The Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament was an early men's tennis tournament held from 1880 to 1885. It consisted of a spring tournament usually held in April and another held in autumn usually September. It was a forerunner event for the later Sussex Championships formally called the Sussex County Championships that were first staged in 1889 and are still being staged today.^[1][2]

History

The Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament was a brief pre-open era autumn tennis tournament originally played on outdoor asphalt courts at Brighton and Hove Rink, England with the exception of the 1884 event that was played on grass courts. In 1882 the organisers staged a spring event in June also played on asphalt courts, but for only two editions.^[3] There were just four editions of this event but it did feature two future Wimbledon Men's singles champions, the Renshaw twins. It was a forerunner event for the later Sussex Championships also called Sussex County Championships that were first staged in 1889.^[4]

Spring tournament

Men's singles

Year	Winner	Runner Up	Surface	Score
1882	Robert Wallace Glen Lee Braddell	Donald Charles Stewart	Asphalt	6–1, 6–8, 0–6, 6–2, 6–2.[5]
1883	Charles Walder Grinstead	Donald Charles Stewart	Asphalt	6–3, 6–8, 8–10, 6–4, 6–1.[6]

Autumn tournament

Incomplete list of tournaments included:^[7]

Men's singles

Year	Winner	Runner Up	Surface	Score
1880	William Renshaw	Ernest Renshaw	Asphalt	6-1 6-8 0-6 6-2 6–2.
1881	Michael Gallwey McNamara	Champion Russell	Asphalt	2-6 6-2 6-0 6–1.
1882	Herbert Wilberforce	Michael Gallwey McNamara	Asphalt	6-1 6-8 0-6 6-2 6–2.
1883	Herbert Wilberforce	Charles Walder Grinstead	Asphalt	6-3 6-8 8-10 6-4 6–1.
1884	Charles Lacy Sweet	Charles Walder Grinstead	Grass	0–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3
1885	Charles Walder Grinstead	William Taylor	Asphalt	w.o.

Women's singles

Year	Winner	Runner Up	Surface	Score
1880	Ellen Maltby	Mary Ann Maltby	Asphalt	6–3, 6–3
1881	Edith Coleridge	Leila Lodwick	Asphalt	6–5, 6–2
1885	Miss Hudson	Constance Bryan	Asphalt	6–1, 6–4

References