The Irish Open and originally known as the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and for sponsorship reasons also known as Carroll's Irish Open was a men's and women's

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

tournament held at the

Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club is a tennis and squash club in south Dublin, Ireland. Established in 1877, Fitzwilliam is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world. It has held the Irish Open annually since the late 19th century. History In No ...

in Dublin, Ireland. Before the creation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the establishment of its world championship events in 1913, it was considered by players and historians one of the four most important tennis tournaments to win. the others being Wimbledon, the U.S. National championships and the

Northern Championships Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...

. The men's event was part of the pre-open era tour from inception until 1967. It was then part of the open era non-aligned independent tour (1968–69). From 1970 to 1974, it was an event on the

Grand Prix tennis circuit The Grand Prix tennis circuit was a professional tennis tour for male players that existed from 1970 to 1989. The Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis (WCT) were the two predecessors to the current tour for male players, the ATP Tour, with t ...

. The women's event was on the same tours as the men except for when it became part of the

Women's Tennis Association The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women and was founded to create a better future for women's tenn ...

(WTA) Tour from 1971 to 1973. The men's edition was played until 1979, and the women's ended in 1983. The Irish Open is currently a tournament on the

ITF World Tennis Tour The ITF World Tennis Tour (formerly known as the ''ITF Men's World Tennis Tour'', and previously ''ITF Men's Circuit'') is a series of professional tennis tournaments held around the world that are organized by the International Tennis Federation. ...

, the lowest tier of professional tennis.

History

The Irish Championships were first held in June 1879, two years after Wimbledon started. It was first staged at Pembroke Place, Dublin until 1880 when it transferred to Wilton Place where it remained till 1902. In 1903 the tournament moved again this time to Fitzwilliam Square. The championships began 2 June 1879 the tournament had the distinction of being the first event to feature men's and women's singles and doubles tournaments as well as a mixed doubles competition. Prior to the creation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the establishment of its world championship events in 1913 it was considered by players and historians one of the four most important tennis tournaments to win. the others being Wimbledon, the U.S. National championships and the

. The tournament changed its name to the Irish Open in 1972 and again it moved location to Appian Way, Dublin where it remained for the duration of its run. The tournament has been played on multiple surfaces throughout its history. The first two years, (1879–1880) were competed on

hard courts A hardcourt (or hard court) is a surface or floor on which a sport is played, most usually in reference to tennis courts. It is typically made of rigid materials such as asphalt or concrete, and covered with acrylic resins to seal the surface and ...

. It was played on

grass court A grass court is one of the four different types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Grass courts are made of grasses in different compositions depending on the tournament. Although grass c ...

s, (1881–1939). From 1946 to 1965, it was played on

clay courts A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament. T ...

, and it returned to being played on grass again from 1966 until the tournament ended.

Past finals

Men's singles

Women's singles

Men's doubles

Women's doubles

Mixed doubles

References

External links

*Doherty, R.F. et al. (1903): ''R. F. & H. L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis.'' Baker and Taylor Co., New York. p. 169–173.
online

Irish Championships
retrieved from tennisarchives.com on 2012/09/24 {{DEFAULTSORT:Irish Open (Tennis) Grass court tennis tournaments Sport in County Dublin Tennis tournaments in Ireland WTA Tour 1879 establishments in Ireland Recurring sporting events established in 1879 2019 ITF Men's World Tennis Tour