Jean Borotra

Jean Laurent Robert Borotra (French pronunciation: ​[ʒɑ̃ ʁɔbɛʁ bɔ.ʁotʁa], Basque pronunciation: [borotɾa]; 13 August 1898 – 17 July 1994) was a French tennis champion. He was one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Borotra was imprisoned in Itter Castle during the latter years of World War II and subsequently fought in the Battle for Castle Itter.

Jean Borotra
Jean Borotra in 1931
Full nameJean Laurent Robert Borotra
Country (sports) France
Born(1898-08-13)13 August 1898
Biarritz, France
Died17 July 1994(1994-07-17) (aged 95)
Arbonne, France
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Turned pro1920 (amateur tour)
Retired1956
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF1976 (member page)
Singles
Career record654-127 (83.7%) [1]
Career titles69 [2]
Highest rankingNo. 2 (1926, A. Wallis Myers)[3]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenW (1928)
French OpenW (1931)
WimbledonW (1924, 1926)
US OpenF (1926)
Other tournaments
WHCCSF (1922)
WCCCF (1922)
Olympic GamesSF – 4th (1924)
Doubles
Career record0–1
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1925)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenW (1928)
French OpenW (1925, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1936)
WimbledonW (1925, 1932, 1933)
Other doubles tournaments
WHCCW (1922)
WCCCW (1922)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian OpenW (1928)
French OpenW (1927, 1934)
WimbledonW (1925)
US OpenW (1926)
Team competitions
Davis CupW (1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932)
Medal record
Olympic Games
1924 Paris Doubles

Career

Borotra was born in Domaine du Pouy, Biarritz, Aquitaine, the oldest of four children.[4]

Known as "the Bounding Basque", he won four Grand Slam singles titles in the French, Australian, and All England championships. The 1924 French Championship does not count towards his grand slam total as the French was only open to French nationals and members of French clubs. He only failed to win the U.S. Championships, as he was defeated in the final by his countryman René Lacoste in straight sets, thus missing a career Grand Slam. His 1924 Wimbledon victory made him the first player from outside the English-speaking world to win the tournament. His first appearance was in the French Davis Cup team of 1921. He also made the final of the World Covered Court Championships in 1922, losing to Henri Cochet, but won the doubles and mixed doubles. The other major he did well in was the World Hard Court Championships (played on clay) – he won the doubles with Henri Cochet there in 1922.

Borotra was ranked as high as world No. 2 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph in 1926.[3] Borotra won his last major in 1936 when he teamed up with Marcel Bernard for the French Championship doubles at Roland Garros.

In 1974, Borotra was one of the last three people to be awarded the IOC's Olympic Diploma of Merit.[5][6] And in 1976, he along with the three other Musketeers were inducted simultaneously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1984, Borotra received a Distinguished Service award from the United States Sports Academy in recognition of his achievements. As the oldest living gentleman's singles champion, Borotra was invited to present the singles champion his trophy at the 100th Wimbledon Championship in 1986.

On 17 July 1994, Borotra, founder and president of honour of the CIFP (International Committee for Fair Play) died at the age of 95, after a short illness. He was buried at Arbonne.[7]

The International Fair Play Committee, which recognises achievements annually, awards a Jean Borotra World Fair Play Trophy. In 1998, the International Club (IC) introduced the Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award, to recognise tennis players deemed to have shown outstanding sportsmanship throughout their career.

Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award

The Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award is an International Club (IC) award. It was introduced in 1998 to recognise tennis players deemed to have shown outstanding sportsmanship throughout their career.[8]

The selection process involves a panel of international tennis journalists selecting a group of players who meet the IC's core value, namely to "develop, encourage and maintain the highest standards of sportsmanship and understanding among players of all nations and among young players in particular." The shortlist is then endorsed (or added to) by the 38 International Clubs around the world, from which a winner is picked.[9]

The recipient typically receives their award in a private ceremony in London at the All England Club during the Wimbledon Championships.[10]

Personal life

In 1938 Borotra married Mabel de Forest and they had one son.[11] The couple divorced in 1947. In 1988 he married Janine Bourdin.[12]

A member of François de la Rocque's Parti social français (PSF), he became 1st General Commissioner for Education and Sports from August 1940 to April 1942 during Vichy France, leading the Révolution nationale's efforts in sports policy.[13]

Arrested by the Gestapo in November 1942, Borotra was deported to a concentration camp in Germany and then Itter Castle in North Tyrol until May 1945. He was freed from the castle after the Battle for Castle Itter, in which he played a courageous role by vaulting from the fortress and running to a nearby town to summon reinforcements.[14]

Grand Slam finals
Borotra at the 1924 French Championships.

Singles: 10 (4 titles, 6 runners-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1924WimbledonGrass René Lacoste6–1, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4
Loss1925French ChampionshipsClay René Lacoste5–7, 1–6, 4–6
Loss1925WimbledonGrass René Lacoste3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–8
Win1926WimbledonGrass Howard Kinsey8–6, 6–1, 6–3
Loss1926U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass René Lacoste4–6, 0–6, 4–6
Loss1927WimbledonGrass Henri Cochet6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6, 5–7
Win1928Australian ChampionshipsGrass Jack Cummings6–4, 6–1, 4–6, 5–7, 6–3
Loss1929French ChampionshipsClay René Lacoste3–6, 6–2, 0–6, 6–2, 6–8
Loss1929WimbledonGrass Henri Cochet4–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win1931French ChampionshipsClay Christian Boussus2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4

Doubles: 12 (9 titles – 3 runners-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1925French ChampionshipsClay René Lacoste Henri Cochet
Jacques Brugnon		7–5, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Win1925WimbledonGrass René Lacoste John Hennesey
Raymond Casey		6–4, 11–9, 4–6, 1–6, 6–3
Win1928Australian ChampionshipsGrass Jacques Brugnon Gar Moon
Jim Willard		6–2, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss1927French ChampionshipsClay René Lacoste Henri Cochet
Jacques Brugnon		6–2, 2–6, 0–6, 6–1, 4–6
Win1928French ChampionshipsClay Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet
René de Buzelet		6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Win1929French ChampionshipsClay René Lacoste Henri Cochet
Jacques Brugnon		6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6
Win1932WimbledonGrass Jacques Brugnon Pat Hughes
Fred Perry		6–0, 4–6, 3–6, 7–5, 7–5
Win1933WimbledonGrass Jacques Brugnon Ryosuki Nunoi
Jiro Satoh		4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
Win1934French ChampionshipsClay Jacques Brugnon Jack Crawford
Vivian McGrath		11–9, 6–3, 2–6, 4–6, 9–7
Loss1934WimbledonGrass Jacques Brugnon George Lott
Lester Stoefen		2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win1936French ChampionshipsClay Marcel Bernard Pat Hughes
Charles Tuckey		6–2, 3–6, 9–7, 6–1
Loss1939French ChampionshipsClay Jacques Brugnon Don McNeill
Charles Harris		6–4, 4–6, 0–6, 6–2, 8–10

Mixed doubles: 5 titles
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1925WimbledonGrass Suzanne Lenglen Elizabeth Ryan
Uberto de Morpurgo		6–3, 6–3
Win1926U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Elizabeth Ryan Hazel Hotchkiss
René Lacoste		6–4, 7–5
Win1927French ChampionshipsClay Marguerite Broquedis Lilí Álvarez
Bill Tilden		6–4, 2–6, 6–2
Win1928Australian ChampionshipsGrass Daphne Akhurst Esna Boyd
Jack Hawkes		default
Win1934French ChampionshipsClay Colette Rosambert Elizabeth Ryan
Adrian Quist		6–2, 6–4

Performance timeline
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

(OF) only for French club members

192219231924192519261927192819291930193119321933193419351936 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments4 / 26103–2282.4
Australian AAAAAA W AAAAAAAA 1 / 1 6–0 100
French OF F SF 4R SF F SF W AAAAA 1 / 7 29–6 82.9
Wimbledon 3R 4R W F W F QF F SF SF 4R A A 2R A 2 / 12 55–10 84.6
U.S. A A 3R 1R F QF 3R A 1R AAAAAA 0 / 6 13–6 68.4
Win–Loss 2–13–19–113–316–211–314–311–29–311–13–11–1
National representation
Olympics NH SF Not held 0 / 1 5–2 71.4

References
  1. "Borotra, Jean: Career Match Records Main Tournaments". thetennisebase.com. The Tennisbase. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. "Borotra, Jean: Career Match Records Main Tournaments". thetennisebase.com. The Tennisbase. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  3. United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 424.
  4. Adam Doster (14 June 2012). "Jean Borotra, The Most Interesting Man In Tennis, Won 19 Grand Slams And Escaped A Nazi Prison". Deadspin.
  5. Olympic Review, Issues 89-96. International Olympic Committee. 1975. p. 162.
  6. Olympic Charter 1983. Comite International Olympique. 1983. pp. 142–143.
  7. Christopher Clarey (18 July 1994). "Jean Borotra Is Dead at 95; One of Tennis's '4 Musketeers'". The New York Times.
  8. "IC Jean Borotra CQS Sportsmanship Award". The International Club website. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  9. "IC Jean Borotra CQS Sportsmanship Award – Gustavo Kuerten". The International Club website. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  10. "IC Jean Borotra CQS Sportsmanship Award – Gabriela Sabatini". The International Club website. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. "Borotra married". The Sydney Morning Herald (31, 065). 27 July 1937. p. 11 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. Laurie Pignon (17 July 1994). "Obituary: Jean Borotra". The Independent.
  13. Atkin, Nicholas (2014). The French at War: 1934–1944. Abingdon: Routledge. p. 45. ISBN 978-0582368996.
  14. Mayer, John G. (26 May 1945). "12th Men Free French Big-Wigs". Hellcat News. 12th Armored Division.
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