Lexus Open Nottingham: a timeline of British champions to prevail on home soil

Over the years top British names have won the title, including Greg Rusedski who earned his maiden Nottingham title in 1997, Elena Baltacha, Johanna Konta, Katie Boulter, Dan Evans, Andy Murray, and Jacob Fearnley, who have all lifted singles silverware in the East Midlands.

With an illustrious history that dates back as early as the 19^th century, and the grass court season fast approaching, we take a look back at some of the British tennis stars who made their mark in one of the country’s longest-standing tennis tournaments.

In 1997, British star Rusedski claimed his sixth career title as he overcame Slovakia’s Karol Kucera 6-4, 7-5 in the Nottingham Open final.

Six years later, Rusedski returned to the Nottingham Tennis Centre to defeat the then Cincinnati Open champion, Mardy Fish, to lay his hands on the men’s singles title for the second time in his career.  

It would be this victory that would instate the former world No.4 as the first Brit to lift, not one, but two trophies at the Nottingham Open, and the first player to do it since American legend Sam Smith (1970 and 1974).

That was until the late Baltacha won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011, before succeeding again two years later to complete her hat-trick.

The British star is one of only three women’s players to do so alongside Billie Jean King and former world No.1 Ashleigh Barty to win multiple titles.

In 2018, Evans came in touching distance of becoming the third Briton to seize a title in Nottingham, but the former world No.21 narrowly missed out to Australia’s front-runner, Alex de Minaur, losing 7-6(4), 7-5.

These misfortunes didn’t seem to weigh too heavily on his shoulders, however, as in subsequent years he would become a two-time Nottingham Open champion, catapulting him through the rankings and placing him among the tournament’s most decorated British champions with victories in 2019 and 2022.

Evans’ straight sets final victory over Jordan Thompson made him the first player since 1999 to have won three ATP Challenger titles on grass.

Former British No.1 Konta’s final career title came in 2021, in her third final appearance at the Nottingham Open. Konta defeated Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-1 to become the first British woman to win a WTA singles title on home soil since Sue Barker won in Brighton back in 1981.

This seemingly spurred on an all-British winning streak, with the tournament crowning an impressive four singles champions in three consecutive years, including two WTA 250 and two ATP Challenger wins. 

In 2023, Boulter and Murray helped make Nottingham history in delivering an historic British double by winning the women’s and men’s titles respectively.

In fact, Boulter and Jodie Burrage’s final showdown was the first all-British WTA final since 1997. 

Former British No.1 Boulter was part of another pair of British titles the following year, alongside Fearnley.

Boulter came from behind to defeat former world No.1 and Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova in the final 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

For Fearnley, it was a breakthrough week playing in his first ATP Challenger Tour event coming out of college. On finals day, he had to defeat Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in the semi-final before coming from a set down to beat fellow Brit Charles Broom in the men’s singles final.

Not only have the Brits recently dominated in the singles, but over the years doubles pairs have also had success aplenty.

Dating back as far as 1996, Mark Petchey and Danny Sapsford were the first recorded British combination to clinch the coveted trophy before doubles specialists Jamie Murray, Dom Inglot, Joe Salisbury, Jonny O’Mara and the Skupski brothers were crowned over the course of the next 28 years.

Fearnley and Johannus Monday won their first Challenger title in 2023 after triumphing over compatriots Liam Broady and reigning doubles champion, O’Mara, while Marcus Willis lifted the trophy with Australia’s Matthew Ebden the following year.

A British player has won the men’s doubles title at Nottingham in all but two seasons since 2016.

There is yet to be a British women’s doubles title winner in the WTA 250 event, but Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Laura Robson, Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith have all reached the final.