Cacharel Caracas Open

Cacharel Caracas Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event nameAltimira International (1956–1968)
Altimira International Invitation (1969)
Altimira International (1970–1974)
Caracas WCT (1975–1976)
Cacharel Caracas Open (1982–1983)
TourILTF Caribbean Circuit (1956–1974)
WCT Circuit (1975–1976)
Grand Prix circuit (1982–1983)
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
Abolished1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Editions22
LocationMiranda, Caracas, Venezuela
VenueAltimira Tennis Club
SurfaceHard / outdoor

The Cacharel Caracas Open was a men's tennis tournament founded as the Altimira International,[1] also known as the Altamira International Invitation and Caracas International Championships. The tournament was played annually at the Altamira Tennis Club, Miranda, Caracas, Venezuela, usually in mid-March initially as part of the ILTF Caribbean Circuit.

The women's tournament ended in 1970 and the men's event continued. From 1975 to 1976 the men's editions were known as the Caracas WCT tournament before it was briefly discontinued in 1982 the tournament was revived under a new name before it was abolished in 1983.

History

In 1927 the Venezuelan International Tennis Association was established and established a Venezuelan Lawn Tennis Championships at the first Altamira Tennis Club.[2] In 1946 the Altamira Tennis Club was formally created.[3] In 1956 the Altamira International,[4] also known as the Altamira International Invitation tournament was established at Altamira Tennis Club, Caracas, Venezuela.[4]

The Atamira International was organized as part of a spring (March to May) Caribbean Circuit which included tournaments in Jamaica (Kingston International Invitation), Puerto Rico (Caribe Hilton Championships), Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad International) and Colombia, Colombia International (Ciudad de Barranquilla). The tournament attracted the top players of the day.

In 1970 the women's event was discontinued. The tournament continued under brand name Altamira International until 1974. Between 1975 and 1976 the men's event became part of the WCT Circuit and was known as the Caracas WCT tournament. In 1977 the tournament was not held for five years when it was revived and rebranded in 1982 as the Caracas Open played at the same venue until 1983.[5]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Winner Runner-up Score
Altamira International
1956[6] Italy Orlando Sirola Australia Mervyn Rose 2–6, 3–6, 12–10, 6–4, 6–2
1958 United States Budge Patty Chile Luis Ayala 6–3, 11–13, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1959 United States Jon Douglas United Kingdom Mike Davies 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1960 Spain Andres Gimeno United Kingdom Mike Davies 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1961 Australia Rod Laver Chile Luis Ayala 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 8–6
1962 Australia Rod Laver (2) Australia Roy Emerson 9–7, 6–2, 6–0
1963[7] Spain Manuel Santana Brazil Thomaz Koch 9–11, 8–6, 6–1, 6–4
1964 United States Ron Holmberg Australia Roy Emerson 6–2, 6–4, 9–7
1965 France Pierre Barthès Spain Manuel Santana 6–1, 6–4, 6–2
1966 Australia Tony Roche Australia John Newcombe 0–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1967 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Nikola Pilić Mexico Rafael Osuna 4–6, 7–5, 6–0, 4–6, 6–1
Open era
1968[8] United States Marty Riessen United States Cliff Richey 6–1, 8–6, 6–1
Altamira International
1969[9] Brazil Thomaz Koch United Kingdom Mark Cox 8–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–4
1970[10] United States Tom Gorman United Kingdom Gerald Battrick 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1971[11] Brazil Thomaz Koch (2) Spain Manuel Orantes 7–6, 6–1, 6–3
1972[12] Spain Manuel Orantes Pakistan Haroon Rahim 6–4, 7–5, 6–4
1973[13] United States Tom Gorman France Francois Jauffret 6–3, 7–6, 6–3
1974[14] United States Charlie Pasarell United States Eddie Dibbs 6–7, 6–2, 6–1
Altamira International/Caracas WCT
1975[15] Australia Rod Laver (3) Mexico Raul Ramirez 7–6, 6–2
1976[16] Mexico Raúl Ramírez Romania Ilie Năstase 6–3, 6–4
1977/1981 Event suspended
Caracas Open
1982[17] Mexico Raúl Ramírez Hungary Zoltán Kuhárszky 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
1983[18] Mexico Raúl Ramírez (2) United States Morris Strode 6–4, 6–2

Men's Doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1982[19] United States Steve Meister
United States Craig Wittus		 United States Eric Fromm
United States Cary Leeds		 6–7, 7–6, 6–4
1983[20] Chile Jaime Fillol
United States Stan Smith		 Ecuador Andrés Gómez
Romania Ilie Năstase		 6–7, 6–4, 6–3

Women's Singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Winner Runner-up Score
Altamira International
1958 United States Althea Gibson Brazil Maria Bueno 6–1, 4–6, 9–7
1959[21] United Kingdom Christine Truman Brazil Maria Bueno 6–2, 6–3
1960 Brazil Maria Bueno United Kingdom Ann Haydon 3–6, 7–5, 6–2
1961 Brazil Maria Bueno (2) United States Darlene Hard 7–5, 6–1
1962 Brazil Maria Bueno (3) United States Darlene Hard 6–2, 5–7, 6–2
1963 Brazil Maria Bueno (4) Australia Lesley Turner 7–5, 8–6
1964 France Francoise Durr United Kingdom Rita Bentley 6–3, 6–2
1965 Australia Margaret Smith Australia Lesley Turner 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
1966 Argentina Norma Baylon Australia Gail Sherriff 2–6, 7–5, 6–4
1967 United Kingdom Ann Haydon Jones United Kingdom Virginia Wade 6–2, 6–3
Open era
1968 United Kingdom Ann Haydon Jones (2) United States Julie Heldman 6–4, 11–9
Altamira International Open Invitation
1969 Australia Margaret Smith Court (2) Brazil Maria Bueno w.o.
Altamira International
1970[22] United States Mary-Ann Eisel United States Patti Hogan 6–3 6–3

Location and venue

The Altimira Tennis Club was founded in 1946 by the Venezuelan International Tennis Association (f.1927) who built the club and is headquartered there.[23] Today the club consists of 11 tennis courts.[24]

Event names

The tournament throughout its history had been known by various names including:

  • Altamira International
  • Altamira International Invitation
  • Altamira International Open Invitation
  • Caracas International Championships
  • Caracas WCT
  • Copa Altimira International Invitation

Event statistics

References

  1. ^ "Birth of ATC". atc.org.ve. Altamira Tennis Club. pp. Caracas, Venezuela. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  2. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The encyclopedia of tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 340. ISBN 0047960426.
  3. ^ Robertson, Max (1974)
  4. ^ a b Altamira Tennis Club
  5. ^ "Caracas Open". European Stars And Stripes. Washington, DC: Newspaper Archives. 2 February 1983. p. 24. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  6. ^ "SIROLA UPSETS ROSE". Waterloo Daily Courier. Waterloo, Iowa: Newspaper Archives. 17 December 1956. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Turner Stolle Defeated". Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia: Newspaper Archives. 3 April 1963. p. 49. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Location: Caracas - Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  9. ^ ATP Caracas
  10. ^ ATP Caracas
  11. ^ ATP Caracas
  12. ^ ATP Caracas
  13. ^ ATP Caracas
  14. ^ ATP Caracas
  15. ^ ATP Caracas
  16. ^ ATP Caracas
  17. ^ ATP Caracas
  18. ^ ATP Caracas
  19. ^ ATP Caracas
  20. ^ ATP Caracas
  21. ^ "Christine Wins Title: Christine Truman of Great Britain won the women's singles title in the international lawn tenns tournament at Altamira, Caracas, Venezuela vesterdav, beating Marla Bueno of Brazil, 6–2, 6–3". Weekly Dispatch (London). London, England: British Newspaper Archive. 8 March 1959. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Briefs: Tennis". Wichita Falls Times. Wichita Falls, Texas: Newspaper Archives. 16 March 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  23. ^ Robertson, Max (1974)
  24. ^ Altimira Tennis Club