{{Short description|Tennis tour}} {{Infobox tennis circuit season <!-- Details --> | name =Sugar Circuit | image = | image_caption = | image_alt = | image_size = | duration = 1962–1980 | edition = 19 | tournaments = 6 | categories = }}

The '''Sugar Circuit'''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Robertson |first1=Max |title=The encyclopedia of tennis. |date=1974 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=London |isbn=0047960426 |page=319–|chapter=South Africa}}</ref> also known as the '''Sugar Winter Circuit''' or '''Sugar Tennis Circuit''' was a series tour of six South African tennis tournaments sponsored by the South African Sugar Association founded in 1962 and was sub-circuit of the worldwide ILTF Circuit that ran until 1980.<ref>Dewey, Glen (1980). THE LAST SUGAR TENNIS CIRCUIT END OF AN ERA By Glen Dewey (South African Sugar Association). The South African Sugar Journal. Vol 64. Mount Edgecombe, South Africa. p.10.</ref> In 1980 the South African Sugar Association ceased its sponsorship of the circuit and it was discontinued.<ref>{{cite web |title=South African Sugar Industry |url=https://sasa.org.za/ |website=SASA |publisher=The South African Sugar Association|access-date=10 March 2023 |language=en-ZA}}</ref>

==History== In 1962 the Sugar Circuit<ref>{{cite web |last1=Flink |first1=Steve |title=Original Nine Spotlight: Kristy Pigeon |url=https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2020-07-15/2020-07-15_original_nine_spotlight_kristy_pigeon.html |website=www.usopen.org |publisher=USTA |access-date=10 March 2023 |location=New York |date=15 July 2020}}</ref> was established that consisted of five provincial championships at Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth.<ref>Robertson (1974)</ref> The circuit was sponsored by the South African Sugar Association for its entire duration, individual association members such as Hulett's sponsored individual tournaments.<ref>Dewey, Glen (1980)</ref> Participation by overseas international players was by of an invitation to compete on the circuit.<ref>Robertson (1974)</ref> The scheduling of the circuit usually taking place in the winter, with events being played from December to January. In 1973 local black tennis players were allowed to compete for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sports News Briefs: South Africa Eases Tennis Curbs. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/08/archives/sports-news-briefs-rain-delays-125000-proam-golf-britain-out-of.html |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=8 December 1973 |location=New York City, NY, United States |page=44}}</ref> In 1980 circuit was discontinued due to the South African Sugar Association not renewing its sponsorship.<ref>South African Sugar Journal (1980)</ref>

==Tournaments== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! # !! Tournament !! Surface !!Location |- |1. ||Border Championships||Hard||East London |- |2. || Eastern Province Championships ||Hard||Port Elizabeth |- |3. ||Natal Sugar Circuit Open Championships ||Hard || Durban |- |4. ||Orange Free State Championships ||Clay ||Bloemfontein |- |5. ||South African Sugar Circuit Masters ||Hard ||Durban |- |6. || Western Province Championships ||Grass/Hard ||Cape Town |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Sugar Tennis Circuit}}

Category:Defunct tennis tournaments in South Africa Category:Defunct tennis tours