World War I caused the Australian Championships to be cancelled from 1916 through 1918. The tournament resumed in 1919 after the conflict ended.
At the time, the event was called the Australasian Championships rather than the Australian Championships. Wartime mobilisation disrupted international travel, sporting administration and the availability of elite players, making the championship impractical to stage.
The interruption was part of a broader sporting shutdown. Wimbledon, the French Championships and other major competitions were also suspended during World War I. Although the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic affected many activities, it was not the reason this tournament was absent for all three years.
The event’s wartime gap is one reason its historical sequence can look confusing. The championship was first held in 1905, returned in 1919, and later changed its name to the Australian Championships in 1927. It became the Australian Open in 1969, when the tournament entered the Open Era.