The South of England Championships, also known as the South of England Open Championships, was an outdoor tennis event held on grass courts at the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club in Eastbourne, United Kingdom from 1881 until 1973.

The competition at Eastbourne, even from its early beginnings, was considered one of the most prestigious tournaments that attracted large entries and matches even in those days and it was the world's largest tournament in terms of participants at the turn of the twentieth century.

The first tournament to be staged at Devonshire Park was a women's event in 1881, known as the South of England Championships, and usually held every September. Winners of the lady's singles championships included Dorothea Chambers, Blanche Bingley Hillyard, and Charlotte Cooper Sterry, May Langrishe. The first overseas non British Isles winner was the American Elizabeth Ryan in collecting 3 consecutive titles (1919–21); after World War One she was followed by the South African Irene Peacock in 1923 and Anita Lizana from Chile in 1936.

Following World War Two tennis British winners included Ann Haydon and Shirley Bloomer the Brazilian player Maria Bueno the Australian player Fay Toyne was the last foreign ladies champion before the advent of the open era in 1968 the South of England Championships changed schedule to July until 1969 after the Championships at Wimbledon in 1970 its schedule changed again so that it was held before Wimbledon the South of England Championships continued until 1967.

From 1968 until today the tournament has attracted many different sponsors.

In 1968 it was known as the Rothman's Invitational for sponsorship reasons from 1969 to 1972 it was called the Eastbourne Invitational, the event ceased in 1972.

The first Men’s events started in 1881 also called the South of England Championships early winners of the men's championship included Wilfred Baddeley, Sydney Howard Smith, Josiah Ritchie, Anthony Wilding, Otto Froitzheim and Ken Rosewall it continued until 1967 before being renamed for sponsorship reasons in 1968 from 1970 to 1973 the men's tournament was known as the Rothmans South of England Open Championships. The men's event also ceased in 1973.

In 1974 the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis club decided on a completely new format tennis tournament and re-branding of tennis at Eastbourne from the outcome of staging the South of England Championships that became known as the Eastbourne International the tournament is still active today.

Notes: Challenge round: The final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921) in some tournaments not all.

Blanche Bingley Hillyard holds the record for the most women's singles titles with 11.

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score	Name
1881	Agnes Noon Watts	E. Hudson	(2-1 sets)	South of England Championships
1882	E. Hudson	Minnie Congreve	6–2, 6–4
1883	M. Leslie	Minnie Congreve	10–8, 6–4
1884	Frances Burton	Nellie Burton	6–2, 6–4
1885	Blanche Bingley	Ada Strapp	6–1, 6–0
1886	Margaret Bracewell	Blanche Bingley	6–1, 6–3
1887	Margaret Bracewell (2)	Blanche Bingley	6–4, 6–2
1888	Blanche Bingley (2)	Margaret Bracewell	6–1, 6–1
1889	May Langrishe	May Jacks	6–2, 5–7, 6–1
1890	May Langrishe (2)	Edith Coleridge Cole	6–2, 6–3
1891	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (3)	May Langrishe	2–6, 7–5, 6–0
1892	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (4)	Bertha Steedman	6–1, 6–4
1893	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (5)	Maud Shackle	6–1, 4–6, 15–13
1894	Helen Jackson	Charlotte Cooper	6–4, 6–2
1895	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (6)	Helen Jackson	6–4, 6–1
1896	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (7)	Edith Austin	6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1897	Charlotte Cooper	Blanche Bingley Hillyard	6–4, 6–0
1898	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (8)	Charlotte Cooper	7–5, 7–5
1899	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (9)	Charlotte Cooper	6–2, 6–2
1900	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (10)	Charlotte Cooper	7–9, 6–3, 6–3
1901	Charlotte Cooper (2)	Blanche Bingley Hillyard	7–5, 5–7, 6–2
1902	Dorothea Douglass	Edith Austin Greville	6–2, 6–2
1903	Connie Wilson	Dorothea Douglass	7–5, 6–2
1904	Dorothea Douglass (2)	Charlotte Cooper Sterry	6–3, 6–4
1905	Blanche Bingley Hillyard (11)	Agnes Morton	7–5, 4–6, 6–3
1906	Dorothea Douglass (3)	Agnes Morton	3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1907	Dorothea Douglass Chambers (4)	Charlotte Cooper Sterry	4–6, 6–3, 7–5
1908	Charlotte Cooper Sterry (3)	Edith Boucher	6–4, 6–2
1909	Dora Boothby	Charlotte Cooper Sterry	6–3, 6–4
1910	Dorothea Douglass Chambers (5)	Ethel Thomson Larcombe	7–5, 7–5
1911	Ethel Thomson Larcombe	Dora Boothby	7–5, 6–3
1912	Ethel Thomson Larcombe (2)	Agnes Morton	6–1, 6–2
1913	Ethel Thomson Larcombe (3)	Dorothea Douglass Chambers	6–2, 6–4
1914–1918	Not held (due to world war one)
1919	Elizabeth Ryan	Phyllis Satterthwaite	6–1, 6–2
1920	Elizabeth Ryan (2)	Geraldine Beamish	6–2, 4–6, 6–1
1921	Elizabeth Ryan (3)	Irene Bowder Peacock	6–0, 6–3
1922	Irene Bowder Peacock	Kathleen McKane	6–0, 3–6, 7–5
1923	Phoebe Holcroft	Christine Tyrrell	6–3, 6–3
1924	Ermyntrude Harvey	Phoebe Holcroft	6–0, 6–8, 6–4
1925	Phoebe Holcroft Watson (2)	Christine Tyrrell	2–6, 7–5, 6–3
1926	Phoebe Holcroft Watson (3)	Ermyntrude Harvey	6–4, 6–8, 6–2
1927	Phoebe Holcroft Watson (4)	Phyllis Howkins Covell	6–2, 6–2
1928	Phoebe Holcroft Watson (5)	Phyllis Howkins Covell	6–1, 6–2
1929	Elsie Goldsack	Jenny Sandison	8–6, 2–6, 6–3
1930	Phyllis Mudford	Mary Heeley	6–2, 7–5
1931	Freda James	Gwen Sterry	divided the title
1932	Mary Heeley	Florence Ford	8–6, 6–2
1933	Phyllis Mudford King (2)	Ermyntrude Harvey	6–3, 6–1
1934	Dorothy Round	Phyllis Mudford King	6–4, 6–1
1935	Billie Yorke	Susan Noel	3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1936	Anita Lizana	Dorothy Round	6–4, 6–2
1937	Margaret Scriven	Jean Saunders	6–1, 6–0
1938	Phyllis Mudford King (3)	Valerie Scott	5–7, 6–4, 6–4
1939–1945	Not held (due to world war two)
1946	Joan Curry	Betty Clements Hilton	divided the title (rain interruption)
1947	Joan Curry (2)	Peggy Dawson-Scott	6–1, 9–7
1948	Jean Walker-Smith	Gem Hoahing	7–5, 6–4
1949	Gem Hoahing	Mary Terán de Weiss	6–4, 6–2
1950	Jean Walker-Smith (2)	Jean Quertier	6–2, 6–2
1951	Jean Walker-Smith (3)	Angela Mortimer	6–2, 6–2
1952	Jean Walker-Smith (4)	Jean Quertier Rinkel	6–3, 6–4
1953	Shirley Bloomer	Patricia Harrison	7–5, 6–4
1954	Shirley Bloomer (2)	Patricia Harrison	6–8, 7–5, 6–0
1955	Anne Shilcock	Jenny Middleton	6–4, 6–2
1956	Anne Shilcock (2)	Penny Burrell	6–1, 6–2
1957	Ann Haydon	Angela Mortimer	6–3, 6–4
1958	Anne Shilcock (3)	Sheila Waters	6–0, 6–0
1959	Sheila Armstrong	Jenny Young	6–0, 6–2
1960	Rita Bentley	Lorna Cornell Cawthorn	6–4, 6–2
1961	Lorna Cornell Cawthorn	Inge Overgaard	3–6, 6–1, 11–9
1962	Carole Rosser	Lorna Cornell Cawthorn	10–8, 6–2
1963	Vivienne Dennis	Heather Allen	6–3, 2–6, 7–5
1964	Fay Toyne	Lorna Cornell Cawthorn	6–0, 5–7, 6–3
1965	Rita Bentley (2)	Jill Blackman	divided the title (due to bad weather)
1966	Susan Tutt	Anthea Rigby	4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1967	Lorna Cornell Greville-Collins (2)	Margaret Harris	6–8, 7–5, 6–1
↓  Open era  ↓
1968	Maria Bueno	Judy Tegart	6–2, 6–4	Rothmans Invitational
1969	Karen Krantzcke	Betty Ann Grubb	6–0, 9–7	Eastbourne Invitational
1970	Ann Haydon Jones (2)	Virginia Wade	8–6, 6–1
1971	Françoise Durr	Judy Tegart-Dalton	divided the title
1972	Françoise Durr (2)	Judy Tegart-Dalton	8–6, 6–3
1973	Tournament succeeded by Eastbourne International

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score	Name
1881	Edgar Lubbock	Robert Braddell	6–4, 6–2, 6–0	South of England Championships
1882	William Taylor	Teddy Williams	8–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1883	Teddy Williams	Charles Walder Grinstead	6–1, 8–6, 4–6, 7–5
1884	Teddy Williams (2)	William Taylor	?
1885	Ernest Lewis	William Taylor	4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–3
1886	Ernest Lewis (2)	Herbert Wilberforce *	6–3, 6–4, 6–0
1887	Ernest Lewis (3)	Herbert Wilberforce *	8–6, 7–5, 6–4
1888	Andrew Ziffo	Harry S. Barlow *	4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–3
1889	Andrew Ziffo (2)	Harry Grove *	4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 9–7, 6–4
1890	Andrew Ziffo (3)	James Baldwin *	7–9, 6–1, 6–2, 7–5
1891	Harry S. Barlow	Andrew Ziffo *	6–3, 7–5, 6–0
1892	Harry S. Barlow (2)	Wilberforce Eaves *	7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1893	Wilfred Baddeley	Harry S. Barlow *	7–5, 6–0, 6–1
1894	Wilfred Baddeley (2)	Harry S. Barlow *	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
1895	Wilfred Baddeley (3)	George Hillyard *	6–3, 7–9, 7–5, ret.
1896	Wilfred Baddeley (4)	Herbert Baddeley *	walkover
1897	Joshua Pim	Lawrence Doherty *	3–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–3
1898	Sydney Howard Smith	Lawrence Doherty *	6–3, 2–6, 8–6, 7–5
1899	Sydney Howard Smith (2)	Harold Mahony *	6–0, 6–3, 6–4
1900	Lawrence Doherty	Sydney Howard Smith (2) *	6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–1
1901	Sydney Howard Smith (3)	Lawrence Doherty *	6–3, 7–9, 4–6, 6–4, 1–0, ret.
1902	Sydney Howard Smith (4)	Clement Cazalet *	6–1, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4
1903	Major Ritchie	Sydney Howard Smith *	?
1904	Sydney Howard Smith (5)	Major Ritchie *	6–0, 6–4, 6–2
1905	Norman Brookes	Sydney Howard Smith *	8–6, 6–4, 6–2
1906	Anthony Wilding	Roderick McNair *	6–2, 6–3, 6–2
1907	George Hillyard	Walter Crawley *	?
1908	Anthony Wilding (2)	George Hillyard *	walkover
1909	Otto Froitzheim	Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe	6–3, 6–8, 6–4, 7–5
1910	Gordon Lowe	Arthur Lowe	walkover
1911	Algernon Kingscote	Stanley Doust	6–8, 4–6, 8–6, 6–0, 6–3
1912	Arthur Lowe	Stanley Doust	6–4, 7–9, 6–0, 6–4
1913	James Cecil Parke	Arthur Lowe	6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
1914–1918	Not held (due to world war one)
1919	Theodore Mavrogordato	Nicolae Mișu	6–3, 6–2, 6–4
1920	George Dodd	Alfred Beamish	6–4, 6–1, 6–2
1921	Brian Norton	Mohammed Sleem	0–6, 6–4, 5–7, 6–2, 6–3
1922	Brian Norton (2)	Gordon Lowe	6–2, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
1923	Cotah Ramaswami	Gordon Lowe	6–1, 8–6, 10–8
1924	Mohammed Sleem	Gordon Lowe	6–2, 6–1, 6–1
1925	Charles Kingsley	Gordon Lowe	4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1926	Charles Kingsley (2)	Bunny Austin	walkover
1927	Bunny Austin	William Powell	6–4, 6–4
1928	Yoshiro Ota	Charles Kingsley	3–6, 6–1, 6–0
1929	Eskel Andrews	Keats Lester	6–4, 3–6, 6–4
1930	Ryuki Miki	Charles Kingsley	7–5, 6–3
1931	Jiro Sato	Vernon Kirby	6–4, 6–3
1932	George Lyttleton-Rogers	Atri Madan Mohan	6–8, 6–3, 6–4
1933	Vernon Kirby	George Lyttleton-Rogers	8–6, 6–2
1934	Nigel Sharpe	Eskel Andrews	6–3, 6–3
1935	Robert Tinkler	Clarence Medlycott Jones	8–6, 10–8
1936	Pat Hughes	Charles Hare	2–6, 9–7, 6–1
1937	Donald Butler	Henry Billington	6–3, 6–3
1938	Donald Butler (2)	Clarence Medlycott Jones	6–4, 6–1
1939–1945	Not held (due to world war two)
1946	Donald Butler (3)	Choy Wai-Chuen	6–3, 6–4
1947	Ignacy Tłoczyński	Jeff Robson	6–2, 6–3
1948	Czesław Spychała	Ignacy Tłoczyński	5–7, 6–4, 8–6
1949	Heraldo Weiss	Donald Butler	6–3, 6–2
1950	Ivo Rinkel	Geoffrey Paish	5–7, 7–5, 6–4
1951	Geoffrey Paish	Tony Mottram	6–4, 4–6, 6–1
1952	Geoffrey Paish (2)	Anthony Starte	4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1953	Geoffrey Paish (3)	Robert Lee	7–5, 6–0
1954	Geoffrey Paish (4)	Bobby Wilson	6–2, 2–6, 7–5
1955	Geoffrey Paish (5)	Mike Davies	6–4, 6–4
1956	Roger Becker	Gerald Oakley	6–3, 6–1
1957	Reginald Bennett	Geoffrey Owen	6–3, 6–2
1958	Roger Becker (2)	Reginald Bennett	6–3, 4–6, 6–1
1959	Alan Mills	Mike Hann	8–6, 4–6, 6–3
1960	Mark Otway	John R. McDonald	6–4, 6–4
1961	Mark Otway (2)	Roger Becker	6–1, 4–6, 6–2
1962	Roger Becker (3)	Mark Cox	4–6, 6–2, 6–4
1963	Mark Cox	Warren Jacques	1–6, 7–5, 6–2
1964	Geoff Bluett	Clay Iles	6–3, 6–3
1965	Tournament not completed (rain)
1966	Bob Maud	Brian Fairlie	6–4, 6–2
1967	Frew McMillan	Mark Cox	6–3, 6–4
↓  Open era  ↓
1968	Mark Cox (2)	Owen Davidson	6–4, 6–4	Rothmans Invitational
1969	Christian Kuhnke	Manuel Orantes	6–4, 2–6, 9–7	Eastbourne Invitational
1970	Ken Rosewall	Bob Hewitt	6–2, 6–1	Rothmans South of England Open Championship
1971	Tournament not played (rain)
1972	Andrés Gimeno	Pierre Barthès	7–5, 6–3
1973	Mark Cox (3)	Patrice Dominguez	6–2, 2–6, 6–3
1974	Tournament ended

Country	Winner	First title	Last title
Great Britain (GBR)	70	1881	1970
United States (USA)	3	1919	1921
Australia (AUS)	2	1964	1969
South Africa (RSA)	1	1922	1922
Chile (CHI)	1	1936	1936
Brazil (BRA)	1	1968	1968
France (FRA)	2	1971	1972

Country	Winner	First title	Last title
Great Britain (GBR)	49	1881	1973
South Africa (RSA)	6	1920	1967
New Zealand (NZ)	4	1905	1929
Ireland (IRE)	3	1897	1932
Japan (JPN)	3	1928	1931
Spain (ESP)	3	1972	2014
Germany (GER)	2	1909	1969
India (IND)	2	1923	1924
Poland (POL)	2	1947	1948
Argentina (ARG)	1	1949	1949
Netherlands (NED)	1	1950	1950

• Tennisbase.com – South of England Championships men's singles roll of honour

50°45′51″N 0°17′0″E / 50.76417°N 0.28333°E / 50.76417; 0.28333