Jean Borotra

French tennis player, Jean Robert Borotra, was known as the “Bounding Basque” during the prime time of his tennis career. He led tennis in the late 1920’s until the early 1930’s.

Born on August 13, 1898 in Domaine du Pouy and died on July 17, 1994, Borotra won at least 5 Grand Slam championship titles under the singles category. He was also successful in the 1928 Australian championships under the singles, double, and mixed doubles category; the French Championships from 1924 to 1936 tournaments under the singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles categories; and the 1925 to 1932 Wimbledon Championship under the singles, men’s and mixed doubles. He only took the championship title of the mixed doubles and was the finalist for the singles category of the American championship title.

Borotra first appeared in the 1921 French Davis Cup team and was one of the famous “Four Musketeers” in France. He was also an active member of the Francois de la Rocque’s Parti Social Francias. During the leadership of Vichy France in the Revolution Nationale’s development of sports policies of international tennis from August 1940 to April 1942, Borotra became the 1st General Commissioner.

Borotra, together with the other Musketeers were elected into the 1976 International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Aside from achieving a legacy, he too was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the United Sports Academy. They recognized his achievements and contributions in the tennis world. The Jean Borotra World Fair Play Trophy is annually given by the International Fair Play Committee recognizing accomplishments done by tennis players of this generation. He was the founder and President of Honour of the International Committee for Fair Play.

At 95, Bortora died at Arbonne because of old age and illness.