The South African Open – formerly known as the South African Championships, and for sponsorship reasons the Altech NCR South African Open and the Panasonic South African Open – is a defunct Grand Prix Tennis Tour, World Championship Series, ATP Tour and Virginia Slims Circuit affiliated tennis tournament played from 1891 to 1995 in South Africa. It was part of the pre-open era international seasonal tours from 1891 to 1967 from 1968 to 1971, part of the open era independent events tour from 1972, when it became part the men's Grand Prix Tour until 1989. The women's side of the competition was only briefly part of Virginia Slims tour (1970–74) before it returned to the independent circuit.

The men's event joined the ATP Tour in 1990. It was mainly held in Johannesburg in South Africa, but played in other locations such as Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, Kimberly and Pretoria. The tournament was played on outdoor hard courts it ran for a period of 105 years until 1995.

The first South African Championships were first played in 1891 until 1967 and took place in Port Elizabeth. The tournament was held at and organized by the Port Elizabeth Lawn Tennis Club. This inaugural edition consisted of a men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles event. The tournament was not played from 1900 to 1902 due to the Boer War. After the formation of the South African Lawn Tennis Union in 1903 the location of the tournament circulated between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, Kimberly and Pretoria. In 1905 the women's doubles competition was added. The tournament was not held from 1915 to 1919 due to World War I, and from 1941 to 1945 due to World War II. The first men's singles winner was Lionel Richardson from Bloemfontein. In 1931 Ellis Park in Johannesburg became the permanent venue for the championships.^[1] In 1968 the event went open and was from then on known as the South African Open Sets were played on advantage until 1971; Lingering death tiebreaks at six games all were subsequently adopted. Finals were the best-of-five-sets until the tournament's suspension in 1990; upon its return in 1992 finals were reduced to the best-of-three-sets the men's tournament was suspended again from 1996 until 2006. The women's tournament was also stopped in 1982,1985 and 1988 it was played in 1990 but did not continue after that date.

ATP Tour tennis returned to South Africa in 2009 under the banner of the SA Tennis Open. The history of this event, however, is not part of the history of the Open.^[2] The SA Tennis Open, which was part of the 250 series of events, was discontinued in 2011.^[3]

The most successful male player at the South African Championships – played from 1891 to 1967 during the Amateur Era – was Eric Sturgess, who won eleven titles between 1939 and 1957 and lost a further final in 1947 to Eustace Fannin. He also holds the overall record for the most consecutive titles won – seven between 1948 and 1954. Five players share the record for the most male wins at the tournament in the Open Era – Rod Laver (1969, 1970), Jimmy Connors (1973, 1974), Harold Solomon (1975, 1976), Vitas Gerulaitis (1981, 1982) and Aaron Krickstein (1992, 1993).

The most successful female player at the South African Championships – played from 1891 to 1967 during the Amateur Era – was Mrs H.A. Kirby, who won six titles between 1904 and 1912. She also shares the overall record for the most consecutive titles won with Miss H. Grant. Both players won four consecutive titles – Grant won the first four South African titles from 1891 to 1894 and Mrs Kirby won four titles between 1904 and 1907. Margaret Court and Brigitte Cuypers share the record for the most wins at the tournament in the Open Era. Court won three titles in 1968, 1970 and 1971 and Cuypers won in 1976, 1978 and 1979.

The following comprises the full list of South African Open men's singles champions.^[4] and South African Open women's singles champions.

NB: The following tables below comprise full lists of champions from 1891 until 1995

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Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1891	Lionel Richardson	Lyndhurst Winslow	6–2, 10–8, 6–2
1892	Lionel Richardson(2)	R. Davis	Unavailable
1893	Walter T. Edmonds	Lionel Richardson	6–3, 6–3, 6–4
1894	Lennox L. Giddy	Walter T. Edmonds	6–1, 6–3, 6–0
1895	Lennox L. Giddy	Stanley Bayly	6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1896	Lennox L. Giddy	H.R. Eaton	Unavailable
1897	Lennox L. Giddy	William C. Stevens	8–10, 12–10, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1898	Lennox L. Giddy	George C. Collins	Unavailable
1899	Leonard G. Heard	Lennox L. Giddy	6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
1900–1902	Not held due to Second Boer War
1903	R.W.G. Clarke	H.M Steele	6–4, 6–0, 6–3
1904	Percy Sherwell	R.W.G. Clarke	6–3, 6–2, 6–1
1905	Harold Kitson	A.J. Rowan	6–1, 2–6, 6–3, 8–6
1906	John R. Richardson	Cecil E. Howard Tripp	6–4, 7–5, 6–2
1907	A.J. Rowan	Cecil E. Howard Tripp	7–5, 5–7, 1–6, 6–4, 6–3
1908	Harold Kitson	Victor Gauntlett	6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 7–9, 6–2
1909	Reginald Doherty	Lionel Escombe	6–3, 6–1, 6–1
1910	Anthony Wilding	Harold Kitson	6–0, 6–3, 6–4
1911	Harold Kitson	Father Kelly	6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1912	George Dodd	R.F. Le Sueur	6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–0
1913	Harold Kitson	Harold I. Aitken	6–1, 6–4, 6–3
1914	Charles Winslow	George Dodd	4–6, 7–9, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
1915–1919	Not held (WW1)
1920	Brian Norton	Louis Raymond	1–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3
1921	Louis Raymond	Marchant Davies	6–3, 6–0, 6–1
1922	Louis Raymond	George Dodd	6–3, 7–5, 6–2
1923	Louis Raymond	Jack Condon	6–3, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2
1924	Louis Raymond	George Dodd	6–4, 6–0, 3–6, 6–3
1925	Ivie Richardson	Charles Winslow	7–5, 7–5, 2–6, 4–6, 6–4
1926	Jack Condon	Cecil Blackbeard	6–0, 6–3, 6–2
1927	J.C. Guy Eaglestone	C.H. Robbs	8–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4
1928	J.C. Guy Eaglestone	George Dodd	6–4, 6–1, 6–4
1929	Colin Robbins	George Dodd	6–1, 6–0, 6–3
1930	Louis Raymond	Colin Robbins	6–2, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1931	Louis Raymond	Robert H. M. Bertram	6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1932	Robert H. M. Bertram	Colin Robbins	2–6, 9–7, 9–7, 6–1
1933	Colin Robbins	Vernon Kirby	6–1, 1–6, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4
1934	Norman Farquharson	Roy Malcolm	4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 14–12
1935 [5]	Norman Farquharson	Vernon Kirby	6–0, 6–4, 6–1
1936	Norman Farquharson	Robert H. M. Bertram	6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2
1937	Josip Palada	Vernon Kirby	6–2, 0–6, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3
1938	Norman Farquharson	Vernon Kirby	4–6, 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–0
1939	Eric Sturgess	Eustace Fannin	6–2, 9–7, 3–6, 6–8, 7–5
1940	Eric Sturgess	Robert H. M. Bertram	6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2
1941–1945	Not held (WW2)
1946	Eric Sturgess	Norman Farquharson	6–0, 6–2, 6–3
1947	Eustace Fannin	Eric Sturgess	6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 0–6, 6–4
1948	Eric Sturgess	Tony Mottram	6–3, 6–4, 6–8, 6–1
1949	Eric Sturgess	Geoffrey Brown	4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 7–5
1950	Eric Sturgess	Arthur Larsen	6–1, 6–1, 3–6, 6–2
1951	Eric Sturgess	Sydney Levy	6–3, 6–2, 7–5
1952	Eric Sturgess	Sydney Levy	6–2, 6–2, 6–3
1953	Eric Sturgess	Russell Seymour	6–1, 6–3, 6–3
1954	Eric Sturgess	Jaroslav Drobný	5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 8–6
1955	Russell Seymour	Gordon Forbes	1–6, 9–7, 6–1, 8–6
1956	Ian Vermaak	Torsten Johansson	6–2, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6
1957	Eric Sturgess	Gaetan Koenig	9–7, 6–3, 6–1
1958	Ulf Schmidt	Torben Ulrich	1–6, 12–10, 6–2, 6–8, 6–2
1959	Gordon Forbes	Ian Vermaak	6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1960	Butch Buchholz	Jack Frost	6–1, 7–5, 6–3
1961	Gordon Forbes	Julian Mayers	8–6, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1962	Bob Mark	Gordon Forbes	6–1, 6–1, 2–6, 8–6
1963	Wilhelm Bungert	Gordon Forbes	6–4, 6–4, 8–6
1964	Abe Segal	Gordon Forbes	4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–3
1965	Cliff Drysdale	Juan Manuel Couder	1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 1–6, 6–3
1966	Roy Emerson	Bob Hewitt	6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–4, 7–5
1967	Manuel Santana	Jan Leschly	2–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1968	Tom Okker	Marty Riessen	12–10, 6–1, 6–4
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969	Rod Laver	Tom Okker	6–3, 10–8, 6–3
1970	Rod Laver	Frew McMillan	4–6, 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
1971	Ken Rosewall	Fred Stolle	6–4, 6–0, 6–4
1972	Cliff Richey	Manuel Orantes	6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–4
1973	Jimmy Connors	Arthur Ashe	6–4, 7–6, 6–3
1974	Jimmy Connors	Arthur Ashe	7–6, 6–3, 6–1
1975	Harold Solomon	Brian Gottfried	6–2, 6–4, 5–7, 6–1
1976	Harold Solomon	Brian Gottfried	6–2, 6–7, 6–3, 6–4
1977	Guillermo Vilas	Buster Mottram	7–6, 6–3, 6–4
1978	Tim Gullikson	Harold Solomon	2–6, 7–6, 7–6, 6–7, 6–4
1979	Andrew Pattison	Víctor Pecci	2–6 6–3 6–2 6–3
1980	Kim Warwick	Fritz Buehning	6–2, 6–1, 6–2
1981	Vitas Gerulaitis	Jeff Borowiak	6–4, 7–6, 6–1
1982	Vitas Gerulaitis	Guillermo Vilas	7–6, 6–2, 4–6, 7–6
1983	Johan Kriek	Colin Dowdeswell	6–4, 4–6, 1–6, 7–5, 6–3
1984	Eliot Teltscher	Vitas Gerulaitis	6–3, 6–1, 7–6
1985	Matt Anger	Brad Gilbert	6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1986	Amos Mansdorf	Matt Anger	6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 7–5
1987	Pat Cash	Brad Gilbert	7–6, 4–6, 2–6, 6–0, 6–1
1988	Jakob Hlasek	Christo van Rensburg	6–7, 6–4, 6–1, 7–6
1989	Christo van Rensburg	Paul Chamberlin	6–4, 7–6, 6–3
1990	Wayne Ferreira	Mark Kaplan	6–3 7–5 7–6
1991	Todd Witsken	Wayne Ferreira	4–6 6–4 6–4
1992	Aaron Krickstein	Alexander Volkov	6–4, 6–4
1993	Aaron Krickstein	Grant Stafford	6–3, 7–6
1994	Markus Zoecke	Hendrik Dreekmann	6–4, 6–1
1995	Martin Sinner	Guillaume Raoux	6–1, 6–4
1996–2006	Not held
2007 (CH)	Mathieu Montcourt	Rik de Voest	5–7, 6–3, 6–2
2008 (CH)	Ivan Ljubičić	Stefan Koubek	7–6, 6–4

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1891	Mabel Grant	Miss Blackburn	6–2, 6–0
1892	Mabel Grant	Mrs MacLagan	Unavailable
1893	Mabel Grant	Mrs MacLagan	6–1, 6–0
1894	Mabel Grant	Miss B. Grant	6–1, 6–0
1895	Miss L. Biddulph	Miss Fry	6–1, 6–4
1896	Mrs H. Green	Miss L. Biddulph	Unavailable
1897	Miss N. Hickman	Mrs H. Green	7–9, 12–10, 6–2
1898	Miss N. Hickman	Miss L. Biddulph	Unavailable
1899	Miss N. Hickman	Mrs H. Green	6–8, 6–2, 6–3
1900–1902	Not held (Boer War)
1903	Miss F. Kuys	Mrs Mackay	6–0, 6–2
1904	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Mrs M. Nevill (Grant)	6–4, 5–7, 6–4
1905	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Mrs S.B.Syfret	6–2, 6–0
1906	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Mrs Greatwood	7–5, 6–2
1907	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Mrs R.H.Miller	6–1, 4–6, 6–2
1908	Miss M. Kelly	Mrs Gillmore	6–2, 6–1
1909	Mrs G. Washington	Miss Edwards	6–2, 7–9, 6–4
1910	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Mrs J Reid	6–1, 6–2
1911	Mrs G. Washington	Miss M. Kelly	6–0, 6–1
1912	Mrs H.A. Kirby	Olive Mathias	6–2, 6–0
1913	Miss M. Coles	Miss M. Kelly	6–3, 9–7
1914	Olive Mathias	Mrs H.A. Kirby	3–6, 6–2, 6–2
1915–1919	Not held (WW1)
1920	Olive Winslow (Mathias)	Miss Phillips	6–3, 7–5
1921	Miss N. Edwards	Mrs W.F. du Plessis	6–1, 6–2
1922	Mrs M. McJannett	Miss J. Parker	6–2, 6–2
1923	Mrs C.K. Pitt	Mrs D.R.Moor	6–4, 6–3
1924	Irene Peacock	Mrs L. McArthur	7–5, 6–4
1925	Irene Peacock	Mrs L. McArthur	5–7, 6–1, 6–1
1926	Irene Peacock	Miss A. de Smit	6–2, 6–1
1927	Mrs M. McJannett	Mrs V. Everett	12–10, 6–4
1928	Bobbie Heine	Billie Tapscott	8–6, 6–3
1929	Mrs M. McJannett	Miss W.N. Miller	7–5, 6–2
1930	Billie Tapscott	Mrs V. Everett	7–5, 6–2
1931	Bobbie Heine	Miss W.N. Miller	6–3, 6–3
1932	Bobbie Heine Miller	Mrs W.N. Lowe (Miller)	6–0, 6–3
1933	Billie Tapscott Robbins	Mrs W.N. Lowe	6–4, 3–6, 6–1
1934	Billie Tapscott Robbins	Mrs W.N. Lowe	6–0, 6–3
1935	Mrs A. Allister	Billie Tapscott Robbins	6–4, 6–3
1936	Bobbie Heine Miller	Mrs V. Everett	6–2, 4–6, 6–4
1937	Bobbie Heine Miller	Alida Neave	6–4, 4–6, 6–0
1938	Billie Tapscott Robbins	Olive Craze	6–4, 6–4
1939	Olive Craze	Sheila Piercey	4–6, 6–3, 6–4
1940	Olive Craze	Sheila Piercey	4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1941–1945	Not held (WW2)
1946	Mary D. Muller	Mrs O. Plessis	6–4, 6–4
1947	Mary D. Muller	Sheila Piercey Summers	6–2, 6–8, 6–2
1948	Sheila Summers	Kay Menzies	6–1, 6–4
1949	Sheila Summers	Thelma Long	6–1, 6–1
1950	Shirley Fry	Doris Hart	4–6, 7–5, 6–3
1951	Sheila Summers	Hazel Redick-Smith	8–6, 2–6, 7–5
1952	Doris Hart	Julia Wipplinger	6–1, 7–5
1953	Hazel Redick-Smith	Julia Wipplinger	6–2, 6–2
1954	Hazel Redick-Smith	Gwendy Love	4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1955	Hazel Redick-Smith	Lucille van der Westhuizen	6–4, 6–3
1956	Dora Kilian	Gwendy Love	4–6, 7–5, 6–4
1957	Heather Brewer	Gwendy Love	8–10, 6–2, 6–3
1958	Bernice Carr	Heather Brewer-Segal	3–6, 7–5, 6–4
1959	Sandra Reynolds	Bernice Vukovich (Carr)	6–0, 8–6
1960	Bernice Vukovich	Sandra Reynolds	6–1, 2–6, 12–10
1961	Sandra Reynolds	Lynette Hutchings	6–4, 7–5
1962	Heather Brewer-Segal	Jean Forbes	6–1, 7–5
1963	Annette Van Zyl	Margaret Hunt	6–4, 2–6, 6–3
1964	Darlene Hard	Ann Haydon-Jones	6–3, 7–5
1965	Christine Truman	Annette Van Zyl	6–2, 6–3
1966	Billie Jean King	Margaret Court	6–3, 6–2
1967	Billie Jean King	Maria Bueno	7–5, 5–7, 6–2
1968	Margaret Court	Virginia Wade	6–4, 6–4
↓  Open Era  ↓
1969	Billie Jean King	Nancy Richey	6–3, 6–4
1970	Margaret Court	Billie Jean King	6–4, 1–6, 6–3
1971	Margaret Court	Evonne Goolagong	6–3, 6–1
1972	Evonne Goolagong	Virginia Wade	4–6, 6–3, 6–0
1973	Chris Evert	Evonne Goolagong	6–3, 6–3
1974	Kerry Melville	Dianne Fromholtz	6–3, 7–5
1975	Annette du Plooy (van Zyl)	Brigitte Cuypers	6–3, 3–6, 6–4
1976	Brigitte Cuypers	Laura duPont	6–7, 6–4, 6–1
1977	Linky Boshoff	Brigitte Cuypers	6–1, 6–4
1978	Brigitte Cuypers	Linda Siegel	6–1, 6–0
1979	Brigitte Cuypers	Tanya Harford	7–6, 6–2
1980	Lesley Charles	Rene Uys	7–5, 6–4
1981	Kathy Horvath	Kathy Rinaldi	7–6, 6–4
1982–1983	Not held
1984	Chris Evert-Lloyd	Andrea Jaeger	6–3, 6–0
1985	Not held
1986	Dinky van Rensburg	Rene Mentz	6–3, 6–1
1987	Gretchen Magers	Louise Allen	6–7, 7–6, 6–4
1988–1989	Not held
1990	Amanda Coetzer	Dinky van Rensburg	6–4, 6–4

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1969	Pancho Gonzales Ray Moore	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	6–3, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3
1970	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	Cliff Drysdale Roger Taylor	6–3, 6–3, 6–2 [6]
1971	Ken Rosewall Fred Stolle	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	5–7, 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 [7]
1972	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	Ray Moore Georges Goven	6–3, 6–3, 6–4 [8]
1973	Arthur Ashe Tom Okker	Lew Hoad Robert Maud	6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1974	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	Tom Okker Marty Riessen	7–6, 6–4, 6–3
1975	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	Karl Meiler Charlie Pasarell	7–5, 6–4
1976	Brian Gottfried Sherwood Stewart	Juan Gisbert Stan Smith	1–6, 6–1, 6–2, 7–6
1977	Robert Lutz Stan Smith	Peter Fleming Raymond Moore	6–3, 7–5, 6–7, 7–6
1978	Peter Fleming Raymond Moore	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	6–3, 7–6
1979	Bob Hewitt Frew McMillan	Mike Cahill Christopher Mottram	1–6, 6–1, 6–4
1980	Robert Lutz Stan Smith	Heinz Günthardt Paul McNamee	6–7, 6–3, 6–4
1981	Terry Moor John Yuill	Fritz Buehning Russell Simpson	6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 6–7, 12–10
1982	Brian Gottfried Frew McMillan	Shlomo Glickstein Andrew Pattison	6–2, 6–2
1983	Steve Meister Brian Teacher	Andrés Gómez Sherwood Stewart	6–7, 7–6, 6–2
1984	Tracy Delatte Francisco González	Steve Meister Eliot Teltscher	7–6, 6–1
1985	Colin Dowdeswell Christo van Rensburg	Amos Mansdorf Shahar Perkiss	3–6, 7–6, 6–4
1986	Mike De Palmer Christo van Rensburg	Andrés Gómez Sherwood Stewart	3–6, 6–2, 7–6
1987	Kevin Curren David Pate	Eric Korita Brad Pearce	6–4, 6–4
1988	Kevin Curren David Pate	Gary Muller Tim Wilkison	7–6, 6–4
1989	Luke Jensen Richey Reneberg	Kelly Jones Joey Rive	6–0, 6–4
1990–1991	Not Held
1992	Pieter Aldrich Danie Visser	Wayne Ferreira Piet Norval	6–4, 6–4
1993	Lan Bale Byron Black	Johan de Beer Marcos Ondruska	7–6, 6–2
1994	Marius Barnard Brent Haygarth	Ellis Ferreira Grant Stafford	6–3, 7–5
1995	Rodolphe Gilbert Guillaume Raoux	Martin Sinner Joost Winnink	6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1996–2006	Not held
2007 (CH)	Rik de Voest Dominik Meffert	Stéphane Bohli Noam Okun	6–4, 6–2
2008 (CH)	Jonas Björkman Dominik Meffert	Thomas Johansson Stefan Koubek	6–2, 6–2

• SA Tennis Open
• Category:National and multi-national tennis tournaments