Belgian Open (tennis)

The Belgian Open was a WTA Tour tennis event held over three different periods during 1987–2002. It was competed in July during 1987–1989 and 2002, and in May during 1992–1993 and 1999–2001. During 2000–2001 it was sponsored by Dutch clothing chain Mexx and renamed the Benelux Open. In 2002, it was renamed French Community Championships. The competition was played on outdoor clay courts.

The tournament was a Tier V event during 1988–89, then again in 1992 and 2001. The tournament was a Tier IV event in 1993, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

Only one Belgian woman won the singles event; the then little-known Justine Henin, aged 16 in 1999. However, Sabine Appelmans, Kim Clijsters and Els Callens all won the doubles event.

Location chronology

1987: Knokke
1988-89: Brussels
1992: Waregem
1993: Liège
1999-2001: Antwerp
2002: Brussels

Champions

Singles

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1987 United States Kathleen Horvath West Germany Bettina Bunge 6–1, 7–6
1988 Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Italy Raffaella Reggi 6–0, 7–5
1989 Czechoslovakia Radka Zrubáková Argentina Mercedes Paz 7–6, 6–4
1990-91 not held
1992 Germany Wiltrud Probst Germany Meike Babel 6–2, 6–3
1993 Czech Republic Radka Bobková Austria Karin Kschwendt 6–3, 4–6, 6–2
1994-98 not held
1999 Belgium Justine Henin France Sarah Pitkowski 6–1, 6–2
2000 South Africa Amanda Coetzer Spain Cristina Torrens Valero 4–6, 6–2, 6–3
2001 Germany Barbara Rittner Czech Republic Klára Zakopalová 6–3, 6–2
2002 Switzerland Myriam Casanova Spain Arantxa Sánchez 4–6, 6–2, 6–1

Doubles

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1987 West Germany Bettina Bunge
Bulgaria Manuela Maleeva
United States Kathleen Horvath
Netherlands Marcella Mesker
4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1988 Argentina Mercedes Paz
Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen
Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva
Italy Raffaella Reggi
7–6, 6–1
1989 Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Argentina Mercedes Paz
Netherlands Carin Bakkum
Netherlands Simone Schilder
6–1, 6–2
1990-91 not held
1992 Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Netherlands Caroline Vis
Soviet Union Elena Brioukhovets
Czechoslovakia Petra Langrová
6–4, 6–3
1993 Czech Republic Radka Bobková
Argentina María José Gaidano
Belgium Ann Devries
Belgium Dominique Monami
6–4, 2–6, 7–6
1994-98 not held
1999 Italy Laura Golarsa
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
Australia Louise Pleming
United States Meghann Shaughnessy
6–4, 6–2
2000 Belgium Sabine Appelmans
Belgium Kim Clijsters
United States Jennifer Hopkins
Slovenia Petra Rampre
6–1, 6–1
2001 Belgium Els Callens
Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Netherlands Kristie Boogert
Netherlands Miriam Oremans
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
2002 Austria Barbara Schwartz
Germany Jasmin Wöhr
Italy Tathiana Garbin
Spain Arantxa Sánchez
6–2, 0–6, 6–4