World Covered Court Championships

The World Covered Court Championships were part of a series of three major world championships sanctioned from 1913 to 1923 by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF).[1] The tournament was played indoors on wood floors, and its venue changed from year to year among several countries. While the World Grass Court Championships (Wimbledon) and World Hard Court Championships (WHCC) could justify their "world championship" titles, the WCCC had trouble attracting top players from outside Europe.[2] At an Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 16 March 1923 in Paris, France the ILTF issued the ‘Rules of Tennis’ that were adopted with public effect on 1 January 1924. The United States became an affiliated member of the ILTF. The World Championship title was also dropped at this meeting and a new category of Official Championship was created for events in Great Britain, France, USA and Australia – today’s Grand Slam events. The WCCC tournament was then disbanded by the ILTF.[3]

World Covered Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1913
Abolished1923
Editions6
LocationVarious
SurfaceWood (indoor)

Locations and dates

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1919 World Covered Court Championships at 154. Rue Saussure

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Year Venue Date
1913Royal Lawn Tennis Club, Stockholm2–8 November
1914-18No competition (due to World War I)
1919Sporting Club de Paris, Paris15–23 November
1920Queen's Club, London11–20 October
1921Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, Copenhagen2–10 April
1922Palace Lawn Tennis Club, St. Moritz16–25 February
1923Palacio de la Industria, Barcelona1–11 February

Finals

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Men's singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1913New Zealand Anthony WildingFrance Maurice Germot5–7, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
1914No competition (due to World War I)
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919France Andre GobertFrance Max Decugis6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1920United Kingdom Gordon LoweUnited Kingdom Walter Crawley6–2, 6–3, 6–1
1921France William LaurentzUnited Kingdom Alfred Beamish6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1922France Henri CochetFrance Jean Borotra4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–0
1923France Henri CochetUnited Kingdom Brian Gilbert6–4, 7–5, 6–4

Women's singles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1913United Kingdom Helen AitchisonFrance Kate Fenwick6–4, 6–2
1914No competition (due to World War I)
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919United Kingdom Dorothy HolmanFrance Germaine Golding6–3, 6–4
1920United Kingdom Winifred BeamishUnited Kingdom Kitty McKane6–2, 5–7, 9–7
1921Denmark Elsebeth Brehm JørgensenDenmark Ebba Meyer6–2, 6–4
1922France Germaine GoldingFrance Jeanne Vaussard6–2, 7–5
1923United Kingdom Kitty McKaneUnited Kingdom Winifred Beamish6–3, 4–6, 6–2

Men's doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1913France Max Decugis
France Maurice Germot
Germany Curt Bergmann
Germany Heinrich Kleinschroth
7–5, 2–6, 7–9, 6–3, 6–1
1914No competition (due to World War I)
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919France André Gobert
France William Laurentz
Romania Nicolae Mișu
United Kingdom H. Portlock
6–1, 6–0, 6–2
1920United Kingdom Percival Davson
United Kingdom Theodore Mavrogordato
United Kingdom Alfred Beamish
New Zealand Frank Fisher
4–6, 10–8, 13–11, 3–6, 6–3
1921France Maurice Germot
France William Laurentz
Denmark Paul Henriksen
Denmark Erik Tegner
6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1922France Henri Cochet
France Jean Borotra
Switzerland Charles Martin
Switzerland Armand Simon
2–6, 6–2, 6–1, 6–4
1923France Henri Cochet
France Jean Couiteas
Denmark Leif Rovsing
Denmark Erik Tegner
6–1, 6–1, 7–5

Women's doubles

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Year Champions Runners-up Score
1913No women's doubles held
1914No competition (due to World War I)
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919United Kingdom Winifred Beamish
United Kingdom Kitty McKane
United Kingdom Dorothy Holman
United Kingdom Phyllis Howkins
6–3, 6–4
1920United Kingdom Winifred Beamish
United Kingdom Kitty McKane
United Kingdom Doris Craddock
South Africa Irene Peacock
6–3, 7–5
1921Denmark Elsebeth Brehm Jørgensen
Denmark Ebba Meyer
Denmark Vera Forum
Denmark Jutta Steenberg
6–2, 4–6, 6–2
1922France Germaine Golding
France Jeanne Vaussard
France Yvonne Bourgeois
France Mme Canivet
walkover
1923United Kingdom Winifred Beamish
United Kingdom Kitty McKane
France Germaine Golding
France Jeanne Vaussard
6–1, 6–1

Mixed doubles

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See also

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References

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  1. Bensen, Clark (2013–2014). "The World Championships of 1913 to 1923: the Forgotten Majors" (PDF). tenniscollectors.org. Newport, RI, United States: Journal of The Tennis Collectors of America. p. 470. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018. Number 30
  2. Robertson, Max. Jack Kramer (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Tennis: 100 Years of Great Players and Events. pp. 32–34.
  3. "ITF: History". ITF Tennis. London, United Kingdom: International Tennis Federation. 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.