British Covered Court Championships

British Covered Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	Grand Prix circuit (1970–1971)
Founded	1885
Abolished	1971
Editions	72
Location	London, England
Venue	Hyde Park (1885–1894) Queen's Club (1895–1971)
Surface	Wood / Indoor

The British Covered Court Championships (BCCC) was an indoor tennis event held from 1885 through 1971 and played in London, England. The dates of the tournament fluctuated between October and March.

History

For its first five years the tournament was held at the Hyde Park Lawn Tennis Club in Porchester Square, London and consisted only of a men's singles competition. In 1890, when it was decided to add a women's singles and men's doubles competition, the tournament moved to the Queen's Club in London although the men's singles remained at Hyde Park until 1895.^[1] The mixed doubles event was added to the championships in 1898.^[2] A third court was added to the championships in 1912 and, like the original two courts, it had a wooden surface.^[3] In 1923 the Challenge Round system, allowing the champion to skip next year's competition and only play the winner of that competition, was abolished.^[4] In 1925 the tournament was merged with the London Covered Court Championships.^[5] The women's doubles event was added to the tournament in 1934 and the tournament was renamed to The National Covered Court Championships.^[6] From its inception it grew into an important event through the first half of the 20th century, but by the late 1950s it's stature had diminished greatly and in 1966 they couldn't find a sponsor at all. In 1968 the BCCC became part of the first Dewar Cup circuit but that was its final year at Queens Club.^[7] In 1969 it merged with the Wembley Championship while continuing to be called the British Covered Court Championships and it was an official ILTF Grand Prix event in 1970 and 1971. With several top players, who were part of the World Championship Tennis circuit, barred from competition in 1972, and no sponsors to be found, the tournament was discontinued.^[7]

Frenchman Jean Borotra is the male record holder with eleven singles titles and British Dorothea Douglass Chambers holds the record for women with seven singles titles.

Champions

Indoor tennis court at Hyde Park in 1895

Men's singles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score	Surface
1885	Herbert Lawford	Charles Ross	7–5, 6–3, 6–0	Wood
1886	Edward Lake Williams	Herbert Lawford	6–2, 1–6, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1887	Ernest Lewis	Edward Lake Williams	6–2, 6–2, 6–1	Wood
1888	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–3, 6–0, 6–1	Wood
1889	Ernest Lewis	James Crispe	6–1, 6–1, 6–1	Wood
1890	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–2, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1891	Ernest Lewis	Ernest George Meers	6–4, 8–6, 6–3	Wood
1892	Ernest George Meers	Ernest Lewis	6–3, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2	Wood
1893	Harold Mahony	Ernest George Meers	6–2, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1894	Harold Mahony	Ernest George Meers	6–4, 6–4, 6–3	Wood
1895	Ernest Lewis	Harold Mahony	walkover	Wood
1896	Ernest Lewis	Wilberforce Eaves	6–4, 6–1, 6–8, 4–6, 7–5	Wood
1897	Wilberforce Eaves	Ernest Lewis	6–3, 6–3, 7–5	Wood
1898	Wilberforce Eaves	Lawrence Doherty	6–4, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1899	Wilberforce Eaves	Harold Mahony	6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4	Wood
1900	Arthur Gore	Major Ritchie	6–1, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1901	Lawrence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–3, 6–1, 6–1	Wood
1902	Lawrence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3	Wood
1903	Lawrence Doherty	George Hillyard	6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1904	Lawrence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–2, 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3	Wood
1905	Lawrence Doherty	Major Ritchie	6–1, 8–6, 6–2	Wood
1906	Lawrence Doherty	Arthur Gore	6–2, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1907	Anthony Wilding	Lawrence Doherty	walkover	Wood
1908	Arthur Gore	Anthony Wilding	4–6, 8–6, 6–0, 8–6	Wood
1909	Major Ritchie	Arthur Gore	7–5, 8–6, 6–3	Wood
1910	Gordon Lowe	Arthur Lowe	6–4, 6–0, 6–1	Wood
1911	André Gobert	Gordon Lowe	6–3, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1912	André Gobert	Anthony Wilding	3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1913	Percival Davson	Erik Larsen	5–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1914	Major Ritchie	Percival Davson	8–6, 6–3, 6–1	Wood
1915–1918	Not held (due to World War I)
1919	Percival Davson	Major Ritchie	6–2, 6–3, 8–6	Wood
1920	André Gobert	Percival Davson	6–4, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1921	André Gobert	Walter Crawley	6–2, 6–4, 4–6, 0–6, 7–5	Wood
1922	André Gobert	Brian I. C. Norton	4—6, 6–1, 6–8, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1923	John D. Wheatley	Ali-Hassan Fyzee	1–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4	Wood
1924	Patrick Spence	John D. Wheatley	6–2, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1	Wood
1925	Sydney Jacob[8]	Patrick Spence	3–6, 7–5, 6–0, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1926	Jean Borotra	Donald Greig	6–3, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1927	Edward T. Higgs	Gordon Crole–Rees	6–4, 6–3, 6–4	Wood
1928	Jean Borotra	Gordon Crole Rees	4–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3	Wood
1929	Jean Borotra	Nigel Sharpe	7–5, 6–2, 6–2	Wood
1930	Jean Borotra	Henry Austin	6–1, 0–6, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4	Wood
1931	Jean Borotra	Jiro Satoh	10–8, 6–3, 0–6, 6–3	Wood
1932	Jean Borotra	Harry Lee	6–2, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1933	Jean Borotra	Henry Austin	6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4	Wood
1934	Henry Austin	Jean Borotra	6–2, 4–6, 6–0, 6–8, 6–2	Wood
1935	Jean Borotra	Nigel Sharpe	6–0, 6–2, 6–0	Wood
1936	Karl Schröder	Jean Borotra	8–6, 6–1, 9–7	Wood
1937	Henry Austin	Karl Schröder	6–2, 3–6, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1938	Jean Borotra	Donald Butler	6–0, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2	Wood
1939–1946	Not held (due to World War II)
1947	Ivo Rinkel	Ernest Wittman	3–6, 7–5, 7–5	Wood
1948	Jean Borotra	Geoffrey Paish	6–3, 6–3, 6–2	Wood
1949	Jean Borotra	Geoffrey Paish	6–4, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1950	Jaroslav Drobný	Geoffrey Paish	6–3, 6–2, 6–0	Wood
1951	Geoffrey Paish	Ignacy Tłoczyński	6–4, 6–4, 6–1	Wood
1952	Jaroslav Drobný	Tony Mottram	6–3, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1953	Jaroslav Drobný	Robert Wilson	6–2, 7–5, 6–2	Wood
1954	Jaroslav Drobný	Władysław Skonecki	7–5, 7–5, 7–9, 6–4	Wood
1955	Władysław Skonecki	William Knight	5–7, 7–5, 6–4, 9–7	Wood
1956	Alfred Huber	Geoffrey Paish	7–5, 7–5, 7–9, 6–4	Wood
1957	Not held
1958	Mike Davies	Owen Davidson	5–7, 6–1, 6–2, 6–2	Wood
1959	Robert Wilson	Kurt Nielsen	6–3, 8–6, 6–2	Wood
1960	William Knight	Robert Wilson	6–3, 6–4, 8–6	Wood
1961	Anthony Pickard	Manuel Santana	6–1, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1962	Robert Wilson	William Knight	3–6, 6–3, 8–6, 2–6, 6–2	Wood
1963	Robert Wilson	Roger Taylor	16–14, 6–2, 9–7	Wood
1964	Mike Sangster	Robert Wilson	6–3, 8–6, 6–4	Wood
1965	Robert Wilson	Mark Cox	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4	Wood
1966–1967	Not held
1968	Robert Hewitt	Robert Lutz	4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 10–8	Wood
1969	Rod Laver	Tony Roche	6–4, 6–1, 6–3	Indoor
1970	Rod Laver	Cliff Richey	6–3, 6–4, 7–5	Indoor
1971	Ilie Năstase	Rod Laver	3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4	Indoor

Men's singles

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score	Surface
1890	May Jacks	M. Pick	6–0 6–1	Wood
1891	Maud Shackle	May Jacks	7–5, 6–2	Wood
1892	Maud Shackle	May Arbuthnot	6–3, 3–6, 6–2	Wood
1893	Maud Shackle	May Arbuthnot	6–2, 1–6, 7–5	Wood
1894	Edith Austin	May Arbuthnot	2–6, 6–4, 7–5	Wood
1895	Charlotte Cooper	Edith Austin	6–4, 3–6, 6–1	Wood
1896	Edith Austin	Charlotte Cooper	6–2, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1897	Edith Austin	Ruth Dyas	9–11, 6–4, 12–10	Wood
1898	Edith Austin	Ruth Pennington-Legh	6–3, 2–6, 6–2	Wood
1899	Edith Austin	Charlotte Cooper	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1900	Toupie Lowther	Edith Austin Greville	2–6, 7–5, 6–4	Wood
1901	Blanche Bingley Hillyard	Toupie Lowther	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1902	Toupie Lowther	Gladys Duddell	6–3, 6–1	Wood
1903	Toupie Lowther	Adine Masson	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1904	Dorothea Douglass	Edith Austin Greville	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1905	Hilda Lane	Gladys Eastlake Smith	6–4, 8–6	Wood
1906	Dorothea Douglass	Hilda Lane	6–2, 6–0	Wood
1907	Gladys Eastlake Smith	Mildred Coles	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1908	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Gladys Eastlake Smith	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1909	Dora Boothby	Madeline O’Neill	6–1, 6–3	Wood
1910	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Madeline O’Neill	6–4, 6–3	Wood
1911	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Helen Aitchison	6–3, 6–1	Wood
1912	Dorothy Holman	Aurea Edgington	6–2, 6–0	Wood
1913	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Dorothy Holman	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1914	Dorothy Holman	Madeline O’Neill	7–9, 6–1, 6–2	Wood
1915–1918	Not Held
1919	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	Dorothy Holman	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1920	Elizabeth Ryan	Doris Craddock	6–4, 6–2	Wood
1921	Dorothy Holman	Irene Bowder Peacock	6–1, 3–6, 6–4	Wood
1922	Dorothy Holman	Doris Craddock	6–2, 6–1	Wood
1923	Mabel Davey Clayton	Aurea Edgington	6–3, 6–2	Wood
1924	Geraldine Beamish	Doris Craddock	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1925	Joan Reid-Thomas	Blanche Colston	6–2, 7–5	Wood
1926	Peggy Saunders	Betty Dix	6–4, 6–2	Wood
1927	Eileen Bennett	Cristobel Hardie	6–4, 6–0	Wood
1928	Kathleen McKane Godfree	Eileen Bennett	6–1, 6–2	Wood
1929	Peggy Saunders Michell	Joan Ridley	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1930	Joan Ridley	Joan Fry	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1931	Mary Heeley	Jeanette Morfey	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1932	Peggy Scriven	Kay Stammers	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1933	Phyllis King	Kay Stammers	10–12, 6–1, 6–3	Wood
1934	Phyllis King	Mary Hardwick	6–3, 4–6, 6–2	Wood
1935	Peggy Scriven	Ermyntrude Harvey	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1936	Anita Lizana	Mary Hardwick	6–3, 6–0	Wood
1937	Peggy Scriven	Phyllis King	6–1, 6–2	Wood
1938	Peggy Scriven	Alexandra McOstrich McKelvie	6–3, 4–6, 6–1	Wood
1939–1947	Not Held
1948	Gem Hoahing	Joan Curry	1–6, 6–3, 7–5	Wood
1949	Joan Curry	Jean Quertier	6–1, 6–0	Wood
1950	Jean Quertier	Joan Curry	3–6, 7–5, 6–3	Wood
1951	Susan Partridge	Jean Walker-Smith	6–4, 6–4	Wood
1952	Angela Mortimer	Susan Partridge	6–3, 3–6, 6–3	Wood
1953	Angela Mortimer	Georgie Woodgate	6–3, 6–2	Wood
1954	Angela Mortimer	Shirley Bloomer	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1955	Anne Shilcock	Pat Ward	6–2, 6–4	Wood
1956	Angela Buxton	Anne Shilcock	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1957	Not Held
1958	Anne Shilcock	Christine Truman	6–2, 6–2	Wood
1959	Angela Mortimer	Pat Ward	6–2, 6–3	Wood
1960	Angela Mortimer	Ann Haydon	7–5, retired	Wood
1961	Angela Mortimer	Christine Truman	2–6, 6–1, 6–4	Wood
1962	Ann Haydon	Christine Truman	6–4, 4–6, 9–7	Wood
1963	Deidre Catt	Renee Schuurman	4–6, 6–3, 6–3	Wood
1964	Ann Haydon-Jones	Fay Toyne	6–3, 6–3	Wood
1965	Ann Haydon-Jones	Fay Toyne	6–2, 6–1	Wood
1966–1967	Not Held
1968	Margaret Court	Virginia Wade	10–8, 6–1	Wood
1969	Ann Haydon-Jones	Billie Jean King	9–11, 6–2, 9–7	Indoor
1970	Billie Jean King	Ann Haydon-Jones	8–6, 3–6, 6–1	Indoor
1971	Billie Jean King	Francoise Durr	6–1, 5–7, 7–5	Indoor

Records

Mens singles

• Most titles: Jean Borotra, 11
• Most consecutive titles: Jean Borotra, 6
• Most finals: Jean Borotra, 13
• Most consecutive finals: Jean Borotra, 9
• Most matches played: Josiah Ritchie, (83)
• Most matches won: Jean Borotra, (67)
• Most consecutive match wins: Jean Borotra, (35)
• Most editions played: Josiah Ritchie, (30)
• Best Match winning %: André Gobert 94.12%
• Longest final: Laurence Doherty v Josiah Ritchie, result: 6-2,8-10,5-7,6-4,6-3, (57 games), (1904)
• Shortest final: Jean Borotra v Nigel Sharpe, result: 6-0, 6-2, 6-0 (20 games) (1935)
• Oldest champion: Jean Borotra, 51y 1m and 28d, (1949)
• Youngest champion: Edward Lake Williams, 19y 9m and 12d, (1886)

References

1. McKelvie, Roy (1986). The Queen's Club Story, 1886-1986. London: Stanley Paul. p. 35. ISBN 0091660602.
2. McKelvie, p.36
3. McKelvie, pp.41,42
4. McKelvie, p.113
5. McKelvie, p.114
6. McKelvie, p.117
7. Max Robertson, ed. (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis: 100 Years of Great Players and Events. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 209, 210. ISBN 0047960426.
8. Jacob Family History