Leslie Godfree

Leslie Allison Godfree (27 April 1885 – 17 November 1971)[1] was a British male tennis player who was especially successful in doubles and mixed doubles.

Leslie Godfree
Full nameLeslie Allison Godfree
Country (sports) United Kingdom
Born(1885-04-27)27 April 1885
Brighton, Sussex, England
Died17 November 1971(1971-11-17) (aged 86)
Richmond, London, England
Playsright-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Grand Slam Singles results
French Open3R (1926)
Wimbledon3R (1923)
US Open1R (1930)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
French Open3R (1926)
WimbledonW (1923)
US Open2R (1930)
Olympic Games1R (1924)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
French OpenSF (1926)
WimbledonW (1926)
US OpenQF (1930)
Olympic GamesQF (1924)

Biography

Educated at Brighton College, Godfree played at the Wimbledon Championships from 1920 to 1930. While in singles he dropped out of the competition after the first or second round each year, he won the doubles title partnering Randolph Lycett in 1923. In January 1926, he married Kathleen McKane, a two time Wimbledon singles champion.[2] In the same year, the newly married couple took the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon, being the only married couple ever to win this championship.[3] Leslie had already reached the mixed doubles final two years earlier in 1924 where he was beaten by his future wife Kitty, and the couple would again in 1927.

Apart from Wimbledon, the Godfrees played at the French Championships in 1926 where they could advance to the semifinals in mixed doubles. In 1930, Godfree took part at the US Championships where he reached the quarterfinals in mixed doubles, this time partnering Mercedes Malowe.

He was also member of the British Davis Cup team from 1923 to 1927 and competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (1 title)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1923WimbledonGrass Randolph Lycett Manuel de Gomar
Eduardo Flaquer		6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3

Mixed doubles: (1 title, 2 runners-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1924WimbledonGrass Dorothy Shepherd-Barron Kitty McKane
John Gilbert		3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win1926WimbledonGrass Kitty Godfree Mary Kendall Browne
Howard Kinsey		6–3, 6–4
Loss1927WimbledonGrass Kitty Godfree Elizabeth Ryan
Frank Hunter		6–8, 0–6

References
  1. "Sports Reference profile page". Archived from the original on 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  2. "Sports Reference profile of Kitty McKane". Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  3. "Plaque honours tennis great Kitty". BBC News Online. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2010.


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