Francis Hunter

Frank Hunter

Francis Hunter (left) withDaniel Prenn,1929
Full name	Francis Townsend Hunter
Country (sports)	United States
Born	(1894-06-28)June 28, 1894 New York,New York, U.S.
Died	December 2, 1981(1981-12-02)(aged 87) Palm Beach,Florida, U.S.
Turned pro	1931(amateur tour from 1915)
Retired	1944
Plays	Right-handed (1-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	1961(member page)
Singles
Career record	480-152 (75.9%)
Career titles	24
Highest ranking	No. 4 (1929,A. Wallis Myers)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open	QF (1929)
Wimbledon	F (1923)
US Open	F (1928,1929)
Professional majors
US Pro	F (1933)
Doubles
Career record	no value
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	W(1924,1927)
US Open	W(1927)
Other doubles tournaments
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	F (1928,1929)
Wimbledon	W(1927,1929)
Medal record Olympic Games –Tennis 1924 Paris Doubles

Francis "Frank" Townsend Hunter(June 28, 1894 – December 2, 1981) was an Americantennisplayer who won an Olympicgold medal.He won theU.S. National Indoor Championshipsin 1922 and 1930 and the Eastern Clay Court Championships in 1919.

Early and personal life

Hunter graduated fromCornell Universityin 1916, where he was a member of theQuill and Daggersociety and theice hockey team.

During WWI he was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy and served onAdmiral Beatty's flagship of the BritishRoyal Navy.He later wrote a book about his experiences with the Admiral.

Hunter was the second husband of the actressLisette Vereain 1954.

Hunter was later successful in the coal and printing industries.

Tennis career

Hunter won theU.S. National Indoor Championshipsin 1922 and again in 1930 and the Eastern Clay Court Championships in 1919.

Hunter was a singles finalist at Wimbledon in 1923 (where he beatGordon Lowe,then lost toBill Johnston).

Hunter won agold medalat the1924 Paris Olympics,in themen's doubles eventwith partnerVincent Richards.

He won theScheveningen Championshipson red clay in the Netherlands in 1928 defeatingHendrik Timmerin the semifinal in four sets andJean Borotrain the final in three straight sets.

Hunter reached the U.S. championships singles final in 1928 (where he beatJack CrawfordandGeorge Lott,then lost toHenri Cochetin five sets).

GermanDaniel Prenn(left) and Hunter (right), in aDavis Cupmatch in Berlin in 1929

He reached his third Grand Slam singles final at the U.S. championships in 1929 where he beatR. Norris Williams,losing the final in five sets toBill Tilden.

He was ranked World No. 4 in 1929 byA. Wallis MyersofThe Daily Telegraphand World No. 5 in another Myers list in September the same year.

Hunter won the Brooklyn Indoor Championships in 1930 defeatingJ. Gilbert Hallin the semifinal.

Hunter turned professional in mid January 1931 joiningBill Tilden.He reached the final of theU.S. Pro Championshipsin 1933 where he lost toVincent Richards.As well as playing on the pro tour, Hunter was also a promoter, including promoting the first Perry-Vines tour in 1937 withS. Howard Voshell.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 3 runners-up

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1923	Wimbledon	Grass	Bill Johnston	0–6, 3–6, 1–6
Loss	1928	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Henri Cochet	6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6
Loss	1929	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 2–6, 4–6

Doubles: 3 titles

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1924	Wimbledon	Grass	Vincent Richards	Watson Washburn R. Norris Williams	6−3, 3−6, 8−10, 8−6, 6−3
Win	1927	Wimbledon	Grass	Bill Tilden	Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet	1–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win	1927	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	R. Norris Williams Bill Johnston	10–8, 6–3, 6–3

Mixed doubles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1927	Wimbledon	Grass	Elizabeth Ryan	Kathleen McKane Godfree Leslie Godfree	8–6, 6–0
Loss	1928	French Championships	Clay	Helen Wills	Eileen Bennett Henri Cochet	6–3, 3–6, 3–6
Loss	1929	French Championships	Clay	Helen Wills	Eileen Bennett Henri Cochet	3–6, 2–6
Win	1929	[Wimbledon	Grass	Helen Wills	Joan Fry Ian Collins	6–1, 6–4

External links

• Francis Hunterat theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
• Francis Hunterat theAssociation of Tennis Professionals
• Francis Hunterat theInternational Tennis Federation
• Francis Hunterat theDavis Cup
• Francis Hunterat databaseOlympics.com (archived)
• Francis HunteratOlympedia
• Francis HunteratOlympics.com