The Slazenger Torquay Open[1] was an indoor tennis tournament originally founded as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts in 1936 that was sponsored by the Dunlop Company for that year only.[2] From the 1950s it was known as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships, that ran until 1967. In 1968 the Scottish whisky company John Dewar & Sons became sponsors of the event,[3] and it was rebranded as the Dewar Cup Torquay until 1972 when sponsorship ended causing the 1973 edition not being held. In 1974 the sports company Slazenger took over sponsorship of the event until 1978 when it was abolished. It was at played at the Palace Hotel, Torquay, Devon, England.

Palace Hotel Covered Courts
Dewar Cup Torquay
Slazenger Torquay Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event namePalace Hotel Covered Courts (1936-67)
Dewar Cup Torquay (1968–1972)
TourILTF Mens Amateur Tour (1913-1967)
ILTF Women's Amateur Tour (1913-1967)
SponsorDunlop (1936)
Dewars (1968-72)
Slazenger (1974-78)
Founded1936
Abolished1978
LocationTorquay, Devon, Great Britain
VenuePalace Hotel
SurfaceIndoor (carpet)

History

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The Palace Hotel Covered Courts tournament was founded in 1936, and was sponsored by the Dunlop Company for the first edition.[4] It continued to be staged as an annual event under that name until 1959. In 1960 the tournament was rebranded as the Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships through till 1967. In 1968 Dewar's then became sponsors of the Palace Hotel event, and it was rebranded as the Dewar Cup Torquay until 1972 when sponsorship ended causing the 1973 edition not being held. In 1974 Slazenger then took over sponsorship of the tournament and it was rebranced as the Slazenger Torquay Open. It was played on indoor courts at the Palace Hotel, Torquay, Devon, England

From 1968 to 1974 it was part of the fourth leg of Dewar Cup Circuit of indoor tournaments.[5]

Finals

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Men's singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
Palace Hotel Covered Courts
1936   Harry Lee[6]   Frank Wilde 6–4, 6–0
1937[7]   Ronald Shayes[8]   Frank Wilde 6-2 6-4
1938   Ronald Shayes (2)   Murray Deloford 6-3 8-6
1940/1945 Not held (due to World War II)
1948   Howard Walton[9]   Donald Butler 6-2 6-3
1949   Paddy Roberts   Czeslaw Spychala 6-3 2-6 6-2
1950   Ignacy Tłoczyński   George Godsell 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1951[7]   Jaroslav Drobný   Paddy Roberts 6–2, 6–4
1952   Tony Mottram   John Horn 3–6, 6–1, 6–0
1953   Gerry Oakley   Geoffrey Paish 2–6, 7–5, 10–8
1954   Mike Davies   Gerry Oakley 6–4, 6–2
1955   Bob Howe   Roger Becker 6–3, 2–6, 6–4
1956   Jaroslav Drobný (2)   Gerry Oakley 6–4, 6–2
1957   Bobby Wilson   Gerry Oakley 6–4, 6–3
1958   Bobby Wilson (2)   Alan Mills 6–4, 6–4
1959   Bobby Wilson (3)   Mike Sangster 6–3, 6–4
Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships
1960[7]   Bobby Wilson (4)   Roger Becker 6–4, 6–2
1961   Jaroslav Drobný (3)   Mike Sangster 6–2, 3–6, 6–4
1962   Bobby Wilson (5)   Tony Pickard 6–3, 6–2
1963   Keith Diepraam   Bobby Wilson 6–3, 6–4
1964[7]   Roger Taylor   Mike Sangster 11–9, 16–14
1965   Keith Wooldridge   Bobby Wilson 4–6, 6–3, ret.
1966   Keith Wooldridge (2)   John Clifton 5–7, 6–2, 6–1
1967   Bobby Wilson (6)   Mike Sangster 8–6, 6–2
Open era
Dewar Cup Torquay
1968   Bob Hewitt   Owen Davidson 6–3, 6–4
1969   Mark Cox   John Clifton 8-6 6-3
1970   Vladimir Zednik   Paul Raymond Hutchins 6–3, 6–3
1971   Bob Hewitt (2)   Gerald Battrick 3–6, 6–1, 6–2
1972   Ray Moore   Pat Cramer 6–3, 6–3
Slazenger Torquay Open
1974   David Lloyd   Mark Farrell 6–7, 6–4, 6–2
1975   Mark Cox   Richard Lewis 6–3, 6–3
1976   David Lloyd (2)   Martin Robinson) 7–5, 6–3
1977   Clive Rothwell   Theo Gorter 6–3, 7–6
1978   Jonathan Smith   John Whiteford 2–6, 7–6, 6–3

Women's singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
Palace Hotel Covered Courts
1936   Anita Lizana[10]   Dorothy Round 8–10, 6–1, 6–1
1937   Freda James   Billie Yorke 4–6, 6–1, 6–3
1938   Mary Hardwick   Nina Brown 6–2, 6–4
1939/1947 Not held (due to World War II)
1948   Joan Curry   Betty Clements Hilton 6–1, 6–3
1949   Joan Curry (2)   Jean Bridger Walker-Smith 6–2, 3–6, 6–2
1950   Joan Curry (3)   Jean Bridger Walker-Smith walkover
1951   Susan Partridge   Jean Bridger Walker-Smith 6–4, 6–3
1952   Angela Mortimer   Joan Curry 6–3, 6–1
1953   Angela Mortimer (2)   Georgie Woodgate 6–1, 6–1
1954   Angela Mortimer (3)   Shirley Bloomer 6–2, 6–1
1955   Angela Mortimer (4)   Angela Buxton 6–2, 6–2
1956   Thelma Coyne Long   Angela Buxton 6–4, 4–6, 7–5
1957   Joan Curry   Rita Bentley 6–2, 10–8
1958   Angela Mortimer (5)   Ann Haydon 6–1, 6–0
1959   Angela Mortimer (6)   Ann Haydon 7-5, 6–3
Palace Hotel Covered Courts Championships
1960   Ann Haydon   Angela Mortimer 6–4, 6–2
1961   Angela Mortimer (7)   Deidre Catt 6–1, 6–2
1962   Angela Mortimer (8)   Ann Haydon Jones 7–5, 6–3
1963   Deidre Catt   Ann Haydon Jones 6–3, 8–6
1964   Ann Haydon Jones (2)   Deidre Catt 6–3, 7–5
1965   Ann Haydon Jones (3)   Pat McClenaughan Faulkner 6–1, 6–1
1966   Joyce Barclay Williams   Ann Haydon Jones 6–4, 5–5 ,retired
1967   Virginia Wade   Ann Haydon Jones 6–2, 12–14, 6–2
Open era
Dewar Cup Torquay
1968   Margaret Smith Court[11]   Virginia Wade 12–10, 8–6
1969   Julie Heldman   Virginia Wade 4–6, 8–6, 6–3[12]
1970   Ann Haydon Jones (4)   Virginia Wade 6–4, 7–5
1971   Evonne Goolagong   Françoise Dürr 6–1, 6–0
1972   Margaret Smith Court (2)   Virginia Wade 2–6, 6–3, 6–1
Slazenger Torquay Open
1974   Ann Haydon Jones (5)   Janet Newberry 7–5, 7–6
1975   Ann Haydon Jones (6)   Winnie Shaw Wooldridge 4–6, 6–1, 6–3
1976   Sue Barker[13]   Michele Tyler 6–4, 6–2

References

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  1. ^ Graebner Beats Mendoza, Advances in Dewar Tennis". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 10 November 1972. p. 28.
  2. ^ Hedges, Martin (1978). The concise dictionary of tennis. New York: Mayflower Books. p. 234. ISBN 0-86124-012-X.
  3. ^ Hedges
  4. ^ Hedges
  5. ^ Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Dewar Cup Fourth Leg – Torquay". www.tennisarchives.com. Netherlands: Tennis Archives. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  6. ^ Hedges
  7. ^ a b c d "1877 to 2012 Finals Results". stevegtennis.com. Steve G Tennis. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Players: Ronald Shayes". itftennis.com. ITF. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Howard Walton : Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  10. ^ Hedges
  11. ^ WTA, ATP (2005). Official Guide to Professional Tennis 2005. New York: Sport Media Publishing. p. 375. ISBN 978-1-894963-41-1.
  12. ^ Wechsler, Bob (2008). Day by Day in Jewish Sports History. New York: KTAV Publishing House, Inc. p. 313. ISBN 978-0-88125-969-8.
  13. ^ Hedges

Sources

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  • Hedges, Martin (1978). The concise dictionary of tennis. New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN 0-86124-012-X.
  • Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Dewar Cup Fourth Leg – Torquay". www.tennisarchives.com. Netherlands: Tennis Archives.
  • The New York Times. The New York Times Company.
  • Wechsler, Bob (2008). Day by Day in Jewish Sports History. New York: KTAV Publishing House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-88125-969-8.
  • WTA, ATP (2005). Official Guide to Professional Tennis 2005. New York: Sport Media Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894963-41-1.