Kenya Open (tennis)

The Kenya Open also known as the Kenya Championships[1] was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1934 as the Kenyan International Championships.[2] later called the Kenyan Closed Championships It was organised by the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (f.1922), Nairobi, Kenya and played on clay courts and ran until 1986 as part of the ILTF Independent Circuit.[2]

Kenya Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit
(1934–73)
ILTF Independent Circuit
Founded1934 (1934)
Abolished1986 (1986)
LocationNairobi, Kenya
SurfaceClay (outdoors)

History

In 1922 the Kenyan Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA) was founded.[3] In 1934 the KLTA became an associate member of the ILTF.[4] The same year it organised the first Kenyan International Championships an open tournament initially held in August then played annually in the summer. In 1968 the association changed the denomination of that tournament to Kenya Championships and moved the event till late winter usually starting at the end of January and finishing end of February or starting mid February ending early March this was also an open event. From 1974 it was re branded as the Kenya Open until 1982, it later became a closed tournament (for Kenyan players only) from 1983 to the late 1980s.[2] The tournament was played as part of the ILTF African Circuit a regional sub circuit of the ILTF World Circuit from 1968 to 1972, the it became part ILTF Independent Circuit until 1986 when it was downgraded from the world circuit. The event however was till being held as late as 2022.[5]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948 Jack Piercy Robert Cooper6–3, 6–0, 6–2.[2]
1949 R.J.E. Mayers Jack Piercy6–2, 2–6, 10–12, 6–1, 6–3.[2]
1950 R.J.E. Mayers F.D.M. Flowerdew6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1961 Yashvin Shretta[6]??
1965 Shyam Minotra[7] Yashvin Shretta7-9, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.[2]
1966 Ramanathan Krishnan Yashvin Shretta6–2, 6–0, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Invitation
1967 Jim McManus John Pickens6–2, 2–6, 7–5, 6–8, 6–2.[2]
↓  Open era  ↓
Kenya Championships
1969 Bernard Mignot Yashvin Shretta6–0, 6–2.[2]
1970[8] Yashvin Shretta (2) Ahmed Hassanein7–5, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
1971 Aly El Dawoudi Yashvin Shretta6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4.[2]
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973 Richard Russell David Lloyd8–6, 6–4, 6–4.[2]
Kenya Open
1974 Pierre Joly Lee Tomlinson7–6, 6–3, 6–1.[2]
1976 Norman Holmes John Feaver6–0, 6–2, 7–6.[2]
1977 Bob Rheinberger Uli Heyne[9]6–2, 6–7, 6–2.[2]
1978 Peter Feigl Bernard Mignot6–1, 6–4, 6–2.[2]
1979 David Imonitie Per Larsson6–7, 7–6, 11–9.[2]
1980 Wayne Pascoe Ola Hellgren6–4, 2–6, 6–1.[2]
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983 Selim Rana[10] Steven Kasigwa[11]6–3, 6–2

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Kenyan International Championships
Year Winners Runners-up Score
↓  ILTF World Circuit  ↓
1948 Sheila Paterson Dowdeswell Mrs J.F. Mark6–0, 6–2
1949 Mrs J.F. Mark M. Muir6–2, 6–1
1950 Margot Lumb Gordon Mrs M.C. Swan6–2, 6–1
1951 Doris Unwin Grizel Swynnerton2–6, 6–2, 6–2
1952 Grizel Swynnerton Mrs E. Boswell6–1, 6–0
1953 Julia Wipplinger Thea S. Hale7–5, 6–2
1954 Margot Lumb Gordon Frances Hook Marshall6–2, 7-5
1955 Frances Hook Marshall Mrs W. Michell6–4, 6–4
1956 Frances Hook Marshall (2) Khanum Haji Singh4–6, 6–3, 6–3
1957 Grizel M. Swynnerton (2) J. Sheridan4–6, 6–2, 6–2
1958 Margot Lumb Gordon (2) Miss Morgan6–3, 6–3
1960 Eve Sladden Loise Surgey6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1961 Debbie Adams Grizel M. Swynnerton6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1962 Doris Unwin F. Spring5–7, 6–3, 6–1
1963 Grizel M. Swynnerton Elizabeth Haggie5–7, 6–3, 6–1
Kenyan Championships
1968 Virginia Wade Kerstin Seelbach4–6, 6–1 6–2
1969 Elizabeth Haggie Mrs Wendy Hall4–6, 6–1 6–2
1970 Alice Tym Daphne Paterson6–1, 6–3
1971 Nirupama Mankad Jenny Patterson6–2, 6–1
1972 Winnie Shaw Gail Chanfreau2–6, 6–2, 6–4
↓  ILTF Independent Circuit  ↓
1973 Brenda Kirk Jenny Patterson7–5, 6–1
Kenya Open
1974 Annette Coe Corinne Molesworth7–5, 6–1
1976 Annette Coe Uschi Ulrich6–2, 6–4
1980 Lesley Charles Debbie Stewart3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Kenyan Closed Championships
1983 Carol Hughes S. Trempenau6–3, 6–2
1984 Susan Wakhungu Jane Ndunda7–5, 6–3
1985 Carol Hughes Jane Ndunda4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1986 Judi Wakhungu R. Wilson?

References
  1. Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance; West, Peter (1971). World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7.
  2. "Tournaments: Kenya National Championships - Kenya Open". The Tennis Base. Madrid, Spain: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen and Unwin. p. 277. ISBN 9780047960420.
  4. Robertson
  5. "Kenya Nationals Tournament". www.sportyhq.com. Tennis Kenya. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. "Shyam Minotra: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. "Biography: Yashvin Shretta". Olympics. IOC.
  9. "Uli Heyne: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  10. "Saleem Rana: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  11. "Steven Kasigwa: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
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