The Highland Championships (informally called the Scottish Highland Championships) was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first established in 1896 as part of the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament. Also known as the Bell's Highland Championships for sponsorship reasons (1974–1981).

The championships were first held at the Athole Hydropathic tennis courts, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. The tournament was staged annually as part of the ILTF Circuit until 1981.

History

In 1878, the Atholl Hydropathic was opened. In August 1896, the hotel established its first lawn tennis event, the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament of which the Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy was played for as part of the gentleman's singles programme. It was part of the Scottish Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) circuit from inception. In 1913, the venue's name was changed to the Athol Palace Hotel. The championships were temporarily suspended during both the first and second world wars. It continued to be held annually as part of the official international ILTF Circuit from 1913. At the 1930 championships 149 players entered the tournament for play.

In 1974, the Scottish whisky company Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd. decided to sponsor the event under the brand name the Bell's Highland Championships. That year, 14-year-old Judith Erskine (future mother of grand slam champion Andy Murray) won all three titles of the Bell's Junior Championship of the Highlands. It ran until 1981, when it ceased to part of the international worldwide tennis circuit. The tournament continues to be staged at the same venue today, now known as the Highland Tennis Championships, or Tennis Championships of the Highlands. The tournament is currently administered by Tennis Scotland.

Venue

Atholl Palace, Pitlochry venue for this tennis event.

In 1874, the Perthshire architect, Andrew Heiton was commissioned to design a Scottish baronial-style hydropathic establishment, with accommodation. In 1878, the building was officially opened and named the Athole Hydropathic. In 1913, its name was changed to The Atholl Palace Hotel.

Finals

Men's singles

Harry S. Barlow first men's singles champion c. 1900.

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
↓ SLTA Circuit ↓
Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy
1897Ireland Harry Sibthorpe BarlowUnited Kingdom Clement Cazaletw.o.
1899Ireland Sydney Lawrence FryUnited Kingdom Rupert Hamblin-Smith6–1, 6–3, 6–4
1900Scotland Alfred Aitken ThomsonScotland Richard Millar Watsonw.o.
Highland Lawn Tennis Championships
1901Ireland Sydney Lawrence Fry (2)Ireland James Cecil Parke6–1, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2
1903United Kingdom E.G. WhittleUnited Kingdom C.H. Moss6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 6–2
1905Scotland W.E. McKechnieUnited Kingdom T.B. Pollard6–4, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
↓ ILTF Circuit ↓
Highland Championships
1938United Kingdom Colin GregoryRepublic of Ireland Alfred Eustace Fannin6–4, 3–6, 8–6
1940/1945Not held (due to World War II)
1947Scotland David M. DuncanScotland S.H. Allan6–2, 7–5
1948Scotland John Stewart RossScotland G.W. O'Connor7–5, 7–5
1949United Kingdom John C. George SavileAustralia Arthur J. Gould8–10, 6–2, 6–0
1950Poland Tadeusz SlawekUnited Kingdom John C. George Savile6–1, 6–1
1951Poland Tadeusz Slawek (2)Scotland R.H. Thomson6–3, 6–1
1952Poland Tadeusz Slawek (3)United Kingdom A.G. Potter6–0, 7–5
1953United Kingdom A.L. GraemeUnited Kingdom N.J. Gibson6–4, 4–6, 6–2
1954Republic of Ireland John R. MaguireUnited Kingdom D.B. Dempsey6–3, 6–1
1955Australia Brian Douglas FordUnited Kingdom J.J. Carmichael6–1, 6–2
1956United Kingdom Alan Ronald MillsUnited Kingdom D.B. Dempsey6–0, 6–3
1957Scotland D.B. DempseyUnited Kingdom A. Bloomfield6–3, 6–2
1959United States Aaron S. BlackScotland D.C. Burrows13–11, 6–1
1960Scotland D.B. Dempsey (2)United States Aaron S. Black2–6, 11–9, 6–0
1961Scotland D.B. Dempsey (3)United Kingdom Ken Riley6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1962United Kingdom Mark CoxAustralia John Blizard6–3, 6–0
1964Scotland J.C. ReynoldsScotland T.C. MacNair6–2, 6–2
↓ Open era ↓
1972United Kingdom John Graham CliftonUnited Kingdom David Alan Lloyd6–2, 6–2
Bell's Highland Championships
1975United Kingdom David Alan LloydUnited States Hugh Thomson6–3, 6–0
1976Scotland Graeme NotmanScotland Ken Revie6–3, 6–2
1977United Kingdom Jasper CooperUnited Kingdom Robbie Rockwell4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1978United Kingdom K. ReynoldsAustralia Peter Littlewood6–3, 6–3
1979United Kingdom K. Reynolds (2)Scotland J. McKechnie6–4, 6–3
1980United Kingdom Mark PowellScotland Keith Kordula6–3, 6–2
1981Scotland P. PriestScotland N. Carmichaell6–3, 6–3

Women's singles

Anita Lizana of Chile won 1 singles titles.
Esna Boyd of Australian won 2 singles titles.

(incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
↓ SLTA Circuit ↓
Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy
1897Scotland Lottie PatersonScotland Jane Corder6–3, 6–3
1899Ireland Florence StanuellScotland Lottie Paterson6–2, 3–6, 6–2
1900Ireland Ruth Dyas DurlacherScotland Lottie Paterson6–4, 6–3
Highland Lawn Tennis Championships
1903Scotland Alice Maud FergusonEngland Minnie Hunter6–3, 8–6
↓ ILTF Circuit ↓
Highland Championships
1922Scotland Mary Gray WelshEngland Mary Thom6–1, 9–7
1928Scotland Winifred MasonIndia Olga Webb1–6, 6–1, 6–3
1929Scotland Winifred Mason (2)United Kingdom Geraldine Beamish6–0, 6–4
1933Australia Esna Boyd RobertsonAustralia Joan Hartigan6–2, 6–2
1934Australia Esna Boyd Robertson (2)United Kingdom Kathleen Robertson6-2, 6-0
1935United Kingdom Madge SlaneyAustralia Esna Boyd Robertson6–2, 6–1
1936Chile Anita LizanaUnited Kingdom Madge Slaney6–4, 6–3
1940/1945Not held (due to World War II)
1948Poland Helena CzolowskaRepublic of Ireland Betty Lombard6–2, 7–5
1950United Kingdom Mrs C.M. MitchellUnited Kingdom Chloe Rhodes6–4, 2–6, 8–6
1952United Kingdom Joyce ReidUnited Kingdom E. Vlandy6–0, 7–5
1953South Africa Beryl BartlettPoland Helena Czolowska6–3, 4–6, 6–4
1961United Kingdom Ann McAlpineUnited Kingdom Sally Holdsworth6–1, 6–4
1962Scotland Joyce BarclayUnited Kingdom Alison Stroud7–5, 6–3
1967Scotland Winnie ShawAustralia Margaret H. O'Donnell6–4, 7–5
↓ Open era ↓
Bell's Highland Championships
1975Scotland Joyce Barclay Hume (2)Scotland Winnie Shaw Wooldridge6–8, 6–0, 6–3
1976Scotland Joyce Barclay Hume (3)United Kingdom Jill Cottrell6–3, 7–5
1977United Kingdom Jill CottrellUnited Kingdom Marjorie Love1–6, 6–1, 6–2
1978United Kingdom Jill Cottrell (2)United Kingdom E. Armstrong6–1, 6–4
1979United Kingdom G. ArmstrongUnited Kingdom Eleanor Lightbody7–5, 6–8, 6–3
1980United Kingdom D. BoothmanUnited Kingdom L. Ristic10–8, 6–2
1981United Kingdom L. ReidUnited Kingdom D. Boothman6–4, 6–1

Event names

  • Highland Lawn Tennis Championship Trophy (1896–1900)
  • Highland Lawn Tennis Championships (1901–1913)
  • Highland Championships (1914–1973)
  • Bell's Highland Championships (1974–1981)