The London Covered Court Championships was a combined indoor wood court tennis tournament founded in 1890, and played on indoor courts at the Queen's Club, West Kensington, London, England until 1946.
History
The tournament was founded on 10 March 1890, and the winner of the first men's singles title was Harry Sibthorpe Barlow who defeated Ernest Meers in the final. This tournament was usually played in the first quarter of the year usually end of February to March until the mid 1890s when it was discontinued.
In the early 1900s the event was revived and moved in the calendar to the autumn, usually October. In 1902 the tournament was co valid as the Championship of Europe. The women's event did not begin until 1905, won by Dorothea Douglass defeating Ethel Thomson Larcombe in the final.
In the early 1920s - contrary to some sources - this event was not merged into the British Covered Court Championships, instead the scheduling for that event was switched to the autumn, this tournament was moved back to the spring, taking place annually in March or April.
The event ran until 1939 when it was suspended due to World War II; the final women's event was played that year, won by Phyllis Mudford King who beat Betty Batt in the final. The men's event resumed in 1946 for one last edition only, won by Sweden's Lennart Bergelin (later coach of Bjorn Borg).
Finals Men's singles (incomplete roll) Year Champion Runner up Score1890The London Morning Post (17 March 1890) p.2.Harry S. Barlow Ernest Meers2-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-31891 Harry S. Barlow (2) Horace Chapman3-6, 8-6, 6-8, 6-3, 6-11893 Harold Mahony Horace Chapman6-2, 0-6, 6-11894 Harold Mahony (2) Guy Pilkington6-4, 8-10, 6-21902 Laurie Doherty Harold Mahony4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–1.1903 Arthur Gore Major Ritchie8-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-41904 Max Decugis Arthur Gore6-2, 3-6, 0-6, 6-1, 6-41905 Arthur Gore (2) Major Ritchie6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-41906 Anthony Wilding George Caridia6-3, 6-0, 6-11907The Age (10 July 1911) p. 4. Max Decugis (2) Major Ritchie6-2, 6-4, 6-21908 Ken Powell Major Ritchie6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 6-21909 Major Ritchie Gordon Lowe6-4, 6-0, 6-01910 Anthony Wilding (2) Arthur Lowe6-2, 6-1, 6-31911 Major Ritchie (2) George Caridia7-5, 7-5, 6-41912 Theodore Mavrogordato Nicolae Mishu6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-11913 Anthony Wilding (3) Arthur Lowe7-5, 6-0, 6-21919Theodore Mavrogordato (2) Nicolae Mishu6-1, 5-7, 6-3, 6-21920 Gordon Lowe Mohammed Sleem6-4, 6-4, 7-51921 Mohammed Sleem Walter Crawley6-1, 7-9, 6-3, 6-11922 Major Ritchie (3) Athar Ali Fyzee6-4, 6-3, 6-41923Brian Gilbert Donald Greig6-1, 6-3, 7-51924 Pat Spence Patrick Wheatley6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-41925 Sydney Jacob Pat Spence3-6, 7-5, 6-0, 3-6, 6-31926 Noel Turnbull Bunny Austin7-9, 0-6, 6-3, 6-1, 7-51927 Sydney Jacob (2) Gordon Crole-Rees1-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-31928 Nigel Sharpe Teddy Higgs6-1, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-31929 John Olliff Stanley Harris6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-41930Yoshiro Ohta Pat Spence4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6 7-51931 Iwao Aoki Ryuki Miki6-3, 7-5, 6-41933 Bunny Austin Harry Lee11-9, 4-6, 7-5.1934 Nigel Sharpe (2) Bob Tinkler6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-21935 Daniel Prenn Pat Spence6-1, 6-31936The People via British Newspaper Archive. 15 March 1936. p. 23. Retrieved 24 February 2025. Nigel Sharpe (3) Daniel Prenn2-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 ret.1937 Ronald Shayes Nigel Sharpe6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-41938 Nigel Sharpe (4) John Olliff6-4, 6-41939Lawrence Shaffi Choy Wai-Chuen6-2, 6-41946Lennart Bergelin Ignacy Tloczynski6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
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