beach Christiane Spinoza Bunny Smith 6–1, 6-2
1972West Palm Beach Mary McLean[18] 6–1, 6-1
1973West Palm Beach Bunny Smith[19] Sabine Bernegger[20] 6–4, 7-5

Tournament records

Men's singles

Included:[2]

Women's singles

Notes and References

  1. News: Chris Evert Rolls At Palm Beach . 28 September 2023 . . The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com . 12 Jan 1970 . Fort Lauderdale . 54. subscription.
  2. Web site: Tournaments:South Florida Open. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . 28 September 2023. subscription.
  3. News: Obituary for Mildred "Millie" Thornton Johnson . 28 September 2023 . The Highlander . Community Newspapers, Inc . 21 July 2022 . Highlands, NC.
  4. All Time Penn Men's Tennis Letterwinners: Pfingst, G. Bart 1919". University of Pennsylvania Athletics. University of Pennsylvania. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 28 September 2023
  5. Web site: John C. Skogstad, Georgia, 1998 . Southern Tennis Foundation . USTA South . 28 September 2023 . 10 December 2015.
  6. Web site: Player Profile: Lester M Sack USA . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  7. Web site: Player Profile: Jamie Pressly USA . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  8. Web site: Player Profile: Clive Rothwell FRA . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  9. Web site: Player Profile: Larry Loeb USA . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  10. Web site: James Shakespeare: Overview . ATP Tour . ATP . 28 September 2023 . London, England.
  11. Web site: Marta Barnett of Miami - Rye, New York . Florida Memory . State Library and Archives of Florida . 28 September 2023.
  12. Web site: Buck . Joan Juliet . Palm Springs Eternal . W Magazine . Desert Publications Inc . 28 September 2023 . en . 17 August 2015.
  13. News: Morgan . Nancy . Laura Lou Kunnen, 68, '50s tennis icon . 28 September 2023 . Tampa Bay Times . 10 Sep 2005 . Tampa, Florida . en.
  14. News: Crevier . Nancy . Dr Howard Root and Rhoda Joan Hopkins . 28 September 2023 . . Bee Publishing Company . 23 June 2006 . Newtown, CT.
  15. The Highlander
  16. Johnston . Joey . UT History Series: Judy Alvarez Represents UT at Wimbledon . Tampa Spartans . University of Tampa . 28 September 2023 . 16 June 2020 . en . 16 June 2020.
  17. Web site: Player Profile: Ana Cavadini ARG . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  18. Web site: Player Profile: Mary McLean USA . www.eurosport.com . Euro Sport . 28 September 2023.
  19. Web site: Player Profile: Bunny Smith USA . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.
  20. Web site: Player Profile: Sabine Bernegger AUT . www.itftennis.com . ITF . 28 September 2023.

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