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The Framlingham Open was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1883 and held at the Framlingham College, Framlingham, Suffolk, England until 1983. The event is still played today, but is no longer part of the senior worldwide tour.

History

In August 1883 an annual Framlingham lawn tennis tournament established by the Framlingham Lawn Tennis Club, and played on the Hurts Hill Courts, Hurts Hill Park, Saxmundham Suffolk, England that ran until 1914. It was not staged throughout World War One. It resumed in 1919 and that event also carried the joint title of Suffolk Championships for that year, and in 1922.

The Framlingham event continued to be held at Hurts Hall Park, Saxmundham until 1936, when it was moved to the tennis courts of the Framlingham College Grounds at Framlingham (a distance of 17 miles) until the start of World War Two.

On 12 August 1883 an annual open Saxmundham Lawn Tennis Tournament was also established at Hurts Hall Park, Saxmundham, Suffolk, England that ran until 1892. In 1893 the Saxmundham Lawn Tennis Tournament was renamed the Suffolk Championships.

From 1915 the championships being organised and staged by the Saxmundham LTC were not held until 1920 due to the World War I. From 1923 until the out break of World War II in 1939 championships continued to be held in Saxmundham. After World War II the Framlingham LTC took over responsibility for organising the Suffolk Championships at Framlingham College until 1983. The Framlingham Tennis Tournament as distinct event was staged alongside the now Suffolk Championships until 1983. The event is still played today, but is no longer part of the senior worldwide tour.

Finals

Men's singles

(Incomplete Roll)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
Framlingham Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1883	William Bolding Monement	Francis William Monement	divided title.
1883	William Bolding Monement	Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross	6–1, 9–7, 6–3.
1914/1918	Not held (due to world war one)
1919	Herbert Roper Barrett	Bunny Austin	6–3, 0–6, 8–6.
1936	Harold Hare	L. Garfoe	6–3, 0–6, 8–6.
1939/1945	Not held (due to world war one)
1953	John Horn	L. Garfoe	6–3, 0–6, 8–6.
1954	John Barry	Rafiq Ahmad	6–2, 6–2.
1955	Geoffrey Cass	J.F. Robertson	6–4, 6–4.
1956	Roche Goosen	Les Bowring	6–3, 4–6, 8–6.
1957	Peter B. Frankland	Tony Clayton	4–6, 6–0, 6–1.
1959	Hugh West Sweeney	Lawrence Franklin Strong	9–7, 6–1.
1960	Laurie Strong	Bobby Thorn	6–3, 4–6, 6–3.
1965	Paul Hutchins	Alf Long	6–4, 6–2.
1966	Kevin Woolcott	Onny Parun	11–9, 7–5.
↓  Open era  ↓
1968	Neil C. McAffer	Paul Sussams	6–4, 4–6, 11–9.
1969	Hank Irvine	Richard N. Hawkes	1–6, 6–2, 6–4.
1970	Robin Drysdale	J.C. Tatum	6–1, 6–4.
1973	Mike Cole	J.C. Tatum	9–7, 2–6, 6–1.
1974	Eddie Fox	Alan Rayner	6–3, 6–4.
1975	Mike Cole	Eddie Fox	11–9, 8–10, 6–3.
1976	Noel Phillips	Eddie Fox	6–4, 6–2.
1977	Eddie Fox	John Biscomb	6–2, 6–1.
1978	Mike Mullan	D. Rainey	6–1, 6–0.
1979	D. Rainey	J. Willson	7–6, 7–6.
1980	Paul Billingham	J. Willson	2–6, 6–3, 6–3.
1981	Paul Butcher	C. Musaka	7–6, 6–1.

Women's singles

(Incomplete Roll)

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Score
Framlingham Open Lawn Tennis Tournament
1914/1918	Not held (due to world war one)
1921	Dorothy Holman	Erika E. Tanner	5–7, 6–3, 6–2
1922	Dorothy Holman	Kathleen Lidderdale	6–2, 6–0
1930	Joan Ridley	Joan Austin	6–3, 2–6, 6–2.
1939/1945	Not held (due to world war one)
1954	Angela Mortimer	Beverly Baker Fleitz	6–4, 6–3.
1960	Ann Haydon	Pat Hird	6–1, 6–3.
↓  Open era  ↓
1970	Shirley Brasher	J.C. Tatum	6–1, 6–4.

References

1. "Play held up in Framlingham's annual tennis tournament: Attracting over 200 entries this year rather more than last the old-established Framlingham Open Lawn Tennis Tournament, which includes the Suffolk Championship singles". Diss Express. Norfolk, England: British Newspaper Archive. 18 August 1961. p. 3. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
2. ^ "Tournaments:Framlingham". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
3. "Framlingham Tennis Tournament: The oldest after Wimbledon". Great British Life. Newsquest Media Group Ltd. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
4. Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Saxmundham". www.tennisarchives.com. A. Nieuwland. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
5. "History". www.framlinghamtennis.co.uk. Framlingham Tennis Tournament. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
6. "Play held up in Framlingham's annual tennis tournament: Attracting over 200 entries this year rather more than last the old-established Framlingham Lawn Tennis Tournament, which includes the Suffolk Closed Championships singles". Diss Express. Norfolk, England: British Newspaper Archive. 18 August 1961. p. 3. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
7. Framlingham Tennis Tournament
8. "Harold Hare: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
9. "Rafiq Ahmad: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
10. "Player Profile: Les Bowring". www.itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation (ITF). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
11. "Hugh Sweeney: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
12. "Laurie Strong: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
13. "Player Profile: Mike Cole". www.itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation (ITF). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
14. "Player Profile: Edward Fox". www.itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation (ITF). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
15. "Player Profile: C. Musaka". www.itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation (ITF). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
16. Barrett, John. Tingay, Lance. West, Peter. (1971) World of Tennis 1971 : a BP yearbook. Queen Anne Press. London. ISBN 978-0-362-00091-7. p.270.

• Defunct tennis tournaments in the United Kingdom
• Grass court tennis tournaments
• Tennis tournaments in England