The men’s singles final at the Austrian Championships (1894-1930)

[newmark401]

The Austrian Championships were first held in 1894, when the main events were a men’s singles and a men’s doubles. The tournament was usually held in late May/early June, on clay courts. Up until 1914, it was held in Prague in Bohemia, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War One, during which time the tournament was not held, the Austrian Championships were held in Vienna.

For a good number of years during the tournament’s early history, up until 1905, a Challenge Round was in force in the men’s singles event. This meant that the previous year’s holder did not have to play through, but could sit out and wait to see who won what was known as the All-Comers’ event.

The main sources for the following results are “Sport und Spiel”, “Der Lawn-Tennis-Sport”, “Lawn Tennis and Croquet” and “Lawn Tennis and Badminton”.
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The men’s singles final at the Austrian Championships (1894-1930)

1894 H.W. Gandon d. H. Voss 6-0, 6-1, 6-3
1895 Conway W. Blackwood-Price (GBR) d. H.W. Gandon 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
1896 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. Day 6-3, 6-0, retired
1897 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. H.W. Gandon 6-3, 6-1, retired
1898 Jorge André d. Rolf Kinzl (AUT) 6-1, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
1899 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. Jorge André, walkover
1900 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Herbert Dering (GBR), walkover
1901 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
1902 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Frederick W. Payn (GBR) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
1903 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-0, 6-0, 6-2
1904 Herbert Roper-Barrett (GBR) d. Major Ritchie (GBR) 1-6, 6-2, 3-0, retired
1905 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-3, 8-6, 6-4
1906 Anthony Wilding (NZL) d. Major Ritchie (GBR) 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
1907 Anthony Wilding (NZL) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
1908 Tournament not held
1909 Curt von Wessely (AUT) d. Fritz Pipes (AUT) 8-6, 6-1, 7-5
1910 Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) d. Jaroslav Just 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
1911 Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 5-7, 3-6, 6-1, retired
1912 Otto Froitzheim (GER) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 6-1, 6-1, retired
1913 Oskar Kreuzer (GER) d. Fritz Pipes (AUT) 6-2, 6-3, 7-5
1914 Oskar Kreuzer (GER) d. Robert Kleinschroth (GER) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4
1915-20 Tournament not held due to World War One
1921 Robert Kleinschroth (GER) d. Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) 7-5, 8-6
1922 Béla Kehrling (HUN) d. Paul Brick 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
1923 Oskar Kreuzer (GER) d. Friedrich Rohrer (TCH) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
1924 Umberto de Morpurgo (ITA) d. Béla Kehrling (HUN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
1925 Jan Kozeluh (TCH) d. Pavel Macenauer (TCH), walkover
1926 Jan Kozeluh (TCH) d. Winterstein 6-2, 6-1, 6-3
1927 Robert George (FRA) d. Antoine Gentien (FRA) 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-0
1928 Henri Cochet (FRA) d. Franz Matejka 6-3, 7-5, 6-3
1929 Henri Cochet (FRA) d. Franz Matejka 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
1930 William Tilden (USA) d. Franz Matejka 6-3, 6-1, 8-6
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1931 Henri Cochet (FRA) d. Roderich Menzel (TCH) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-4
1932 Emmanuel du Plaix (FRA) d. Roderich Menzel (TCH), walkover
1933 Daniel Prenn (GER) d. Herbert Kinzel 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
1934 Franz Matejka d. Georg von Metaxa 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
1935 Giovanni Palmieri (ITA) d. Giorgio de Stefani (ITA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
1936 Adam Baworowski d. Franz Matejka 3-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
1937 Otto Szigeti (HUN) d. Hans Redl 8-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2
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[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by newmark401

The Austrian Championships were first held in 1894, when the main events were a men’s singles and a men’s doubles. The tournament was usually held in late May/early June, on clay courts. Up until 1914, it was held in Prague in Bohemia, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War One, during which time the tournament was not held, the Austrian Championships were held in Vienna.

For a good number of years during the tournament’s early history a Challenge Round was in force in the men’s singles event. This meant that the previous year’s holder did not have to play through, but could sit out and wait to see who won what was known as the All-Comers’ event.

It is quite difficult to obtain results from the men’s singles final at the Austrian Championships for the years 1921-30, so only the winner’s name is provided for those years.



The main sources for the following results are “Sport und Spiel”, “Der Lawn-Tennis-Sport”, “Lawn Tennis and Croquet” and “Lawn Tennis and Badminton”.


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The men’s singles final at the Austrian Championships (1894-1930)

1894 H.W. Gandon d. Count Viktor Voss (GER) 6-0, 6-1, 6-3
1895 Conway W. Blackwood-Price (GBR) d. H.W. Gandon 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
1896 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. [????]
1897 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. H.W. Gandon 6-3, 6-1, retired
1898 Jorge André d. Rolf Kinzl (AUT) 6-1, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
1899 Herbert Dering (GBR) d. [????]
1900 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Herbert Dering (GBR), walkover
1901 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
1902 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Frederick W. Payn (GBR) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
1903 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-0, 6-0, 6-2
1904 Herbert Roper-Barrett (GBR) d. Major Ritchie (GBR) 1-6, 6-2, 3-0, retired
1905 Major Ritchie (GBR) d. Curt von Wessely (AUT) 6-3, 8-6, 6-4
1906 Anthony Wilding (NZL) d. Major Ritchie (GBR) 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
1907 Anthony Wilding (NZL) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
1908 Tournament not held
1909 Curt von Wessely (AUT) d. Fritz Pipes (AUT) 8-6, 6-1, 7-5
1910 Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) d. Jaroslav Just 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
1911 Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 5-7, 3-6, 6-1, retired
1912 Otto Froitzheim (GER) d. Oscar Kreuzer (GER) 6-1, 6-1, retired
1913 Oskar Kreuzer (GER) d. Fritz Pipes (AUT) 6-2, 6-3, 7-5
1914 Oskar Kreuzer (GER) d. Robert Kleinschroth (GER) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4
1915-20 Tournament not held due to World War One
1921 Robert Kleinschroth (GER)
1922 Bela von Kehrling (HUN)
1923 Oskar Kreuzer (GER)
1924 Umberto de Morpurgo (ITA)
1925 Karel Kozeluh (CZE)
1926 Karel Kozeluh (CZE)
1927 [?] George [?]
1928 Henri Cochet (FRA)
1929 Henri Cochet (FRA)
1930 William Tilden (USA)
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Thanks for the championship roll. Good work.

For 1926 and 1926 it probably must read JAN Kozeluh. Karel K. was then a pro.

[treblings]

thanks for another interesting contribution
according to my sources the winners from 94 and 98, Gandon and André
were from GBR
the winner from 1926 was indeed Jan Kozeluh, as B1 assumed, don´t know about 1925
the winner from 1927 was R George from France
and the losing finalist from 1930 against Tilden was Daniel Prenn

[elegos7]

Hi Mark,

I have the following results from the 1920s (including the women's finals as well). I collected most of these results from contemporary Hungarian newspapers. Also, the Austrian National Library has many sports magazines scanned, some of these results may have come from them.

Jun 12 1921
Robert Kleinschroth (GER) – Heinrich Kleinschroth (GER) 7-5 8-6
Nelly Bamberger Neppach (GER) - Ilse Weihermann Friedleben (GER) 6-2 3-6 16-14
Jun 4 1922
Béla Kehrling (HUN) – Paul Brick (AUT) 6-1 6-2 6-2
Ilona Várady (HUN) – Mrs D. Mayer (AUT) ?
May 13 1923
Oscar Kreuzer (GER) – Friedrich Rohrer (TCH) 6-4 6-1 6-3
Ilse Weihermann Friedleben (GER) – Toni Weihermann (GER) 6-4 6-4
Jun 1 1924
Umberto de Morpurgo (ITA) – Béla Kehrling (HUN) 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-4
Ilse Weihermann Friedleben (GER) – Toni Weihermann (GER) ?
May 24 1925
Jan Kozeluh (TCH) - Pavel Macenauer (TCH) walkover
Ilse Weihermann Friedleben (GER) – Ilona Várady Péteriné (HUN) 6-3 6-3
May 23 1926
Jan Kozeluh (TCH) - ?
Ilse Weihermann Friedleben (GER) – ?
May 22 1927
Roger George (FRA) - Antoine Gentien (FRA) 6-4 6-3 2-6 1-6 6-0
E. Redlich (AUT) – ?Elissen? (AUT) 6-4 6-1
May 21 1928
Henri Cochet (FRA) – Franz Matejka (AUT) 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-4
Irmgard Rost (GER) – Eisenmenger (AUT) 6-2 6-3
May 12 1929
Henri Cochet (FRA) – Franz Matejka (AUT) 6-3 7-5 6-3
Schréder Lászlóné (HUN) - Hagenauer (AUT) 3-6 6-3 6-4
May 11 1930
Bill Tilden (USA) - Franz Matejka (AUT) 6-3 6-1 8-6
Cilly Aussem (GER) - Toni Mettenheimer Schomburgk (GER) 6-3 6-4

[treblings]

seems elegos7 is correct about the losing finalist Matejka in 1930. He beat Prenn in the semis and went on to lose against Tilden.
that is according to an austrian newspaper report from May 12th, 1930.
my original info came from an austrian yearbook from 1977, and they got it wrong it seems

[newmark401]

Many thanks to BobbyOne, treblings and Karoly for the additional information/corrections provided. I've changed my original post accordingly.

The winner of the women's singles event in 1925 was Erna Redlich; the runner-up at the same event in 1928 was Hilde Eisenmenger.

Mark

[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Many thanks to BobbyOne, treblings and Karoly for the additional information/corrections provided. I've changed my original post accordingly.

The winner of the women's singles event in 1925 was Erna Redlich; the runner-up at the same event in 1928 was Hilde Eisenmenger.

Mark

according to the ´Wiener Sporttagblatt´from May 21st 1928 the runner-up in the womens tournament was in fact Emmy Hagenauer, beaten by Rost 36 64 63. the result against Hilde Eisenmenger that elegos7 mentions was the semifinal that year.
using the same source, it seems that Cochet beat Matejka in 1928 with the result of 63 75 63 and in 1929 it was 64 62 46 64.

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by treblings

according to the ´Wiener Sporttagblatt´from May 21st 1928 the runner-up in the womens tournament was in fact Emmy Hagenauer, beaten by Rost 36 64 63. the result against Hilde Eisenmenger that elegos7 mentions was the semifinal that year.
using the same source, it seems that Cochet beat Matejka in 1928 with the result of 63 75 63 and in 1929 it was 64 62 46 64.

Thanks, I've noted the correct women's final result. I didn't have time to look at the men's singles results in the Sport-Tagblatt.
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Would you by any chance know the results from the two main finals at the 1926 edition of the same tournament?

Mark

[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Thanks, I've noted the correct women's final result. I didn't have time to look at the men's singles results in the Sport-Tagblatt.
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Would you by any chance know the results from the two main finals at the 1926 edition of the same tournament?

Mark

looked it up today
Jan Kozeluh - (?)Winterstein 62 61 63
Ilse Friedleben - Nelly Neppach 62 75

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by treblings

looked it up today
Jan Kozeluh - (?)Winterstein 62 61 63
Ilse Friedleben - Nelly Neppach 62 75

Thanks very much for those results. Do you know the dates for that particular tournament in 1926?
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Also, can you possibly help with any of the men's or women's singles final results from the Championships of Berlin tournament aka the Pfingstturnier in the period 1919-29?

Mark

[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Thanks very much for those results. Do you know the dates for that particular tournament in 1926?
--

Also, can you possibly help with any of the men's or women's singles final results from the Championships of Berlin tournament aka the Pfingstturnier in the period 1919-29?

Mark

the 26 finals were played on May 19th
be glad to look into the Berlin tournament, let´s see what i can dig up

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by treblings

the 26 finals were played on May 19th
be glad to look into the Berlin tournament, let´s see what i can dig up

Thanks. I forgot to say that I'm also missing the result from the women's singles final at the Austrian Championships in 1922 and 1924.

Mark
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[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Thanks. I forgot to say that I'm also missing the result from the women's singles final at the Austrian Championships in 1922 and 1924.

Mark
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i´ve found some results and will post them as soon as i´m through checking all the years.
i have a question. i found a newspaper article about 1924, that mentioned a R D Good as winner of the international austrian championships. have you heard that name before and is it maybe an alias for de morpurgo?

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by treblings

i´ve found some results and will post them as soon as i´m through checking all the years.
i have a question. i found a newspaper article about 1924, that mentioned a R D Good as winner of the international austrian championships. have you heard that name before and is it maybe an alias for de morpurgo?

treblings, It seems so. I never heard of a Mr. Good before.

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by treblings

i´ve found some results and will post them as soon as i´m through checking all the years.
i have a question. i found a newspaper article about 1924, that mentioned a R D Good as winner of the international austrian championships. have you heard that name before and is it maybe an alias for de morpurgo?

Hello,

Well, from the available information, it seems very likely that Umberto de Morpurgo won the men's singles title at the International Austrian Championships in 1924. Although some players sometimes used to use pseudonyms, I don't recall any cases where Umberto de Morpurgo did so, which is not to say that he never did.

However, the practice of using pseudonyms was, fortunately, dying out by the beginning of the 1920s. This makes it easier for people who are interested in tennis history to dig up information on past players.

Mark
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[treblings]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

treblings, It seems so. I never heard of a Mr. Good before.

it must be. it seems pretty certain, that the winner of 1924 was de mopurgo

[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Hello,

Well, from the available information, it seems very likely that Umberto de Morpurgo won the men's singles title at the International Austrian Championships in 1924. Although some players sometimes used to use pseudonyms, I don't recall any cases where Umberto de Morpurgo did so, which is not to say that he never did.

However, the practice of using pseudonyms was, fortunately, dying out by the beginning of the 1920s. This makes it easier for people who are interested in tennis history to dig up information on past players.

Mark
-----

maybe i can get some additional information about this.
in the meantime i have the Berlin winners from 1929, which are
Cochet-Menzel 9:11 6:3 6:1 6:1, and in the ladies singles Reznicek-Aussem 7:5 6:3
the finals were played on the 20th May, 1929

can you tell me something about european tournaments of that era?
were they always played in a particular sequence? i assume that Berlin ws played before the French, for example?

[newmark401]

^^^^ Thanks for the information on the 1929 Championships of Berlin tournament. It's very difficult to find the details of German/Austrian/Swiss tournaments in the early 1920s because those countries' players were barred from most international competitions from circa 1919-27 because of World War One.
--

As for European tournaments in general, during that era most tournaments were usually held at the same time in the same place each year. A schedule of, say, British or German tournaments would be published at the beginning of the season, or even earlier, and kept to throughout the year.

This hadn't necessarily been the practice at the dawn of lawn tennis, but as the number of tournaments grew and grew, it was realised that a more or less fixed schedule would make a great deal of sense from an organisational point of view in particular.

Mark
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[treblings]

Originally Posted by newmark401

^^^^ Thanks for the information on the 1929 Championships of Berlin tournament. It's very difficult to find the details of German/Austrian/Swiss tournaments in the early 1920s because those countries' players were barred from most international competitions from circa 1919-27 because of World War One.
--

As for European tournaments in general, during that era most tournaments were usually held at the same time in the same place each year. A schedule of, say, British or German tournaments would be published at the beginning of the season, or even earlier, and kept to throughout the year.

This hadn't necessarily been the practice at the dawn of lawn tennis, but as the number of tournaments grew and grew, it was realised that a more or less fixed schedule would make a great deal of sense from an organisational point of view in particular.

Mark
-----

i can see how that would be problematic.

do you know whether the Berlin tournament was played before or after the Austrian International and French?
it would make searching for results a lot easier

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by treblings

i can see how that would be problematic.

do you know whether the Berlin tournament was played before or after the Austrian International and French?
it would make searching for results a lot easier

The Champs of Berlin tournament was often referred to as the Pfingsten tournament, so it was usually held around Whitsun/Pentecost, i.e. between late May and early June, or a little earlier or later.

Mark
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