ACT Open explained

ACT Championships
ACT Open
Type:defunct
Tour:ILTF Circuit
Location:Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Venue:Manuka Tennis Courts (1942-69)
Canberra Tennis Centre (1970-2008)
Surface:Hard

The ACT Open[1] formally known as the Australian Capital Territory Open was a combined men's and women's hard court tennis tournament founded in 1929 as the ACT Championships or Australian Capital Territory Championships.[2] The tournament was organised by the Canberra Lawn Tennis Association and first played at at the Manuka Tennis Courts, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia It ran annually until 1968 as part of the ILTF Circuit, then part of the ILTF Independent Tour until 1977 when it was downgraded.[3]

History

The Australian Capital Territory Championships the most important tennis championship held in the Australian Capital Territory, was inaugurated in 1929.[4] However, the finals were not played. In 1930 the first open women's singles event was held along with the first men's singles final.[2] The venue for the tournament for many years was the Canberra Lawn Tennis Association courts in the Manuka area of Canberra.[2] The event was originally played on outdoor hard cement tennis courts.[3]

With the onset of open tennis in 1968 this tournaments status began to decline. In 1969 following the start of the open era it became part of the ILTF Independent Tour (tournaments not aligned to the Grand Prix Circuit or WCT Circuit until 1977. In 1970 the tournament was moved from Manuka to the new Canberra Tennis Centre at Lyneham.[2] In 1978 downgraded to a Satellite tournament.[3] The tournament was not held from 1982 to 1984, and 1999 to 2003. It continued until 2006.[3] Today the men's tournament has survived in one form or another and is known as the Canberra Tennis International,[3] and women's event is known as the ACT Clay Court International.

The tournament was sponsored from 1970 until at least 1980 by Ampol, Patra Foods and W.D. and H.O. Wills.[2]

Finals

Men's singles

YearChampionRunner-upScore
1930 Stanley Gee Roy Ayliffe6-1, 6-1, 7-9, 6-4[5] [6]
1931 Roy Ayliffe Sidney Bell3-6, 6-0, 8-6
1932 A. Murray Sidney Bell6-4, 7-5
1933 Stanley Gee James Nish7-9, 7-5, 6-3
1934 David Chrystal G. Fry6-2, 4-6, 6-2
1935 David Chrystal Reginald Bennett6-1, 6-2
1936 David Chrystal Bill Sidwell6-2, 6-1
1937 Reginald Bennett Sidney Bell7-5, 6-1
1938 David Thompson Fred Bennett6-1, 6-2
1939 Reginald Bennett Jim Bennett2-6, 6-1, 11-9
1940-45No competition
1946 Aubrey Brogan Kevin Taylor6-2, 6-2
1947 Reginald Bennett Frank Pryor6-3, 6-3
1948 Kevin Johnstone Max Anderson6-4, 6-4
1949 William Wallace Reginald Bennett6-2, 8-6
1950 William Wallace Roy Felan6-2, 4-6, 8-6
1951 William Wallace6-4, 6-1
1952 John O'Brien6-2, 6-2
1953 Keith Pepper6-2 6-2
1954 Graham Regan6-0, 6-1
1955 Warren Woodcock6-0, 6-4
1956 Neil Gibson6-2, 6-0
1957 Ken Binns6-4, 7-5
1958 Andres Gimeno6-3, 10-8
1959 Bob Hewitt6-2, 6-2
1960 Bob Hewitt6-1, 6-4
1961 John Newcombe6-0, 1-6, 6-2
1962 Michael Callaghan1-6, 6-1, 6-1
1963 Fred Stolle6-3, 6-4
1964 Dick Crealy4-6, 6-1, 6-3
1965 Geoff Pollard6-4, 5-7, 6-4
1966 Doug Kelso Bruce Larkham6-0, 3-6, 9-7
1967 Bruce Larkham Warren Jacques6-1, 6-1
1968 Dick Crealy6-2, 6-2
1969 Bruce Larkham6-1, 6-4
1970 Bruce Larkham Geoff Pollard5-7, 6-3, 7-5
1971 Bruce Larkham Howard Humphries6-7, 7-5, 6-2
1972 Bruce Larkham Trevor Allan7-6, 6-2
1973 Bruce Larkham Michael Kenny6-3, 6-3
1974 Michael Kenny7-6, 6-3
1975 Peter Hawking Phil Martin6-4, 6-2
1976Abandoned due to rain[7]
1977 Phil Martin Graham Wurtz7-5, 6-3
1978 Brett Edwards6-3, 2-6, 6-4
1979 Eddie Myers Phil Martin6-4, 6-2[8]
1980 Brett Edwards Phil Martin6-2, 6-4[9]
1981 Terry Rocavert6-4, 6-3

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: TENNIS Fifty years of the ACT Open . 20 August 2023 . . Trove: National Library of Australia . 21 September 1980 . Canberra . 25.
  2. The Canberra Times
  3. Web site: Tournaments:ACT Championships - ACT Open. The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . 20 August 2023. subscription.
  4. News: Big money for Canberra tennis . 20 August 2023 . Weekly Times . Trove: National Library of Australia . 2 July 1952 . Canberra . 58.
  5. Web site: Australian Capital Territory Championships. Tennis Archives. 30 November 2024.
  6. News: 21 September 1980. Fifty years of the ACT Open. The Canberra Times. 30 November 2024.
  7. News: 5 October 1976. ACT open tennis titles abandoned. The Canberra Times. 30 November 2024.
  8. News: 2 October 1979. Sure-footed singles win. The Canberra Times. 30 November 2024.
  9. News: 7 October 1980. Minter upsets Bryant in open tournament. The Canberra Times. 30 November 2024.