Asian Championships (tennis)

Asian Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF World Circuit (1949–72)
ILTF Independent Tour (1970-73) men (1971-73) women
Founded1949 (1949)
Abolished1973 (1973)
LocationBangalore
Calcutta
Colombo
Hong Kong
Lahore
Manila
New Delhi
Poona
Singapore
VenueVarious
SurfaceClay
Grass

The Asian Championships[1] also known as the Asian International Championships[1] or Asian Lawn Tennis Championships was an open international men's and women's grass and clay court tennis tournament founded in 1949 as the International Championships of Asia.[2] The tournament was one of eight official championships of the International Lawn Tennis Federation.[3] It was first played at the Calcutta South Club, Calcutta, India.[4] The international tournament was played at other locations until September 1972 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Independent Tour.

In December 1972 the format for the open event was changed to a closed event (Asian players only) and played as team only competition called the Asian Amateur Championships whereby a country sends teams of players to compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events. Unlike the Davis Cup its not a round robin tournament. It was first played at Kings Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The tournament was played at other locations until 1973 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Independent Tour.[1]

History

On 22 December 1949 the International Championships of Asia were inaugurated at the Calcutta South Club, Calcutta, India.[3] The tournament was concluded on 1 January 1950 the first winners of the singles events were Indian player Dilip Kumar Bose,[1] and American player Patricia Canning Todd. In 1968 the men's edition was held in Calcutta, the women's in Bangalore. The open Asian Championships ran annually until 1972 when it was last held in Poona, India, that year two editions of the tournament were held the normal winter edition, and a one off summer event called the Asian Championships Invitation.[1] The final winners of open international winter edition in the singles events were the Indian player Jaidip Mukerjea (men's),[1] the Indian player Kiran Peshawaria (women's).

The summer edition of this tournament was played in Singapore. The winner of the men's singles in the invitation event was Ramanathan Krishnan.[1] This tournament was then discontinued from the ILTF Independent Tour.[1] The championships were held in the following locations throughout its run in Bangalore, Calcutta, Colombo, Lahore, Manila, New Delhi, Poona and Singapore.[1] The ILTF Independent Tour,[1] a series of worldwide tournaments not part of the men's Grand Prix Circuit or women's the WTA Tour

In July 1971 at an annual general meeting of the ILTF it was decided to change the format of the open international championships and make it a closed Asian only team event.[3] The ILTF provided the finances to stage the event that was to be held from 20 to 26 February 1972 at King's Park, Kowloon in then what was British Hong Kong.[3] Thirteen countries were invited to send teams including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ian, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.[3]

The Asian Amateur Championships were held only once the winner of the men's singles event was won by Japan's Toshiro Sakai (men's),[1][3] and the doubles event was won by Japan's Toshiro Sakai and Jun Kamiwazumi.[3]

Asian International Championships (open)

Finals

Men's singles (winter)

(incomplete roll)

Asian Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1949[5] Calcutta Dilip Kumar Bose Sumant 'tiny' Misra 6–1, 6–2, 8–6.[1]
1950 Lahore Jaroslav Drobný Fred Kovaleski 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.[1]
1952 Colombo Frank Sedgman Tony Mottram 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 6–3.[1]
1954 Manila Lennart Bergelin Felicisimo Ampon 6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–0.[1]
1955 Calcutta Kurt Nielsen Jack Arkinstall 6–2, 6–4, 6–1.[1]
1957 Colombo Jaroslav Drobný Warren Woodcock 6–1, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1958 Lahore Torben Ulrich Robert Haillet 6–4, 6–2, 6–2.[1]
1959 Calcutta Ramanathan Krishnan Barry MacKay (tennis) 7–5, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3.[1]
1962 Calcutta Roy Emerson Ramanathan Krishnan 7–5, 6–4, 6–3.[1]
1963 Calcutta Ramanathan Krishnan (2) Jaidip Mukerjea 6–4, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1964 Calcutta Ramanathan Krishnan (3) Jaidip Mukerjea 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[1]
1965 Calcutta Ramanathan Krishnan (4) Bob Hewitt 6–2, 6–1, 6–4.[1]
1966 Calcutta Jaidip Mukerjea Ramanathan Krishnan 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[1]
1967 Calcutta Alexander Metreveli Ismail El Shafei 6–3, 8–6, 6–4.[1]
1968 Calcutta Alexander Metreveli (2) Ion Țiriac 8–6, 6–3, 6–4.[1]
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Calcutta Jaidip Mukerjea (2) Bill Tym 6–2, 6–1, 6–0.[1]
1970 New Delhi Alexander Metreveli (3) Premjit Lall 6–3, 6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3.[1]
1972 Poona Jaidip Mukerjea (2) Vijay Amritraj 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4.[1]

Men's singles (summer)

Asian Championships Invitation
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1972 Singapore Ramanathan Krishnan Eduardo 'Eddie' Cruz[6][7] 6–2, 11–9, 6–1.[1]

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Asian Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1949 Calcutta Patricia Canning Todd Betty Hilton 6–4, 6–0
1950 Lahore Dorothy Head Joy Gannon Mottram 4–6, 6–2, 6–3
1952 Colombo Doris Hart Shirley Fry 6–4, 2–6, 6–1
1954 Manila Sachiko Kamo Desideria Ampon 6–2, 6–4
1956 Calcutta Althea Gibson Sachiko Kamo 6–3, 9–11, 6–2
1957 Colombo Althea Gibson (2) Patricia Ward 6–0, 13–11
1958 Lahore Louise Snow Parveen Ahmed 6–3, 6–4
1960 Calcutta Margaret Hellyer Mimi Arnold 3–6, 6–1, 7–5
1962 Calcutta Lesley Turner Madonna Schacht 8–6, 6–2
1963 Calcutta Cherri Chettyanna Rattan Thadani 6–1, 1–6, 6–3
1964 Calcutta Lakshmi Mahadevan Jill Rook Mills 6–3, 6–2
1965 Calcutta Nirupama Vasant Lakshmi Mahadevan 6–2, 6–4
1966 Calcutta Tiiu Soome Carol Ann Prosen 6–3, 1–6, 6–1
1967 Calcutta Rena Abjandadze Alla Ivanova 6–4, 6–0
1968 Bangalore Alla Ivanova Nina Tukherli 6–1, 6–2
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Calcutta Nirupama Vasant (2) Alice Tym 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
1970 New Delhi Rena Abjandadze (2) Alla Ivanova 9–7, 6–3
1972 Poona Kiran Peshawaria Susan Das 6–2, 6–0

Asian Amateur Championships (closed)

Finals

Men's singles

Asian Amateur Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1972[3] Hong Kong Toshiro Sakai Vijay Amritraj 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 5–7, 7–5 .[1]
1973 Manila Toshiro Sakai (2) Chiradip Mukerjea 4–6, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–3.[1]

Men's doubles

Asian Amateur Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1972[3] Hong Kong Toshiro Sakai
Jun Kamiwazumi
Anand Amritraj
Vijay Amritraj
6–4, 4–6, 6–4 .[1]

Tournament records

Men's singles

Included:[1]

Women's singles

See also

  • Category:National and multi-national tennis tournaments

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "Tournaments:Asian Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ^ Robertson, Max; Kramer, Jack (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. p. 196. ISBN 0047960426.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Robertson & Kramer
  4. ^ Majumdar, Boria; Mangan, J. A. (2013). Sport in South Asian Society: Past and Present. Routledge. p. 122. ISBN 9781317998938. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  5. ^ Majumdar and Mangan
  6. ^ "Player Profile: Eduardo Cruz PHI". www.itftennis.com. ITF. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Eddie Cruz: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 29 September 2023.