World Hard Court Championships, frequently considered as the precursor to the French Open was held from 1912 till 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The venue, same as the French Championships, was the clay courts of the Stade Francais in Saint-Cloud, with one exception, namely 1922, when they were held at the Royal Leopold Club in Brussels, Belgium. This tournament was open to all international amateur tennis players.

The WHCC was not played in 1924, when Paris hosted the Olympic Games, with the tennis event being held in the Colombes district on the outskirts of the city.

Starting in 1925, French Championships opened itself to international competitors with the event held on a grass surface alternately between the Racing Club de France and the Stade Francais.^[1]. The French Championship was open only to tennis players who were licensed in France through 1924.

[edit] Champions

[edit] Men's Singles

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score	Name	Surface
1912	Otto Froitzheim	Oskar Kreuzer	6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5	Stade Francais, Paris	Clay
1913	Anthony Wilding	Andre Gobert	6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4	Stade Francais	Clay
1914	Anthony Wilding	Count Salm	6-0, 6-2, 6-4	Stade Francais	Clay
1915	not held - World War I
1916	not held - World War I
1917	not held - World War I
1918	not held - World War I
1919	not held - World War I
1920	William Laurentz	Andre Gobert	9-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2	Stade Francais	Clay
1921	Bill Tilden	Jean Washer	6-3, 6-3, 6-3	Stade Francais	Clay
1922	Henri Cochet	Count de Gomar	6-0, 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2	Royal Leopold Club in Brussels, Belgium.	Clay
1923	Bill Johnston	Jean Washer	4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3	Stade Francais	Clay
1924	not held - Olympics

1. ^ "Roland Garros: a venue open all year long. Past Winners and Draws". ftt.fr. http://www.fft.fr/rolandgarros/default_en.asp?id=1575. Retrieved 2007-08-07. 

[edit] External links

• Detailed history of World Hard Court Championships