The Wolverhampton Open[1] was a combined men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1897 as the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament. The first tournament was staged at Parkdale, Wolverhampton from 1897 to 1900 before it was discontinued in 1900. In 1903 a second tournament was revived and played in Newbridge, in Wolverhampton, where it ran until 1974.[2]
History
The Wolverhampton Open was established as the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Tournament in 1897,[3][4] under auspices of the Albert Lawn Tennis Club, Parkdale, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Midlands - before it was discontinued in 1900. In 1903 a second Wolverhampton tournament was revived by Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club, in Newbridge.[5] In 1931 the tournament was renamed as the Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament.[6] By the 1950s it was branded as the Wolverhampton Open and ran until 1974.[7] In 1970 the event was marketed under the brand name the Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open as part of the Bio-Strath Circuit, it remained part of that tour through till 1971.[8]
The Albert Lawn Tennis Club was founded at Parkdale, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire around 1894.[10] It staged the first Wolverhampton tennis tournament until 1900. In 1903 a second Wolverhampton tournament was revived by the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club (f. 1885),[11] in Newbridge, Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament (1931-49)
Wolverhampton Open (1950-69)
Bio-Strath Wolverhampton Open (1970-71)
Wolverhampton Open (1972-74)
References
^"TENNIS: WOLVERHAMPTON OPEN: D. A. Jones, is the only Staffordshire county player left in the men's singles by round three was unexpectedly eliminated by W. D. Wickham in the Wolverhampton Open tennis tournament". Sports Argus. Warwick, Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archives. 5 August 1950. p. 6.
^"TENNIS:THE WOLVERHAMPTON LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT:The entries for the second Tennis Tournament be staged at the Albert Lawn Tennis Club at Parkdale starts Monday next". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 26 May 1898. p. 3.
^"WOLVERHAMPTON TOURNAMENT. At Newbridge. Wolverhampton, the third annual tennis tournament, under the auspices of the Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis Club was commenced today". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 6 August 1906. p. 7.
^"WOLVERHAMPTON OPEN EVENT. The Wolverhampton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament, which opens to-morrow, has attracted a record number of entries this year". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Birmingham, England: British Newspaper Archives. 29 July 1931. p. 12.