The Bermuda Open was originally founded as the Bermuda Open Tennis Championships in 1879 the later called the Bermuda Championships in 1914 and was staged in Hamilton, During the 1950s and 1960s it was called the Bermuda International Championships. and was staged under that name until 1974. In 1976 the tournament was known as the Bermuda Classic. From 1914 until at least 1944 it was played on outdoor hard courts. In later years it was held in Paget in Bermuda and played on outdoor clay courts.

History

The first known tennis event to be staged in Bermuda occurred in September 1876 when a Bermuda Tournament for women was held only one time, that was won by Mary G. Gray. The first edition of the Bermuda Open Tennis Championships was staged in 1879 at Hamilton, the men's doubles event was won by Pelham Von Donop and Charles Wood. By 1914 the tournament was known as the Bermuda Championships. In 1950s-1960s the denomination used was the Bermuda International or sometimes the Bermuda Invitation (for the women's events). The tournament was also staged at Paget the last time occurring in 1968. The original surface was hard courts until 1944 when it switched to clay courts. In 1975 the Bermuda Championships was rebranded as the Bermuda Open. In 1976 at the final edition its name was changed again to the Bermuda Classic.

Finals

ILTF World Circuit
ILTF Grand Prix Circuit

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
Bermuda Championships
1914United Kingdom Arthur BergerUnited States Albert J. Ostendorf6–2, 6–1 ret.
1914/1919No competition (due to WWI)
1922United States Lawrence Bridges RiceUnited States Vinnie Richards6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–2.
1923United States Vinnie RichardsUnited States Lawrence Bridges Rice6–3, 6–3, 6–0.
1924United States Herbert BowmanUnited States Gerald Emerson4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–2.
1925United States Fred AndersonUnited Kingdom F. R. Leighton Crawford5–7, 2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3.
1926United States Herbert Bowman (2)Canada Willard Crocker6–8, 6–4, 6–2, 0–6, 6–3.
1927United States George LottUnited States Fritz Mercur4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 12–10.
1928United States Herbert Bowman (3)United States Hare W. Powell Jr.6–4, 6–1, 6–3.
1929United States Herbert Bowman (4)United States J. Gilbert Hall3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 8–6.
1930United States Herbert Bowman (5)United States Bruce Barnes6–4, 6–3, 6–2.
1931United States John DoegUnited States Berkeley Bell6–4, 2–6, 6–1, 0–6, 6–3.
1932United Kingdom Fred PerryUnited Kingdom Harry Lee4–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4.
1933United States Cliff SutterUnited States Gregory Mangin6–2, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2.
1934United States Lester StoefenUnited States Wilmer Allison6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 6–3.
1935United States Bryan GrantUnited States J. Gilbert Hall6–0, 6–0, 6–4.
1936United States Bryan Grant (2)Canada Bob Murray6–4, 3–6, 1–6, 6–2, 7–5.
1937United States Frank ParkerCanada Bob Murray6–1, 6–0, 6–2.
1938United States Wayne SabinUnited States Don McNeill4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–4.
1939United States Bobby RiggsUnited States Elwood Cooke6–3, 1–6, 1–6, 6–2, 6–4.
1940United States Elwood CookeUnited States Gardnar Mulloy6–1, 6–4, 6–3.
1941Bermuda Brownlow EveBermuda William Freisenbruch6–4, 3–6, 6–0.
1942/1943No competition (due to WWII)
Bermuda International Championships
1944Canada Jack SkeltonBermuda Brownlow Eve6–1, 6–2.
1947United States Earl CochellUnited States Sidney Wood6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3.
1948United States Bill TalbertFrance Marcel Bernard6–3, 6–2, 5–7, 7–5.
1949United States Earl Cochell (2)United States Sidney Wood6–2, 11–9, 6–4.
1950United States Bill Talbert (2)United States Tony Trabert6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–2.
1951United States Vic SeixasUnited States Ham Richardson6–4, 9–7, 6–4.
1952United States Vic Seixas (2)United States Bill Talbert5–7, 1–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–0.
1953United States Gardnar MulloyUnited States Fred Kovaleski6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 9–7.
1954United States Irvin DorfmanUnited States Jordan Bentley6–1, 6–1.
1955United States Bill TullyBermuda John Riihiluoma6–8, 6–2, 6–3, 6–4.
1956United States Tony VincentUnited States Bob Freedman6–4, 6–4.
1957United States Tony Vincent (2)United States Don Thompson6–2, 9–7
1959United States Kingman LambertUnited States Don Thompson6–3, 6–0.
1961United States Gilmore (Gil) RothrockUnited States Leif Beck6–1, 6–1.
1963United States Bill Tully (2)United States Alan Fleming6–3, 6–0.
1964United States Don ThompsonUnited States Alan Fleming2–6, 8–6, 9–7.
1965United States Bill TymUnited States John Fleitz2–6, 8–6, 9–7.
1966United States Bill Tym (2)United States Ellis Slack6–2, 7–5.
1967United States Ellis SlackUnited States John Galinato6–2, 6–3.
1968United States Ellis Slack (2)United States John Galinato2–6, 7–5, 6–3.
↓ Open era ↓
1970Canada Harry FauquierCanada Keith Carpenter6–2, 6–1.
1972United States Jim HanlonAustria Ladislav Legenstein6–3, 6–4.
1974United States Claude SchoenlankAustria Ladislav Legenstein6–3, 6–4.
Bermuda Open
1975United States Jimmy ConnorsUnited States Vitas Gerulaitis6–1, 6–4
Bermuda Classic
1976United States Cliff RicheyUnited States Gene Mayer7–6, 6–2
Bermuda Open
1979Bermuda Stephen AlgerCanada Harry Fauquier6–3, 6–2.

Women' singles

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
Championship of Bermuda
1889Colony of Natal Mabel GrantUnited States Grace Roosevelt4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Bermuda Championships
1913Bermuda Bessie Gosling HarveyBermuda Mary Gray6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1914Bermuda Bessie Gosling Harvey (2)United States Marion Cresswellwalkover
1915-19Not held (due to World War I)
1922United States Marie WagnerBermuda Miss Yuillo6–0, 3–6, 6–1
1923United States Mayme McDonaldBermuda Gladys Hutchings6–4, 6–4
1924United States Mollie ThayerBermuda Gladys Hutchings8–6, 6–4
1925United Kingdom Mary Hart McIlquhamUnited Kingdom Joan Reid-Thomas6–2, 6–0
1926United States Martha BayardBermuda Gladys Hutchings6–2, 6–2
1927United States Martha Bayard (2)United States Penelope Anderson6–2, 2–6, 6–1
1928United States Alice FrancisBermuda Gladys Hutchings6–3, 6–1
1929United States Penelope AndersonUnited Kingdom Mary Harland7–9, 6–4, 6–2
1930United States Edith SigourneyUnited States Penelope Anderson2–6, 6–3, 8–6
1931United States Sarah PalfreyUnited States Marjorie Morrill6–3, 6–2
1932United States Sarah Palfrey (2)United Kingdom Betty Nuthall6–4, 4–6, 6–4
1933United States Virginia RiceUnited States Virginia Hilleary10–8, 6–3
1934United States Marjorie SachsUnited States Penelope Anderson McBride5–7, 6–4, 6–2
1935France Sylvie Jung HenrotinUnited States Dorothy Andruswalkover
1936France Sylvie Jung Henrotin (2)United States Norma Taubele6–2, 8–6
1937United States Helen PedersenUnited States Penelope Anderson McBride6–1, 6–2
1938France Sylvie Jung Henrotin (3)United States Marjorie Gladman van Ryn3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1939United States Helen BernhardUnited States Pauline Betz6–3, 7–5
1940United States Sarah Palfrey Fabyan (3)United States Pauline Betz6–2, 6–4
1941Bermuda Gladys HutchingsUnited States Barbara Robinson Freisenbruch5–7, 6–3, 7–5
1942-43Not held (due to World War II)
Bermuda International Championships
1944United States Barbara Robinson FreisenbruchBermuda Gladys Hutchings6–1, 6–3
1947United States Doris HartUnited States Barbara Scofield6–2, 9–7
1948United States Doris Hart (2)United States Pat Canning Todd4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1949United States Dorothy HeadUnited States Nancy Chaffee6–2, 6–1
1950United States Betty RosenquestUnited States Helen Pedersen Rihbany5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Bermuda Invitation
1951United States Beverly BakerUnited States Barbara Scofield9–7, 7–5
Bermuda International Championships
1952United States Pat Canning ToddUnited States Barbara Scofield Davidson6–4, 6–0
Bermuda Invitation
1953United States Louise BroughUnited States Margaret Osborne duPont9–7, 4–6, 6–1
1954Bermuda Heather Nicholls BrewerUnited States Kay Hubbell6–2, 6–3
1955Bermuda Sheila West GoslingBermuda J. Pollitt2–6, 6–3, 6–1
Bermuda International Championships
1956Bermuda Sheila West Gosling (2)Bermuda Mrs J. Jones6–2, 6–3
1957Bermuda Sheila West Gosling (3)Bermuda Mrs J. Jones6–2, 6–1
1957United States Florence BlanchardBermuda Ann Alger6–4, 6–3
Bermuda Invitation
1959United States Barbara Scofield DavidsonUnited States Elizabeth Coleman6–2, 6–4
1961United States Dottie Head Knode (2)United States Barbara Scofield Davidson6–0, 6–3
1964United States Barbara Scofield DavidsonUnited Kingdom Jean French6–1, 6–1
1965United States Alice TymUnited States Kay Hubbell6–4, 7–5
1966United States Alice Tym (2)United States Kay Hubbell6–1, 6–2
↓ Open era ↓
1970Bermuda Ann AlgerUnited States Grace Rathbun Findlay7–5, 7–5

Men's Doubles

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
Bermuda Open Tennis Championships
1879England Pelham Von Donop England Charles Wood? ??
Bermuda Open
1975Not held
Bermuda Classic
1976United States Mike Cahill United States John WhitlingerAustralia Dick Crealy Australia Ray Ruffels6–4, 4–6, 7–6

See also