South African Open tournament history

Explore South African Open champions and finals from 1891 to 1995. Open an edition for its draw and match results, or compare the title leaders below.

Arrows show an edition's recorded category and documented modern equivalent; unresolved editions keep their recorded category. Mapping details.

Recorded outcomes
90
First recorded
1891
Latest recorded
1995
Latest champion
Martin Sinner

Record Book

Career Leaders

Champion Records

Youngest & Oldest Champions

Age at the start of the tournament.

  1. Amos Mansdorf 21.1 years
    Youngest · 1986
  2. Ken Rosewall 36.4 years
    Oldest · 1971

Lowest-Ranked Champion

Entering singles ranking.

  1. 1 Markus Zoecke No. 131
    1994

Open Era main-draw singles records from 1968 onward. Ranking records begin where reliable entering rankings are available.

Tournament Outcomes by Season

SeasonWinnerScoreRunner-upH2HMatch DataCategorySurface
1995 Martin Sinner #67 6-1 6-4 Guillaume Raoux #113 H2H Match data ATP World Series → modern equivalent ATP 250 Hard
1994 Markus Zoecke #131 6-4 6-1 Hendrik Dreekmann #115 H2H Match data ATP World Series → modern equivalent ATP 250 Hard
1993 Aaron Krickstein #44 6-3 7-6(7) Grant Stafford #161 H2H Match data ATP World Series → modern equivalent ATP 250 Hard
1992 Aaron Krickstein #33 6-4 6-4 Alexander Volkov #20 H2H Match data ATP World Series → modern equivalent ATP 250 Hard
1989 Christo Van Rensburg 6-4 7-6 6-3 Paul Chamberlin #83 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1988 Jakob Hlasek #13 6-7 6-4 6-1 7-6 Christo Van Rensburg H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1987 Pat Cash #7 7-6 4-6 2-6 6-0 6-1 Brad Gilbert #13 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1986 Amos Mansdorf #72 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-5 Matt Anger #77 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1985 Matt Anger #100 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-2 Brad Gilbert #19 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1984 Eliot Teltscher #14 6-3 6-1 7-6 Vitas Gerulaitis #17 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1983 Johan Kriek #15 6-4 4-6 1-6 7-5 6-3 Colin Dowdeswell #77 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1982 Vitas Gerulaitis #5 7-6 6-2 4-6 7-6 Guillermo Vilas #4 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1981 Vitas Gerulaitis #14 6-4 7-6 6-1 Jeff Borowiak #99 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1980 Kim Warwick #36 6-2 6-1 6-2 Fritz Buehning #68 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1979 Andrew Pattison 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 Victor Pecci #11 — Match data ATP 250 Hard
1978 Tim Gullikson 2-6 7-6 7-6 6-7 6-4 Harold Solomon #9 — Match data ATP 250 Hard
1977 Guillermo Vilas 7-6 6-3 6-4 Buster C Mottram H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1976 Harold Solomon 6-2 6-7 6-3 6-4 Brian Gottfried H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1975 Harold Solomon 6-2 6-4 5-7 6-1 Brian Gottfried H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1974 Jimmy Connors 7-6 6-3 6-1 Arthur Ashe H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1973 Jimmy Connors #3 6-4 7-6 6-3 Arthur Ashe #10 H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1972 Cliff Richey 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-4 Manuel Orantes H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1971 Ken Rosewall 6-4 6-0 6-4 Fred Stolle H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1970 Rod Laver 4-6 6-2 6-1 6-2 Frew Mcmillan H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1969 Rod Laver 6-3 10-8 6-3 Tom Okker H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
1968 Tom Okker 12-10 6-1 6-4 Marty Riessen H2H Match data ATP 250 Hard
Pre-Open Era — historical archive, display only
1967 Manuel Santana 2–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 Jan Leschly — — — —
1966 Roy Emerson 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 Bob Hewitt — — — —
1965 Cliff Drysdale 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 1–6, 6–3 Juan Manuel Couder — — — —
1964 Abe Segal 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 Gordon Forbes — — — —
1963 Wilhelm Bungert 6–4, 6–4, 8–6 Gordon Forbes — — — —
1962 Bob Mark 6–1, 6–1, 2–6, 8–6 Gordon Forbes — — — —
1961 Gordon Forbes 8–6, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 Julie Mayer — — — —
1960 Butch Buchholz 6–1, 7–5, 6–3 Jack Frost — — — —
1959 Gordon Forbes 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 Ian Vermaak — — — —
1958 Ulf Schmidt 1–6, 12–10, 6–2, 6–8, 6–2 Torben Ulrich — — — —
1957 Eric Sturgess 9–7, 6–3, 6–1 Gaetan Koenig — — — —
1956 Ian Vermaak 6–2, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 Torsten Johansson — — — —
1955 Russell Seymour 1–6, 9–7, 6–1, 8–6 Gordon Forbes — — — —
1954 Eric Sturgess 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 8–6 Jaroslav Drobný — — — —
1953 Eric Sturgess 6–1, 6–3, 6–3 Russell Seymour — — — —
1952 Eric Sturgess 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 Sydney Levy — — — —
1951 Eric Sturgess 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 Sydney Levy — — — —
1950 Eric Sturgess 6–1, 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 Arthur Larsen — — — —
1949 Eric Sturgess 4–6, 6–4, 6–2, 7–5 Geoffrey Brown — — — —
1948 Eric Sturgess 6–3, 6–4, 6–8, 6–1 Tony Mottram — — — —
1947 Eustace Fannin 6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 0–6, 6–4 Eric Sturgess — — — —
1946 Eric Sturgess 6–0, 6–2, 6–3 Norman Farquharson — — — —
1945 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1944 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1943 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1942 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1941 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1940 Eric Sturgess 6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2 Robert H. M. Bertram — — — —
1939 Eric Sturgess 6–2, 9–7, 3–6, 6–8, 7–5 Eustace Fannin — — — —
1938 Norman Farquharson 4–6, 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–0 Vernon Kirby — — — —
1937 Josip Palada 6–2, 0–6, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 Vernon Kirby — — — —
1936 Norman Farquharson 6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2 Robert H. M. Bertram — — — —
1935 Norman Farquharson 6–0, 6–4, 6–1 Vernon Kirby — — — —
1934 Norman Farquharson 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 14–12 Roy Malcolm — — — —
1933 Colin Robbins 6–1, 1–6, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4 Vernon Kirby — — — —
1932 Robert H. M. Bertram 2–6, 9–7, 9–7, 6–1 Colin Robbins — — — —
1931 Louis Raymond 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 Robert H. M. Bertram — — — —
1930 Louis Raymond 6–2, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 Colin Robbins — — — —
1929 Colin Robbins 6–1, 6–0, 6–3 George Dodd — — — —
1928 J.C. Guy Eaglestone 6–4, 6–1, 6–4 George Dodd — — — —
1927 J.C. Guy Eaglestone 8–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 C.H. Robbs — — — —
1926 Jack Condon 6–0, 6–3, 6–2 Cecil Blackbeard — — — —
1925 Ivie Richardson 7–5, 7–5, 2–6, 4–6, 6–4 Charles Winslow — — — —
1924 Louis Raymond 6–4, 6–0, 3–6, 6–3 George Dodd — — — —
1923 Louis Raymond 6–3, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 Jack Condon — — — —
1922 Louis Raymond 6–3, 7–5, 6–2 George Dodd — — — —
1921 Louis Raymond 6–3, 6–0, 6–1 Marchant Davies — — — —
1920 Brian Norton 1–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 Louis Raymond — — — —
1919 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1918 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1917 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1916 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1915 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1914 Charles Winslow 4–6, 7–9, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 George Dodd — — — —
1913 Harold Kitson 6–1, 6–4, 6–3 Harold I. Aitken — — — —
1912 George Dodd 6–1, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–0 R.F. Le Sueur — — — —
1911 Harold Kitson 6–4, 6–3, 6–2 Father Kelly — — — —
1910 Anthony Wilding 6–0, 6–3, 6–4 Harold Kitson — — — —
1909 Reginald Doherty 6–3, 6–1, 6–1 Lionel Escombe — — — —
1908 Harold Kitson 6–2, 5–7, 6–2, 7–9, 6–2 Victor Gauntlett — — — —
1907 A.J. Rowan 7–5, 5–7, 1–6, 6–4, 6–3 Cecil E. Howard Tripp — — — —
1906 John R. Richardson 6–4, 7–5, 6–2 Cecil E. Howard Tripp — — — —
1905 Harold Kitson 6–1, 2–6, 6–3, 8–6 A.J. Rowan — — — —
1904 Percy Sherwell 6–3, 6–2, 6–1 R.W.G. Clarke — — — —
1903 R.W.G. Clarke 6–4, 6–0, 6–3 H.M Steele — — — —
1902 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1901 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1900 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1899 Leonard G. Heard 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 Lennox L. Giddy — — — —
1898 Lennox L. Giddy — George C. Collins — — — —
1897 Lennox L. Giddy 8–10, 12–10, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 William C. Stevens — — — —
1896 Lennox L. Giddy — H.R. Eaton — — — —
1895 Lennox L. Giddy 6–4, 6–3, 6–2 Stanley Bayly — — — —
1894 Lennox L. Giddy 6–1, 6–3, 6–0 Walter T. Edmonds — — — —
1893 Walter T. Edmonds 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 Lionel Richardson — — — —
1892 Lionel Richardson — R. Davis — — — —
1891 Lionel Richardson 6–2, 10–8, 6–2 Lyndhurst Winslow — — — —

Pre-Open Era winners are included for tournament history only. They are excluded from TennisDB match and player statistics, title totals, and leaderboards. The archive follows the national South African Championships/Open lineage through 1995. It does not include the unrelated 2009–2011 SA Tennis Open; wartime non-editions are explicit. Sources: ATP South African Open archive, National Museum South African lawn tennis history, South African Open finals tables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is South African Open held?
South African Open is held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Who is the latest recorded South African Open winner?
The 1995 South African Open was won by Martin Sinner, who defeated Guillaume Raoux 6-1 6-4.
Who has won the most South African Open titles?
Aaron Krickstein, Harold Solomon, and others are tied for the most South African Open titles in the Open Era (since 1968), with 2 each.
When was the first South African Open played?
The first edition of South African Open was held in 1891.
What surface is South African Open played on?
South African Open is played on hard courts.