Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club (CULTC), is one of the oldest lawn tennis clubs in the world, founded in 1881, seven years before the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Although it is called a ‘Club’ it is actually the Lawn Tennis Association of the University of Cambridge, representing all the Colleges and the other institutions which are part of the University. The Club primarily, but not exclusively, caters for serious undergraduate tennis players who will represent the University in the Men’s and Women’s teams.
The Cambridge University LTC Tournament was originally founded in the 19th century, and first staged in May 1881, at the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club (f.1881), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. This tournament was an open event for students of the University, but closed to other outside players. The first winner of the mens singles was Britain's Barclay Fowell Buxton. The men's event was known as the Doherty Cup from 1920 onward. The 1924 edition was won by Donald Ross Ruttnam who defeated the American player Jimmy Van Alen. In 2021 Michal Kaminski of Poland defeated Krishna Amin of India.
The Club is directly affiliated to the LTA and has a representative on the Council and on the Board of the Association. Honorary President and previous Chairman of the Club, Sir Geoffrey Cass, was President and Chairman of the Council of the LTA from 1997 to 1999, and currently is President of the British Tennis Foundation. CULTC helps support British tennis through making its courts available as a venue for hosting County Week.
Up to the Second World War, after which lawn tennis became less of an amateur pursuit, Cambridge Blues won no less than 28 Wimbledon Championships in singles and doubles. H. W. W. Wilberforce was President, and then the first Chairman, of the All England Club. Cambridge Blues have included such famous names as H. L. Doherty and R. F. Doherty, Anthony Wilding, C. R. D. Tuckey, H. W. (‘Bunny’) Austin who, with Tuckey, helped Fred Perry to win the Davis Cup for Great Britain in four successive years from 1933 to 1936. More recently, Mark Cox was in the British team which reached the final of the Davis Cup against the USA in 1978.
Amateur
England
England
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