World Hard Court Championships
Introduction '''World Hard Court Championships''' were an annual major tennis tournament sanctioned by the International Lawn Tennis Federation, held from 1912 to 1923.It was principally held in Paris, on clay courts of the Stade Français in the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud, with one exception when they were held at the Royal Leopold Club in Brussels, Belgium, in 1922.The name of the event referred to its venues that were surfaced with clay, which at the time was customarily transcribed as "hard court" in English. It was open to all international amateur players from all nationalities, unlike the French Championships, which were open only to tennis players who were members of clubs in France through 1924; because of this the World Hard Court Championships is sometimes considered as the proper precursor to the French Open. The French Championships were also held at a different venue at the time, the Racing Club de France, Paris.At an annual general meeting held on 16 March 1923 in Paris, France the International Lawn Tennis Federation issued the ‘Rules of Tennis’ that were adopted with public effect on 1 January 1924.The United States became an affiliated member of the International Lawn Tennis Federation. 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 World Hard Court Championships tournament was then disbanded by the International Lawn Tennis Federation.The World Hard Court Championships was not played in 1924, when Paris hosted the Olympic Games and its tennis tournament, also held on clay courts, took the place of the championship. In 1925 the French Championships opened to international competitors for the first time, with the event held alternately between the Stade Français (1925, 1927), which was the site of the World Hard Court Championships, and the Racing Club de France (1926), which was the site of the previous French Championship. From 1928, the French Championships moved to Stade Roland Garros.Anthony Wilding was the only male multiple champion in the singles event, winning the title in 1913 and 1914, while Suzanne Lenglen won the women's singles title four times (1914, 1921–23).
Champions 1913 World Hard Court Championships men's final between Anthony Wilding and André Gobert (15 June 1913)1913 World Hard Court Championships ladies' final between Mieken Rieck and Marguerite Brocquedis (15 June 1913)===Men's singles===YearChampionRunner-upScore1912   Otto Froitzheim   Oscar Kreuzer   6–2, 7–5, 4–6, 7–51913  Anthony Wilding   André Gobert  6–3, 6–3, 1–6, 6–41914   Anthony Wilding   Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten  6–0, 6–2, 6–41915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181920   William Laurentz   André Gobert  9–7, 6–2, 3–6, 6–21921   Bill Tilden   Jean Washer  6–3, 6–3, 6–31922   Henri Cochet   Manuel de Gomar  6–0, 2–6, 4–6, 6–1, 6–21923   Bill Johnston   Jean Washer  4–6, 6–2, 6–2, 4–6, 6–31924 No competition (Paris Olympics held instead)===Women's singles===YearChampionRunner-upScore1912   Marguerite Broquedis   Mieken Rieck   6–3, 0–6, 6–41913   Mieken Rieck   Marguerite Broquedis  6–4, 3–6, 6–41914  Suzanne Lenglen   Germaine Golding  6–2, 6–11915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181920 Dorothy Holman   Francisca Subirana  6–0, 7–51921   Suzanne Lenglen   Molla Mallory  6–2, 6–31922  Suzanne Lenglen   Elizabeth Ryan  6–3, 6–21923  Suzanne Lenglen   Kitty McKane  6–3, 6–31924 No competition (Paris Olympics held instead)===Men's doubles===YearChampionRunner-upScore1912   Otto Froitzheim   Oscar Kreuzer   Harold Kitson   Charles Winslow  4–6, 6–2, 6–1, 6–31913   Moritz von Bissing   Heinrich Kleinschroth   Otto Froitzheim   Anthony Wilding  7–5, 0–6, 6–3, 8–61914   Max Decugis   Maurice Germot   Arthur Gore   Algernon Kingscote  6–1, 11–9, 6–8, 6–21915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181920   André Gobert   William Laurentz   Cecil Blackbeard  Nicolae Mişu  6–4, 6–2, 6–11921   André Gobert   William Laurentz   Pierre Albarran   Alain Gerbault  6–4, 6–2, 6–8, 6–21922   Jean Borotra   Henri Cochet   Marcel Dupont   Nicolae Mişu  6–8, 6–1, 6–2, 6–31923   Jacques Brugnon   Marcel Dupont   Léonce Aslangul   Uberto de Morpurgo  10–12, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–41924 No competition (Paris Olympics held instead)===Women's doubles===YearChampionRunner-upScore1912 No women's doubles held19131914  Suzanne Lenglen   Elizabeth Ryan   Blanche Amblard   Suzanne Amblard  6–0, 6–01915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181920  Dorothy Holman   Phyllis Satterthwaite   Germaine Golding   Jeanne Vaussard  6–3, 6–11921  Germaine Golding   Suzanne Lenglen   Dorothy Holman   Irene Peacock  6–2, 6–21922  Suzanne Lenglen   Elizabeth Ryan   Winifred Beamish   Kitty McKane  6–0, 6–41923  Winifred Beamish   Kitty McKane   Germaine Golding   Suzanne Lenglen  6–2, 6–31924 No competition (Paris Olympics held instead)===Mixed doubles===YearChampionRunner-upScore1912   Max Decugis   Anne de Borman   Heinrich Kleinschroth   Mieken Rieck  6–4, 7–51913   Max Decugis   Elizabeth Ryan   Anthony Wilding   Germaine Golding  walkover1914   Max Decugis   Elizabeth Ryan   Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten   Suzanne Lenglen  6–3, 6–11915 No competition (due to World War I)1916191719181920   William Laurentz   Germaine Golding   Max Decugis   Suzanne Amblard  walkover1921   Max Decugis   Suzanne Lenglen   William Laurentz   Germaine Golding  6–3, 6–21922   Henri Cochet   Suzanne Lenglen   Brian Gilbert   Geraldine Beamish  6–4, 4–6, 6–01923   Henri Cochet   Suzanne Lenglen   Brian Gilbert   Kitty McKane  6–2, 10–81924 No competition (Paris Olympics held instead)
See also * World Covered Court Championships
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