The Meadow Club Invitation or formally the Meadow Club of Southampton Invitation and also known as the Southampton Invitation or Southampton Invitational was predominantly a men's grass court tennis tournament established in 1887 at the Meadow Club, Southampton, Long Island, New York, United States. The tournament was staged as part of ILTC Circuit until 1973 when it was discontinued.

History

In 1887 the Meadow Club was founded It is a private members located at Southampton, Long Island, New York, United States. The club inaugurated a major international tennis tournament called the Meadow Club Invitation

The tournament originally also carried the title of the Championship of Long Island. During its first decade, the event was recognized by the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) as a premier Sectional Championship, a designation used to formalize the regional competitive circuit across the United States. In this early era of American lawn tennis, the tournament functioned as one of the most prestigious grass-court stops on the Eastern circuit, frequently serving as a key preparatory event for the U.S. National Championships. Following the 1896 edition, the "Championship of Long Island" title largely disappeared from primary book sources at the Meadow Club, as the event transitioned into the more exclusive Southampton Invitation.

In 1909 the Long Island Championships was revived at the Kings County Tennis Club in Brooklyn, New York. Over its tenure, the event moved to various venues across the Long Island region, including its final home in Roslyn, New York, where the last edition was held in 1972.

The Southampton Invitaion was staged for 85 editions between 1888 and 1973, though it was not staged continuously. A women's invitation singles tournament was introduced briefly in the late 1920s to early 1940s under the title of the Southampton Invitational Round Robin or Meadow Club Invitational Round Robin, though women did take part most years in the mixed doubles events.

With the exception of 1903 when the English player Laurie Doherty won the men's event it was completely dominated by American players until the mid-1940s with multiple winners such as; Howard Augustus Taylor, Vinnie Richards, Bill Tilden II, Frank Parker, and Bobby Riggs. After World War II up until at least 1969 more foreign players won this event including; Pancho Segura, Roy Emerson, Ian Vermaak, Fred Stolle, Tony Roche and Owen Davidson and Rod Laver. The Meadow Club Invitation ran until 1973 when it was discontinued.

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

YearWinnersRunners-upScore
USNLTA Circuit
1887United States Howard Augustus TaylorUnited States Henry Warner Slocum6-4, 7-9, 3-6, 9-7, 6-3
1888United States Howard Augustus Taylor (2)United States Joseph Sill Clark6-8, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
1889United States Howard Augustus Taylor (3)United States Joseph Sill Clark6-1, 6-4, 6-3
1890United States Howard Augustus Taylor (4)United States Rodmond Vernon Beach6-2, 6-2, 6-2
1891United States Valentine Gill HallUnited States Howard Augustus Taylorw.o.
1892United States Edward Ludlow HallUnited States Valentine Gill Hall4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 2-6, 8-6
1893United States William LarnedUnited States Edward Ludlow Hall2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0
1894United States William Larned (2)Ireland Manliffe Goodbody6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
1899United States Mal WhitmanUnited States Leo Ware7-5, 6-4, 8-6
1903United Kingdom Laurence DohertyUnited States William Larned6-1, 6-2, 6-1
1918United States Bill Tilden IIUnited States Theodore Pell6-4, 6-2, 6-4
1919United States Chuck GarlandUnited States Willis Davis6-4, 6-3, 6-3
1920United States Vinnie RichardsUnited States William Jackson Clothier6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0
1921United States Willis E. DavisUnited States Vinnie Richards3-6, 8-6, 6-3, 6-4
1922United States Vinnie Richards (2)United States Robert Kinsey6-3, 6-4, 7-5
1923United States Vinnie Richards (3)United States Carl Fischer6-2, 6-2, 6-2
ILTF Circuit
1924United States Howard KinseyUnited States Harvey Burton Snodgrass3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
1925United States Howard Kinsey (2)United States George Lott6-2, 6-4, 6-0
1926United States Bill Tilden II (2)South Africa Brian Norton6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
1927United States Bill Tilden II (3)United States George Lott6-2, 7-5, 6-2
1928United States Berkeley BellUnited States Gregory Mangin6-0, 6-3, 7-5
1929United States Fritz MercurUnited States John Doeg6-4, 6-3, 6-4
1930United States Sidney WoodUnited States Wilmer Allison3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
1931United States George LottUnited States Clifford Sutter6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
1932United States Sidney Wood (2)United States Gregory Mangin4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 12-14, 7-5
1933United States Frank ShieldsUnited States Frank Parker6-2, 6-2, 6-1
1934United States Frank ParkerUnited States Bryan Grant6-3, 9-7, 6-0
1935United States Frank Parker (2)United States J. Gilbert Hall7-5, 6-4, 6-1
1936United States Frank Parker (3)United States Gregory Mangin1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0
1937United States Bobby RiggsJapan Jiro Yamagishi6-4, 6-3, ret.
1938United States Bobby Riggs (2)United States Sidney Wood6-0, 6-3, 7-5
1939United States Bobby Riggs (3)United States Sidney Wood10-8, 6-4, 6-4
1940United States Don McNeillUnited States Frank Kovacs6-4, 6-3, 6-3
1941United States Bobby Riggs (4)United States Frank Kovacs6-2, 6-2, 6-3
1942United States Ted SchroederUnited States Sidney Wood3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
1943Ecuador Pancho SeguraUnited States Sidney Wood6-3, 7-5, 9-7
1944Ecuador Pancho Segura (2)United States Don McNeill7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
1945United States Bill TalbertArgentina Alejo Russell6-4, 6-2, 6-4
1946United States Gardnar MulloyUnited States Bill Talbert8-6, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6, 10-8
1947Ecuador Pancho Segura (3)United States Seymour Greenberg6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
1948United States Pancho GonzalesUnited States Budge Patty6-3, 6-0, 6-3
1949United States Bill Talbert (2)United States Pancho Gonzales6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
1950United States Earl CochellUnited States Gardnar Mulloy9-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
1951United States Tony TrabertUnited States Herb Flam6-2, 10-8, 5-7, 6-3
1952United States Noel BrownUnited States Sidney Schwartz8-6, 6-1, 6-0
1953United States Jack TueroUnited States Charles F. Masterson6-2, 10-8, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5
1954United States Eddie MoylanUnited States Bill Talbert6-0, 6-2, 6-4
1955United States Eddie Moylan (2)United States Tony Trabert6-3, 2-6, 6-8, 8-6, 1-0, ret.
1956Australia Roy EmersonUnited States Grant Golden6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 8-6
1957United States Whitney ReedAustralia Roy Emerson10-8, 1-0, ret.
1958United States Ham RichardsonUnited States Sammy Giammalva Jr.6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
1959South Africa Ian VermaakSouth Africa Raymond Weedon6-1, 4-6, 6-1
1960Australia Rod LaverUnited States Ronald Holmberg12-10, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3
1961United States Allen E. FoxAustralia Bob Mark5-7, 8-6, 6-1, 4-4, ret.
1962Australia Fred StolleUnited States Whitney Reed7-5, 6-2, 8-6
1964United States Gene ScottPuerto Rico Charlie Pasarell10-8, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4
1965United States Chuck McKinleyUnited States Gene Scott3-6, 6-3, 8-6, 10-8
1966Australia Tony RocheUnited Kingdom Graham Stilwell6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
1967Australia Owen DavidsonAustralia Ray Ruffels6-4, 7-5, 6-4
1968United States Ronald HolmbergUnited States Gene Scott6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 13-11
Open era
1969United States Clark GraebnerUnited States Bob Lutz6-2, 6-2, 6-4

Women's singles

YearWinnersRunners-upScore
1943United States Pauline Betz (1st)United States Louise Brough (2nd)Round Robin

See also