South African Open tournament history

Explore South African Open champions and finals from 1891 to 1984. 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
78
First recorded
1891
Latest recorded
1984
Latest champion
Chris Evert

Record Book

Career Leaders

Champion Records

Youngest & Oldest Champions

Age at the start of the tournament.

  1. Kathy Horvath 16.3 years
    Youngest · 1981
  2. Annette Van Zyl 32.2 years
    Oldest · 1975

Lowest-Ranked Champion

Entering singles ranking.

  1. 1 Chris Evert No. 2
    1984

Most Consecutive Titles

Titles in consecutive held editions.

  1. 1 Margaret Court 2 consecutive titles
    1970–1971

Longest Title Span

Years between a player's first and last title.

  1. 1 Chris Evert 11 years
    1973–1984

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
1984 Chris Evert #2 6-3 6-0 Andrea Jaeger #8 H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1981 Kathy Horvath 7-6(4) 6-4 Kathy Rinaldi Stunkel H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1980 Lesley Charles 7-5 6-4 Rene Uys H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1979 Brigette Cuypers 7-6 6-2 Tanya Harford H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1977 Linky Boshoff 6-4 6-1 Brigette Cuypers H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1976 Brigette Cuypers 6-7(7) 6-4 6-1 Laura Dupont H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1975 Annette Van Zyl 6-2 3-6 6-4 Brigette Cuypers H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1974 Kerry Reid 6-3 7-5 Dianne Fromholtz H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1973 Chris Evert 6-3 6-3 Evonne Goolagong H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1972 Evonne Goolagong 4-6 6-3 6-0 Virginia Wade H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1971 Margaret Court 6-3 6-1 Evonne Goolagong H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1970 Margaret Court 6-4 1-6 6-3 Billie Jean King H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1969 Billie Jean King 6-3 6-4 Nancy Richey H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
1968 Margaret Court 6-4 6-4 Virginia Wade H2H Match data WTA 250 Hard
Pre-Open Era — historical archive, display only
1967 Billie Jean King 7–5, 5–7, 6–2 Maria Bueno — — — —
1966 Billie Jean King 6–3, 6–2 Margaret Court — — — —
1965 Christine Truman 6–2, 6–3 Annette Van Zyl — — — —
1964 Darlene Hard 6–3, 7–5 Ann Haydon-Jones — — — —
1963 Annette Van Zyl 6–4, 2–6, 6–3 Margaret Hunt — — — —
1962 Heather Brewer-Segal 6–1, 7–5 Jean Forbes — — — —
1961 Sandra Reynolds 6–4, 7–5 Lynette Hutchings — — — —
1960 Bernice Vukovich 6–1, 2–6, 12–10 Sandra Reynolds — — — —
1959 Sandra Reynolds 6–0, 8–6 Bernice Vukovich (Carr) — — — —
1958 Bernice Carr 3–6, 7–5, 6–4 Heather Brewer-Segal — — — —
1957 Heather Brewer 8–10, 6–2, 6–3 Gwendy Love — — — —
1956 Dora Kilian 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 Gwendy Love — — — —
1955 Hazel Redick-Smith 6–4, 6–3 Lucille van der Westhuizen — — — —
1954 Hazel Redick-Smith 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 Gwendy Love — — — —
1953 Hazel Redick-Smith 6–2, 6–2 Julia Wipplinger — — — —
1952 Doris Hart 6–1, 7–5 Julia Wipplinger — — — —
1951 Sheila Summers 8–6, 2–6, 7–5 Hazel Redick-Smith — — — —
1950 Shirley Fry 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 Doris Hart — — — —
1949 Sheila Summers 6–1, 6–1 Thelma Long — — — —
1948 Sheila Summers 6–1, 6–4 Kay Menzies — — — —
1947 Mary D. Muller 6–2, 6–8, 6–2 Sheila Piercey Summers — — — —
1946 Mary D. Muller 6–4, 6–4 Mrs O. Plessis — — — —
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 Olive Craze 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 Sheila Piercey — — — —
1939 Olive Craze 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 Sheila Piercey — — — —
1938 Billie Tapscott Robbins 6–4, 6–4 Olive Craze — — — —
1937 Bobbie Heine Miller 6–4, 4–6, 6–0 Alida Neave — — — —
1936 Bobbie Heine Miller 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 Mrs V. Everett — — — —
1935 Mrs A. Allister 6–4, 6–3 Billie Tapscott Robbins — — — —
1934 Billie Tapscott Robbins 6–0, 6–3 Mrs W.N. Lowe — — — —
1933 Billie Tapscott Robbins 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 Mrs W.N. Lowe — — — —
1932 Bobbie Heine Miller 6–0, 6–3 Mrs W.N. Lowe (Miller) — — — —
1931 Bobbie Heine 6–3, 6–3 Miss W.N. Miller — — — —
1930 Billie Tapscott 7–5, 6–2 Mrs V. Everett — — — —
1929 Mrs M. McJannett 7–5, 6–2 Miss W.N. Miller — — — —
1928 Bobbie Heine 8–6, 6–3 Billie Tapscott — — — —
1927 Mrs M. McJannett 12–10, 6–4 Mrs V. Everett — — — —
1926 Irene Peacock 6–2, 6–1 Miss A. de Smit — — — —
1925 Irene Peacock 5–7, 6–1, 6–1 Mrs L. McArthur — — — —
1924 Irene Peacock 7–5, 6–4 Mrs L. McArthur — — — —
1923 Mrs C.K. Pitt 6–4, 6–3 Mrs D.R.Moor — — — —
1922 Mrs M. McJannett 6–2, 6–2 Miss J. Parker — — — —
1921 Miss N. Edwards 6–1, 6–2 Mrs W.F. du Plessis — — — —
1920 Olive Winslow (Mathias) 6–3, 7–5 Miss Phillips — — — —
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 Olive Mathias 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 Mrs H.A. Kirby — — — —
1913 Miss M. Coles 6–3, 9–7 Miss M. Kelly — — — —
1912 Mrs H.A. Kirby 6–2, 6–0 Olive Mathias — — — —
1911 Mrs G. Washington 6–0, 6–1 Miss M. Kelly — — — —
1910 Mrs H.A. Kirby 6–1, 6–2 Mrs J Reid — — — —
1909 Mrs G. Washington 6–2, 7–9, 6–4 Miss Edwards — — — —
1908 Miss M. Kelly 6–2, 6–1 Mrs Gillmore — — — —
1907 Mrs H.A. Kirby 6–1, 4–6, 6–2 Mrs R.H.Miller — — — —
1906 Mrs H.A. Kirby 7–5, 6–2 Mrs Greatwood — — — —
1905 Mrs H.A. Kirby 6–2, 6–0 Mrs S.B.Syfret — — — —
1904 Mrs H.A. Kirby 6–4, 5–7, 6–4 Mrs M. Nevill (Grant) — — — —
1903 Miss F. Kuys 6–0, 6–2 Mrs Mackay — — — —
1902 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1901 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1900 Singles event not held — — — — — —
1899 Miss N. Hickman 6–8, 6–2, 6–3 Mrs H. Green — — — —
1898 Miss N. Hickman — Miss L. Biddulph — — — —
1897 Miss N. Hickman 7–9, 12–10, 6–2 Mrs H. Green — — — —
1896 Mrs H. Green — Miss L. Biddulph — — — —
1895 Miss L. Biddulph 6–1, 6–4 Miss Fry — — — —
1894 Mabel Grant 6–1, 6–0 Miss B. Grant — — — —
1893 Mabel Grant 6–1, 6–0 Mrs MacLagan — — — —
1892 Mabel Grant — Mrs MacLagan — — — —
1891 Mabel Grant 6–2, 6–0 Miss Blackburn — — — —

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 women's national South African Championships/Open lineage, with the Boer War and world-war non-editions shown explicitly. Sources: 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 1984 South African Open was won by Chris Evert, who defeated Andrea Jaeger 6-3 6-0.
Who has won the most South African Open titles?
Margaret Court has won 3 South African Open titles, the most by any player in the Open Era (since 1968).
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.