Los Angeles Open (tennis)
The Los Angeles Open was a former tennis tournament held in Los Angeles, United States from 1927 until 2012. It included a women's draw until 1974 when Linda Lewis won the last ladies title. Subsequently, it became a men-only event and integrated into the ATP's professional tennis circuit. The inaugural edition of the event, known as the Pacific Southwest Championships, was organized by Perry T. Jones and held at the Los Angeles Tennis Club (LATC) starting in October 1927. Bill Tilden and Kea Bouman were the first singles champions.[1] The tournament quickly became a prestigious event on the tennis calendar.[2]
Los Angeles Open | |
---|---|
Defunct tennis tournament | |
Founded | 1927 |
Abolished | 2012 |
Editions | 86 |
Location | Los Angeles, California United States |
Venue | Los Angeles Tennis Club (1927–1974, 1980–1983) Pauley Pavilion (1975–1979) Los Angeles Tennis Center (1984–2012) |
Category | ATP World Tour 250 series / ATP International Series / ATP World Series (1990–2012) Grand Prix Tour (1970–1989) |
Surface | Hard / outdoors |
Draw | 28S / 32Q / 16D (2012) |
Prize money | $557,550 (2012) |
History
The tournament was usually held in September and hosted the top men (and until 1975, women) in the world.[3] Tournament winners from its beginning in 1927 until 1967 included most of the world's No. 1 tennis players: Bill Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Don Budge, Fred Perry, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzales and amateur champions Roy Emerson and Barry MacKay. In the open era the event was known by various (sponsored) names including Farmers Classic, Countrywide Classic, Los Angeles Tennis Open, Pacific South West Open and Jack Kramer Open. Jack Kramer became the tournament director in 1970 when Jones retired.[2] In the open era, the tournament was won by Rod Laver twice, a second and third time by Gonzales, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Richard Krajicek, and Andre Agassi. In doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan won a record six titles.[4]
From 1975 to 1979 the tournament was played indoors at the Pauley Pavilion.[5][6] Beginning in 1984, the tournament was held at the Los Angeles Tennis Center at UCLA, which was built to host the 1984 Summer Olympics tennis event. The matches were played on the Straus Stadium court with a capacity of 6,500 and the 1,500-seat capacity Grandstand court. In its last years it was an ATP World Tour 250 series tournament on the ATP Tour and had a 28-player singles draw and 16-team doubles draw. The tournament, with prize money of $557,550 in 2012, was one of the events included in the US Open Series. Special events during the tournament's run included Kids Day, Fashion Day, Valspar Performance Challenge, and a Legends Invitational Singles competition.
Colombian investors purchased the tournament's license for $1.5 million at the end of 2012 and moved the tournament to Bogotá where it was named the Claro Open Colombia.[7][8][9]
Past winners
Men's singles
Women's singles
Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|
1927 | Kea Bouman | Molla Bjurstedt Mallory | 6–2, 0–6, 6–4 |
1928 | May Sutton Bundy | Marjorie Gladman | 6–1, 6–2 |
1929 | Betty Nuthall | Anna McCune Harper | 8–6, 7–5 |
1930 | Ethel Burkhardt | Marjorie Gladstone | 8–6, 6–0 |
1931 | Anna McCune Harper | Josephine Cruickshank | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
1932 | Anna McCune Harper | Alice Marble | 10–8, 6–3 |
1933 | Dorothy Round | Alice Marble | 6–2, 6–2 |
1934 | Ethel Burkhardt | Kay Stammers | 10–8, 1–6, 6–4 |
1935 | Ethel Burkhardt | Kay Stammers | 6–1, 6–4 |
1936 | Gracyn Wheeler | Alice Marble | 7–5, 2–6, 6–4 |
1937 | Alice Marble | Gracyn Wheeler | 6–1, 6–0 |
1938 | Dorothy Bundy | Sarah Palfrey Fabyan | 6–4, 6–4 |
1939 | Alice Marble | Dorothy Bundy | 9–7, 6–1 |
1940 | Dorothy Bundy | Valerie Scott | 6–3, 6–3 |
1941 | Sarah Palfrey Cooke | Dorothy Bundy | 6–3, 7–5 |
1942 | Pauline Betz | Louise Brough | 6–2, 6–2 |
1943 | Louise Brough | Mary Arnold | 6–3, 6–3 |
1944 | Pauline Betz | Margaret Osborne | 6–4, 6–3 |
1945 | Margaret Osborne | Louise Brough | 11–9, 6–2 |
1946 | Pauline Betz | Dorothy Bundy | 6–2, 6–2 |
1947 | Beverly Baker | Patricia Canning Todd | 6–3, 6–2 |
1948 | Louise Brough | Beverly Baker | 6–2, 6–3 |
1949 | Helen Perez | Beverly Baker | 7–5, 5–7, 4–1 ret. |
1950 | Helen Perez | Dorothy Bundy Cheney | 6–2, 6–2 |
1951 | Maureen Connolly | Beverly Baker | 9–7, 6–4 |
1952 | Maureen Connolly | Doris Hart | 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 |
1953 | Doris Hart | Shirley Fry | 1–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
1954 | Louise Brough | Barbara Breit | 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 |
1955 | Beverly Baker Fleitz | Barbara Breit | 6–1, 6–4 |
1956 | Althea Gibson | Nancy Chaffee | 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
1957 | Althea Gibson | Louise Brough | 6–3, 6–1 |
1958 | Beverly Baker Fleitz | Darlene Hard | 6–3, 9–7 |
1959 | Beverly Baker Fleitz | Maria Bueno | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
1960 | Ann Haydon | Darlene Hard | 6–4, 6–3 |
1961 | Darlene Hard | Karen Hantze Susman | 5–7, 6–2, 6–3 |
1962 | Carole Caldwell | Darlene Hard | 6–8, 11–9, 2–4 ret. |
1963 | Darlene Hard | Billie Jean Moffitt | 6–3, 6–3 |
1964 | Maria Bueno | Billie Jean Moffitt | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
1965 | Carole Caldwell Graebner | Tory Fretz | 6–4, 6–4 |
1966 | Maria Bueno | Patti Hogan | 6–2, 6–2 |
1967 | Billie Jean King | Rosemary Casals | 6–0, 6–4 |
1968 | Rosemary Casals | Maria Bueno | 6–3, 6–1 |
1969 | Billie Jean King | Ann Haydon Jones | 6–2, 6–3 |
1970 | Sharon Walsh | Lesley Hunt | 6–3, 6–2 |
1971 | Rosemary Casals & Billie Jean King | 6–6 joint default | |
1972 | Marita Redondo | Janice Metcalf | 7–5, 5–7, 6–2 |
1973 | Kathy May | Lea Antonoplis | 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 |
1974 | Linda Lewis | Susan Hagey | 6–2, 6–2 |
1974 | women's events discontinued | ||
Men's doubles
Most titles
# of titles | Name | Years |
---|---|---|
Singles | ||
4 | Andre Agassi Jimmy Connors Roy Emerson Frank Parker |
2005, 2002, 2001, 1998 1984, 1982, 1974, 1973 1967, 1964, 1962, 1959 1945, 1944, 1942, 1941 |
3 | Sam Querrey Arthur Ashe Pancho Gonzalez Vic Seixas Jack Kramer Donald Budge Fred Perry |
2012, 2010, 2009 1978, 1975, 1963 1971, 1969, 1949 1957, 1954, 1952 1947, 1946, 1943 1937, 1936, 1935 1934, 1933, 1932 |
2 | Tommy Haas Michael Chang Pete Sampras Richard Krajicek John McEnroe Gene Mayer Stan Smith Rod Laver Frank Sedgman Ellsworth Vines |
2006, 2004 2000, 1996 1999, 1991 1993, 1992 1986, 1981 1983, 1980 1977, 1972 1970, 1968 1951, 1950 1931, 1930 |
Doubles | ||
6 | Bob Bryan Mike Bryan |
2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2001 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2001 |
Previous names
Years | Name | Sponsor |
---|---|---|
2010–2012 | Farmers Classic | Farmers Insurance Group |
2009 | LA Tennis Open | None |
2006–2008 | Countrywide Classic | Countrywide Bank |
1998–2005 | Mercedes-Benz Cup | Mercedes-Benz |
1995–1997 | Infiniti Open | Infiniti |
1979–1981 | Jack Kramer Open | None |
Los Angeles Open | Volvo | |
1927–1975 | Pacific Southwest Championships | |
See also
- Pacific Coast Championships – tournament held in various locations in Northern California (1889–2013)
- LA Women's Tennis Championships – women's tournament (1971–2009)
References
- Wright, Irvine C., ed. (1928). Wright & Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide for 1928. Boston: Wright & Ditson. pp. 133–134.
- Baltzell, E. Digby (1995). Sporting Gentlemen : Men's Tennis from the Age of Honor to the Cult of the Superstar. New York [u.a.]: Free Press. pp. 233–241. ISBN 9780029013151.
- Farmers Insurance Group Increases Role at LA Tennis Open With Title Sponsorship Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine, Farmersclassic.com
- Diane Pucin, Bryan twins set tennis record in doubles, Los Angeles Times, August 2, 2010
- John Barrett, ed. (1976). World of Tennis '76 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 100–101. ISBN 9780362002768. OCLC 650229036.
- Adam Karon (July 23, 2000). "L.A. brings a little bit of tinseltown to tournament". Daily Bruin.
- Farmers Classic: L.A. To Lose Its Big Tennis Tourney, Insidetennis.com
- "ATP approves event in Bogotá from 2013". www.atpworldtour.com. ATP. December 12, 2012.
- Claro Open Colombia, ATP World Tour, 2013