Tropical Championships | |
Type: | defunct |
Location: | St. Augustine, Florida, United States |
Venue: | Villa Zorayda (1887-88) Alcazar Hotel and Casino |
Tour: | USNLTA Circuit (1887–1894) |
Surface: | Asphalt (outdoors) Wood (indoors) |
The Tropical Championships[1] also called the Tropical Sectional Championships[2] was a men's open tennis tournament founded in 1887 as the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club Tournament.[3] It was staged annually by the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States until 1894.
In March 1887 the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Tournament was inaugurated at the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States,[4] The first was held at the Villa Zorayda owned by a local business magnet Mr. Franklin W. Smith and was played on indoor wood courts.[3] The first men's champion was Thomas Sterling Beckwith.[5] In 1888 its name was changed to the Tropical Championships.[6] [3] In 1889 the tournament was moved to the Alcazar Hotel and Casino in St. Augustine where the tournament was then played on outdoor hard asphalt courts and remained there for its duration.[3]
The championships were part of the USNLTA Circuit from 1887 until 1894. The tournament was mainly won by American players except for 1892 when the English tennis player Charles Walder Grinstead won the event. In 1894 the championships were discontinued the final singles champion was Oliver Campbell.[7]
(Incomplete roll)
Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|
1887 | Thomas Sterling Beckwith | Albert Empie Wright | 2–1 sets. |
1888 | Henry Graff Trevor | Thomas Sterling Beckwith | 3–2 sets. |
1889 | Oliver Samuel Campbell | Henry Graff Trevor | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4. |
1890 | Oliver Samuel Campbell (2) | Thomas Sterling Beckwith | 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-4 |
1891 | Oliver Samuel Campbell (3) | Albert Empie Wright | 10–8, 6–1, 7–5. |
1892 | Charles Walder Grinstead | Oliver Samuel Campbell | w.o. |
1893 | Not held | ||
1894 | Oliver Samuel Campbell (4) | Charles Walder Grinstead | w.o. |
(Incomplete roll)