The German Indoor Championships[1] or officially the West German Indoor Championships[2] was a men's and women's international open tennis tournament founded in 1911 as the German Covered Court Championships or German International Covered Court Championships[3] and first played on indoor wood courts at the Bremen Tennis Club.[4] The tournament was mainly held in Bremen, West Germany, but was also played at other locations for the duration of its run. In 1981 the championships were last held in Stuttgart then it was discontinued.[5]

German Indoor Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF Circuit
Grand Prix Circuit
Founded1911; 113 years ago (1911)
Abolished1981; 43 years ago (1981)
LocationBremen
Cologne
Hamburg
Munich
Stuttgart
SurfaceWood (indoors)
Hard (indoors)

History

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In 1911 German indoor championships were established at the Bremen Tennis Club, Bremen, Germany.[6] In 1955 the tournament was rebranded as the West German Covered Court Championships.[7] or West German International Covered Court Championships In 1966 the tournaments name was changed again to the West German Indoor Championships.

The championships were mainly played Bremen Tennis Club (f.1896), Bremen, Germany which had built an indoor facility for staging this tournament.[8] The championships continued to be held in Bremen until 1939. In 1940 the event moved to Hamburg until 1941. From 1942 till tournament was not held due to World War Two and the rebuilding of Germany under the Marshall Plan.

In 1955 the tournament was revived under a new title as the West German Covered Court Championships and, moved to Cologne it remained there until 1961. In 1962 the championships were moved back to Bremen then they alternated between Cologne and the former until 1969. In 1970 the event moved to Munich for one edition only, before returning to Bremen till 1979. In 1980[9] the German Indoor Championships were moved to Stuttgart and remained there until 1981[10] when they were abolished.[11]

Surface

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The championships were played almost exclusively of indoor wood courts from inception until 1973 at all locations. The tournament then continued to played on indoor hard courts and indoor carpet courts until 1981.

Finals

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Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

German Covered Court Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1911[5] Bremen   Max Decugis   Clarence Phelps Dodge 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
1912[5] Bremen   Max Decugis (2)   Robert Spiess 6–0, 6–2, 9–7
1913[5] Bremen   Oscar Kreuzer   Curt Bruno Bergmann 2-6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–4
1914[5] Bremen   Curt Bruno Bergmann   Harald Waagepetersen 6–1, 5-7 6–1
1915/1919 Not held (due to World War I)
German International Covered Court Championships
1920[5] Bremen   Robert Cleon Spiess   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe 6–2, 6–0, 6–1
1921[5] Bremen   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe   Robert Cleon Spiess 7–9, 6–2, 6–1 ret.
1922[5] Bremen   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe (2)   Robert Cleon Spiess 6–3, 6–4, 5-7, 6–2
1923[5] Bremen   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe (3)   Hans Moldenhauer 6–4, 6–1, 9–7
1924[5] Bremen   Willi Hahnemann   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe 6–3, 9–7, 7–5
1925[5] Bremen   Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe (4)   Robert Cleon Spiess 6–2, 8–6, 2-6, 3-6, 7–5
1926[5] Bremen   Robert Cleon Spiess (2)   Bela Von Kehrling 6–0, 4-6, 6–3, 6–2
1927[5] Bremen   Einer Ulrich   Axel Petersen 4-6, 6–4, 9–7, 6–4
1928[5] Bremen   Axel Petersen   Daniel Prenn 6–3, 6–2, 6–1
1929[5] Bremen   Axel Petersen (2)   Walter Dessart 7–5, 5-7, 6–0
1930[5] Bremen   Curt Östberg   Einer Ulrich 6–3, 2-6, 6–3
1931[5] Bremen   Pierre Henri Landry   Einer Ulrich 6–3, 2-6, 6–3
1932[5] Bremen   Pierre Henri Landry (2)   Curt Ostberg 6–4, 6–2, 7–5
1933[5] Bremen   Gottfied von Cramm   Josef Hirtz 7–5, 0-6, 3-6, 6–3, 7–5
1934[5] Bremen   Gottfied von Cramm (2)   Pierre Henri Landry 6–1, 2-6, 4-6, 6–4, 6–2
1935[5] Bremen   Gottfied von Cramm (3)   Marcel Bernard 12-14, 6–0, 6–2, 4-6, 8–6
1936[5] Bremen   Max Ellmer   Josip Palada 2-6, 6–4, 2-6, 6–3, 6–0
1937[5] Bremen   Gottfied von Cramm (4)   Henner Henkel 6–4, 6–2, 3-6, 6–3
1938[5] Bremen   Kalle Schröder   Rolf Göpfert 6–1, 6–1, 5-7, 5-7, 7–5
1939[5] Bremen   Roderich Menzel   Henner Henkel 6–4, 7–5, 6–4
1940[5] Hamburg   Henner Henkel   Engelbert Koch 8–6, 6–3, 6–4
1941[5] Hamburg   Rolf Göpfert   Henner Henkel 6–0, 6–2, 7–5
1942-54 Not held (due to World War II)
West German International Covered Court Championships
1955[5] Cologne   Giuseppe Merlo   Orlando Sirola 8–6, 4-6, 6–3, 1-6, 6–3
1956[5] Cologne   Torsten Johansson   Orlando Sirola 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
1957[5] Cologne   Pierre Darmon   Torsten Johansson 10-8, 6–0, 9–7
1958[5] Cologne   Jorgen Ulrich   Jaroslav Drobný 6–4, 7–5, 2-6, 6–8, 6–3
1959[5] Cologne   Jaroslav Drobný   Jacques Brichant 6–2, 6–4, 6–4
1960[5] Cologne   Jacques Brichant   Nicola Pietrangeli 4-6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–4
1961[5] Cologne   Bobby Wilson   Ulf Schmidt 2-6, 3-6, 8–6, 6–4, 7–5
1962[5] Bremen   Bobby Wilson (2)   Christian Kuhnke 6–4, 6–3, 7–5
1963[5] Cologne   Wilhelm Bungert   Adolf Kreinberg 6–4, 6–3, 9–7
1964[5] Bremen   Bobby Wilson (3)   Michel Leclercq 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
1965[5] Cologne   Jan-Erik Lundqvist   Bobby Wilson 6–4, 6–4, 3-6, 4-6, 8–6
West German Indoor Championships
1966[5] Bremen   Bob Carmichael   Ingo Buding 6–4, 6–1, 8–10, 6–3
1967[5] Cologne   Roger Taylor   Pierre Darmon 11-9, 6–1, 3-6, 6–3
1968[5] Bremen   Ismail El Shafei   Daniel Contet 6–4, 6–8, 6–4
↓  Open era  ↓
1969[5] Cologne   Ove Nils Bengtson   Christian Kuhnke 6–3, 6–3, 6–8, 6–4
1970[5] Munich   John Clifton   Håkan Zahr 6–3, 1-6 6–3
1971[5] Bremen   Jorgen Ulrich   David Lloyd 6–4, 10-8 4-6, 4-6, 6–3
1972[5] Bremen   Karl Meiler   Attila Korpás 6–3, 6–3, 6–1
1973[5] Bremen   Peter Pokorny   Tadeusz Nowicki 7–6 6–1 3-6 4-6 6–3
1974[5] Bremen   Frew McMillan   Nikola Pilić 5-7, 7–6, 7–6
1975[5] Bremen   Jürgen Fassbender   Bernard Mignot 6–3, 6–3, 6–4
1976[5] Bremen   Balazs Taroczy   Norman Holmes 6–3, 3-6, 6–3, 6–4
1977[5] Bremen   Nikola Pilić   David Lloyd 7–6, 7–6, 7–6
1978[5] Bremen   Werner Zirngibl   Péter Szőke 7–6, 6–4, 6–4
1979[5] Bremen   Niki Pilic   Klaus Eberhard 6–3, 3-6, 6–2
1980[5] Stuttgart   Tomas Smid   Mark Cox 6–1, 6–3, 5-7, 1-6, 6–4
1981[5] Stuttgart   Ivan Lendl   Chris Lewis 6–3, 6–0, 6–7, 6–3

Women' singles

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(incomplete roll)

German Covered Court Championships
Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
1911 Bremen   Mieken Rieck   Doris Breyer 6–3, 3-6, 6–2
1912 Bremen   Mieken Rieck (2)   "Frau Larida" 6–3, 8–6
1913 Bremen   Mieken Rieck (3)   Daisy Schultz 6–4, 6–4
1914 Bremen   Mieken Rieck (4)   Else Koch 6–2, 6–1
1915-19 Not held (due to World War I)
German International Covered Court Championships
1920 Bremen   Mieken Rieck Galvao (5)   Frau Gätjen 6–0, 6–2
1921 Bremen   Gertrud Hagelin
1922 Bremen   Mieken Rieck Galvao (6)   Nelly Gassmann Stephanus 4-6, 6–2, 6–2
1923 Bremen   Sigrid Frenckell Fick   Mieken Rieck Galvao 6–1, 4-6, 7–5
1924 Bremen   Nelly Neppach   Else Klatte 6–3, 6–4
1925 Bremen   Nelly Neppach (2)   Paula Heimann 6–1, 6–4
1926 Bremen   Ilse Friedleben   Cilly Aussem 6–3, 6–4
1927 Bremen   Ilse Friedleben (2)   Nelly Neppach 10-8, 6–3
1928 Bremen   Ilse Friedleben (3)   Frl Frese 6–2, 9–7
1929 Bremen   Irmgard Rost   Ilse Friedleben 11-9, 2-6, 7–5
1930 Bremen   Hilde Krahwinkel   Ellen Hoffmann 7–5, 6–0
1931 Bremen   Hilde Krahwinkel (2)   Irmgard Rost 6–2, 6–3
1932 Bremen   Hilde Krahwinkel (3)   Klara Hammer 6–0, 6–2
1933 Bremen   Lolette Payot   Marie-Louise Horn 6–3, 2-6, 6–2
1934 Bremen   Hilde Sperling (4)   Toni Schomburgk 2-6, 6–1, 6–2
1935 Bremen   Hilde Sperling (5)   Lolette Payot 6–4, 6–1
1936 Bremen   Hilde Sperling (6)   Marie-Louise Horn 6–0, 6–3
1937 Bremen   Hilde Sperling (7)   Totta Zehden 6–1, 6–2
1938 Bremen   Totta Zehden   Trude Wolf 8–6, 6–3
1939 Bremen   Gracyn Wheeler   Klara Somogyi 6–4, 6–4
1940 Hamburg   Ursula Heidtmann   Tilde Hamel Dietz 6–1, 10-12, 6–4
1941 Hamburg   Ursula Heidtmann (2)   Lotte Tegtmeyer 6–4 4-6 6–4
1942-54 Not held (due to World War II)
West German International Covered Court Championships
1955 Cologne   Bibi Gullbrandsson   Shirley Bloomer 6–1, 1-6, 6–3
1956 Cologne   Althea Gibson   Christiane Mercelis 4-6, 6–3, 6–2
1957 Cologne   Anne Shilcock   Christiane Mercelis 6–3, 11-9
1958 Cologne   Anne Shilcock (2)   Edda Buding default
1959 Cologne   Christiane Mercelis   Renate Ostermann 6–3, 6–4
1960 Cologne   Ann Haydon   Sheila Armstrong 6–3, 6–0
1961 Cologne   Angela Mortimer   Ann Haydon 6–2, 4-6, 6–4
1962 Bremen   Elizabeth Starkie  Renate Ostermann 6–4, 2-6, 6–1
1963 Cologne   Ann Haydon Jones (2)   Christiane Mercelis 6–1, 4-6, 8–6
1964 Bremen   Christine Truman   Carole Rosser 6–4, 5-7, 6–1
1965 Cologne   Elizabeth Starkie (2)   Ann Haydon Jones 6–3, 6–4
West German Indoor Championships
1966 Bremen   Ann Haydon Jones (3)   Helga Niessen 7–9, 7–5, 6–3
1967 Cologne   Ann Haydon Jones (4)   Ingrid Loeys 6–1, 6–1
1968 Bremen   Joyce Barclay Williams   Helga Niessen 6–2, 6–1
↓  Open era  ↓
1969 Cologne   Christina Sandberg   Christine Truman Janes 6–3, 2-6, 8–6
1970 Munich   Virginia Wade   Joyce Barclay Williams 6–2 6–4
1971 Bremen   Nell Truman   Heide Orth 6–3, 6–3
1973 Bremen   Ingrid Löfdahl Bentzer   Heide Orth 6–2, 1-6, 6–3
1976 Bremen   Linda Mottram   Edith Winkens 6–0, 6–1
1977 Bremen   Helga Niessen Masthoff   Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 6–2
1978 Bremen   Sylvia Hanika   Heidi Eisterlehner ?
1979 Bremen   Sylvia Hanika (2)   Heidi Eisterlehner 6–1, 6–0
1980 Stuttgart   Heidi Eisterlehner   Claudia Pasquale 6–2, 6–3

References

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  1. ^ Tingay, Lance; Barrett, John (1982). "Volvo Grand Prix Results: $50,000 to $150,000 Tournaments.". Slazengers world of tennis 1982 : the official yearbook of the International Tennis Federation. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-356-08596-8.
  2. ^ "BUDING ADVANCES TO FINAL IN TENNIS". The New York Times. New York City, NY, United States. 20 February 1966. p. 22. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. New York City: Viking Press. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-670-29408-4.
  4. ^ Rockstroh, Jörg (23 April 2021). "Geschichte des Bremer Tennis-Vereins von 1896". BTV (in German). Bremen Tennis Club. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb "Tournaments: German Indoor Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ "GERMANY'S GROWING RECORD: Prominent Players Produced". Perth West Australian. Perth, West Australia, Australia: Newspaper Archives. 19 June 1935. p. 9. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ^ "TENNIS FINALS: Roger Taylor and Mrs. Ann Jones yesterday qualified for all three event finals in the West German Covered Court tennis championships here in Cologne". Liverpool Echo. Liverpool, Lancashire: British Newspaper Archive. 28 January 1967. p. 14. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  8. ^ History:Bremen Tennis Club
  9. ^ "Results Archive 1980 Stuttgart I". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Results Archive 1981 Stuttgart I". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  11. ^ Barrett and Tingay (1982) p.119.