the inaugural us open men's doubles tennis tournament, in 1881, was reserved for united states national lawn tennis association (usnlta) club members and was won by clarence clark and frederick winslow taylor. the following year, 1882, the championships opened to international competitors. between 1890 and 1906 sectional tournaments were held in the east and the west of the country to determine the best two doubles teams, which competed in a play-off in newport to see who would play the defending champions in the challenge round. the challenge system was abolished in 1920. the doubles event was held in various locations; newport (1881–1914), forest hills (1915–1916, 1942–1945, 1968–1977), longwood (1917–1933, 1935–1941, 1946–1967) and germantown, philadelphia (1934) before it settled in 1978 at the usta national tennis center, now the usta billie jean king national tennis center, in new york city.