Tamil Union Open Championships

The Tamil Union Open Championships[1] also known as the Tamil Union Open[1] was an open international men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1930 as the Tamil Union Championships.[2] It was first organised by the Tamil Union Cricket & Athletic Club and first played on clay courts in Colombo, Ceylon then later Sri Lanka. The international tournament was played annually until 1973 when it was discontinued as part of the worldwide ILTF Independent Tour.[1]

Tamil Union Open Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit (1914–72)
ILTF Independent Tour (1973)
Founded1930; 94 years ago (1930)
Abolished1973; 51 years ago (1973)
LocationColombo, Sri Lanka
VenueTamil Union Cricket & Athletic Club
SurfaceClay

History

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In 1895 the Lanka Sports Club (f.1895) and in March 1899 the Tamil Sports Club was formed.[3] In December 1899 both clubs merged to form the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club.[4] In 1920 a tennis section was established and three clay courts were built.[4][1] In 1930 the Tamil Union Championships as an SLTA event was established.[1] The championships became part of the ILTF World Circuit until 1969 (for men) and 1972 (for women). In 1970 the men's event was part of ILTF Independent Tour with the women's tournament joining that tour for 1 edition only in 1973. The event was downgraded from the annual worldwide tour, but it was still being held in 2022 as the Janashakthi Life Tamil Union Open (for sponsorship reasons) a Sri Lanka Tennis Association ranking tournament.[5]

Finals

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Men' singles

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(incomplete roll)

Tamil Union Championships
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1930   Oscar Manuel Lisboa Pinto   Hildon Claude Sansoni 6-4, 3–6, 6–1.[1]
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   P. Senaka (Sandy) Kumara   Bernard L. Pinto 6–3, 6–3.[1]
1970   P. Senaka (Sandy) Kumara   Neville A.C. Senaratne 6-2, 2–6, 6–4.[1]

Women's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Tamil Union Championships
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1930   Nedra Obeysekera   Gertrude Steiger 6–4, 7–5
↓  Open era  ↓
1969   Sria Gooneratne   Lakshmi Mahadevan 6–3, 6–3
1970   Srima Abeyegunawardene   Susima Abeyegunawardene 6–1, 4–6, retd.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Tournaments:Tamil Union Open Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ^ Gunaratne, Mahasara (1992). Five Dons. Colombo: Lake House Publications. p. 33.
  3. ^ "History". tamilunioncac.com. Colombo. Sri Lanka: Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b TUC&AC
  5. ^ "Tamil Union SLTA Ranking Tournament 2022 | Daily FT". Financial Times Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Wijeyanewspapers. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2023.