The Tropical Championships also called the Tropical Sectional Championships was a men's open tennis tournament founded in 1887 as the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club Tournament. It was staged annually by the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States until 1894.
History In March 1887 the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Tournament was inaugurated at the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States, The first was held at the Villa Zorayda owned by a local business magnet Mr. Franklin W. Smith and was played on indoor wood courts. The first men's champion was Thomas Sterling Beckwith.Whittersley, Joseph T. (1895). In 1888 its name was changed to the Tropical Championships.University of South Florida In 1889 the tournament was moved to the Alcazar Hotel and Casino in St. Augustine where the tournament was then played on outdoor hard asphalt courts and remained there for its duration.
The championships were part of the USNLTA Circuit from 1887 until 1894. The tournament was mainly won by American players except for 1892 when the English tennis player Charles Walder Grinstead won the event. In 1894 the championships were discontinued the final singles champion was Oliver Campbell.University of South Florida
Finals
Men's Singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore1887 T. Sterling Beckwith Albert Empie Wright2–1 sets.1888 Henry Graff Trevor T. Sterling Beckwith3–2 sets.1889 Oliver Samuel Campbell Henry Graff Trevor6–2, 6–3, 6–4.1890 Oliver Samuel Campbell (2) T. Sterling Beckwith6-4 5-7 6-2 6-41891 Oliver Samuel Campbell (3) Albert Empie Wright10–8, 6–1, 7–5.1892 Charles Walder Grinstead Oliver Samuel Campbellw.o.1893Not held 1894 Oliver Samuel Campbell (4) Charles Walder Grinsteadw.o.
Men's Doubles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScore1892 Albert Empie Wright J.W. Nichols?default.
References