Lee-on-Solent Open

The Lee-on-Solent Open was a clay court then later hard court tennis event founded in 1921.^[1] It was held at the Lee-on-Solent Lawn Tennis and Squash Club (f.1911),^[2] Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England through until 2000 when it was abolished.

Lee-on-Solent Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Event name	Lee-on-Solent Open (1921-70) Mercedes Benz Lee-on-Solent Open (1971-1973) Lee-on-Solent Open (1974–82) ATP Challenger Lee-on-Solent (1982–84, 98, 2000) (men) ITF Lee-on-Solent Tournament (1982–97) (women)
Tour	ILTF World Circuit ILTF Independent Circuit ATP Challenger Tour
Founded	1921; 104 years ago (1921)
Abolished	1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Location	Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England
Venue	Lee-on-Solent Lawn Tennis and Squash Club
Surface	Clay (1921-84) Hard (1997-2000)

History

The Lee-on-Solent Open tournament was first inaugurated in 1921 and was played continually through to 1938.^[3] In 1939 the tournament was cancelled.^[4] Following World War II the tournament resumed in 1946. In 1971 the tournament secured sponsorship from the German car maker Mercedes-Benz and for the next three years was known as the Mercedes Benz Lee-on-Solent Open until 1974.

In 1982 the tournament ceased to be part of the senior worldwide tour,^[5] and both the men's and women's events were downgraded. The men's event became part of ATP Challenger Tour known as the Lee-On-Solent Challenger (1982–1984, 1998, 2000).^[6] The women's tournament became part of the ITF Circuit known as the ITF Lee-On-Solent Tournament (1982–1997).^[7]

From 1921 through until 1984 the surface was always clay courts. From 1997 until 2000 it switched to hard courts.

Event names

• Lee-on-Solent Open (1921–70)
• Mercedes Benz Lee-on-Solent Open (1971–1973)
• Lee-on-Solent Open (1974–81)
• ATP Lee-on-Solent Challenger (1982–1984, 1998, 2000) (men)
• ITF Lee-on-Solent Tournament (1982–1997) (women)