Jean Borotra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jean Borotra

Jean Borotra in 1931
Full name	Jean Laurent Robert Borotra
Country (sports)	France
Born	(1898-08-13)13 August 1898 Biarritz, France
Died	17 July 1994(1994-07-17) (aged 95) Arbonne, France
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Turned pro	1920 (amateur tour)
Retired	1956
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	1976 (member page)
Singles
Career record	654–127 (83.7%)
Career titles	69
Highest ranking	No. 2 (1926, A. Wallis Myers)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (1928)
French Open	W (1931)
Wimbledon	W (1924, 1926)
US Open	F (1926)
Other tournaments
WHCC	SF (1922)
WCCC	F (1922)
Olympic Games	SF – 4th (1924)
Doubles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1925)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (1928)
French Open	W (1925, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1936)
Wimbledon	W (1925, 1932, 1933)
Other doubles tournaments
WHCC	W (1922)
WCCC	W (1922)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	W (1928)
French Open	W (1927, 1934)
Wimbledon	W (1925)
US Open	W (1926)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932)
Medal record Olympic Games Bronze 1924 Paris Doubles

Jean Borotra (born August 13, 1898 – died July 17, 1994) was a famous French tennis player. He was one of the "Four Musketeers" from France. This group of four players was very strong in tennis during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Jean Borotra was even held in a castle during World War II and later fought in a battle there.

Tennis Career Highlights

Jean Borotra was born in Biarritz, France. He was the oldest of four children. People called him "the Bounding Basque" because of his energetic playing style.

Grand Slam Success

Jean Borotra won four major singles titles, known as Grand Slams. These were at the French, Australian, and Wimbledon championships. His victory at Wimbledon in 1924 was special. He was the first player from outside English-speaking countries to win that tournament.

He almost won a "career Grand Slam." This means winning all four major tournaments in a player's career. He won the French, Australian, and Wimbledon. But he never won the U.S. Championships. He lost in the final to his fellow Frenchman, René Lacoste.

Jean Borotra also played for the France Davis Cup team starting in 1921. He was part of the French team that won the Davis Cup six times in a row from 1927 to 1932.

Later Achievements and Awards

In 1930, some experts even ranked Jean Borotra as the world's No. 1 tennis player. He won his last major title in 1936. This was the French Championship doubles with his partner Marcel Bernard.

Jean Borotra received many honors for his long career. In 1974, he was one of the last people to get the Olympic Diploma of Merit. In 1976, he and the other three Musketeers were all put into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the best tennis players in history. In 1986, he was invited to present the trophy at the 100th Wimbledon Championship. This was because he was the oldest living men's singles champion.

Jean Borotra passed away on July 17, 1994, at the age of 95. He was buried in Arbonne, France.

Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award

The International Fair Play Committee gives out a special award called the Jean Borotra World Fair Play Trophy. This award honors people who show great sportsmanship.

In 1998, the International Club (IC) created the Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award. This award recognizes tennis players who have shown amazing sportsmanship throughout their careers.

A group of international tennis journalists chooses players for this award. They look for players who show high standards of sportsmanship. Then, 38 International Clubs around the world help pick the final winner. The award is usually given in London during the Wimbledon Championships.

Personal Life

Jean Borotra married Mabel de Forest in 1938. They had one son. They later divorced in 1947. In 1988, he married Janine Bourdin.

During Vichy France in World War II, Jean Borotra took on a role in sports leadership. He was the General Commissioner for Education and Sports from 1940 to 1942.

In November 1942, Jean Borotra was arrested and sent to a camp in Germany. He was later held at Itter Castle until May 1945. He showed great bravery during his release. He helped get help during the Battle for Castle Itter, which led to his freedom.

Grand Slam Finals

Borotra at the 1924 French Championships.

Singles: 10 (4 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1924	Wimbledon	Grass	René Lacoste	6–1, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4
Loss	1925	French Championships	Clay	René Lacoste	5–7, 1–6, 4–6
Loss	1925	Wimbledon	Grass	René Lacoste	3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–8
Win	1926	Wimbledon	Grass	Howard Kinsey	8–6, 6–1, 6–3
Loss	1926	U.S. National Championships	Grass	René Lacoste	4–6, 0–6, 4–6
Loss	1927	Wimbledon	Grass	Henri Cochet	6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6, 5–7
Win	1928	Australian Championships	Grass	Jack Cummings	6–4, 6–1, 4–6, 5–7, 6–3
Loss	1929	French Championships	Clay	René Lacoste	3–6, 6–2, 0–6, 6–2, 6–8
Loss	1929	Wimbledon	Grass	Henri Cochet	4–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1931	French Championships	Clay	Christian Boussus	2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4

Doubles: 12 (9 titles – 3 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1925	French Championships	Clay	René Lacoste	Henri Cochet Jacques Brugnon	7–5, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Win	1925	Wimbledon	Grass	René Lacoste	John Hennesey Raymond Casey	6–4, 11–9, 4–6, 1–6, 6–3
Win	1928	Australian Championships	Grass	Jacques Brugnon	Gar Moon Jim Willard	6–2, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss	1927	French Championships	Clay	René Lacoste	Henri Cochet Jacques Brugnon	6–2, 2–6, 0–6, 6–1, 4–6
Win	1928	French Championships	Clay	Jacques Brugnon	Henri Cochet René de Buzelet	6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Win	1929	French Championships	Clay	René Lacoste	Henri Cochet Jacques Brugnon	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6
Win	1932	Wimbledon	Grass	Jacques Brugnon	Pat Hughes Fred Perry	6–0, 4–6, 3–6, 7–5, 7–5
Win	1933	Wimbledon	Grass	Jacques Brugnon	Ryosuke Nunoi Jiro Satoh	4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
Win	1934	French Championships	Clay	Jacques Brugnon	Jack Crawford Vivian McGrath	11–9, 6–3, 2–6, 4–6, 9–7
Loss	1934	Wimbledon	Grass	Jacques Brugnon	George Lott Lester Stoefen	2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1936	French Championships	Clay	Marcel Bernard	Pat Hughes Charles Tuckey	6–2, 3–6, 9–7, 6–1
Loss	1939	French Championships	Clay	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
Win	1925	Wimbledon	Grass	Suzanne Lenglen	Elizabeth Ryan Uberto de Morpurgo	6–3, 6–3
Win	1926	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Elizabeth Ryan	Hazel Hotchkiss René Lacoste	6–4, 7–5
Win	1927	French Championships	Clay	Marguerite Broquedis	Lilí Álvarez Bill Tilden	6–4, 2–6, 6–2
Win	1928	Australian Championships	Grass	Daphne Akhurst	Esna Boyd Jack Hawkes	default
Win	1934	French Championships	Clay	Colette Rosambert	Elizabeth Ryan Adrian Quist	6–2, 6–4

Performance Timeline

(OF) only for French club members

See also

In Spanish: Jean Borotra para niños