Benjamin Berthet (18 September 1910 – 20 January 1981) was a French tennis player and coach.[1]
 | |
| Full name | Benjamin Berthet |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  France |
| Born | 18 September 1910 New York, United States |
| Died | 20 January 1981 (aged 70) Paris, France |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | QF (1931) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (1931, 1950) |
Berthet was born to Polish-Jewish emigrants in New York and moved to France as a nine-year old.[2]
In 1931 he made the singles quarter-finals of the French Championships, losing to the top seed Jean Borotra.[3]
Berthet's title wins included the Polish International Championships.[4]
A jeweller by profession, Berthet fought with the French Army in World War II and became a prisoner of war in 1941. During his captivity at Oflag IV-D he and other prisoners build tennis courts to play on.[5]
Berthet continued to compete after the war until his appointment as non playing captain of the France Davis Cup team in 1954. He held this role for a then record 11-years, before being replaced by Gérard Pilet after the 1955 campaign.[2]
References
edit- ^ "The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Time Archives". World Tennis Magazine. 30 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Benny Berthet, sauvé de la guerre par le tennis". L'Équipe (in French). 24 May 2019.
- ^ "Lott Has Last Yank in Net Play". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 29 May 1931.
- ^ "Polish International Championships 1931". www.tennisarchives.com.
- ^ "Benny ce héros et la magie du tirage au sort". Graine de Sportive (in French). 23 May 2009.