Lester Rollo Stoefen (March 30, 1911 – February 8, 1970) was an American tennis player of the 1930s.
 Stoefen (left) with fianceé Ruth Henrietta Moody. 1936 | |
| Full name | Lester Rollo Stoefen |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | March 30, 1911 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | February 8, 1970 (aged 58) La Jolla, CA, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) [1] |
| Turned pro | 1935 (amateur from 1930) |
| Retired | 1942 |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 9 (1933, Pierre Gillou)[2] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (1933, 1934) |
| US Open | SF (1933) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | SF (1935) |
| Wembley Pro | SF (1935, 1937) |
| French Pro | SF (1936, 1939) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1933) |
| US Open | W (1933, 1934) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1934) |
| US Open | F (1934) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | F (1934Ch) |
Career
editStoefen, partnering with compatriot George Lott, won three Grand Slam doubles titles: 1934 Wimbledon Championships, 1933 and 1934 U.S. National Championships. In 1933 he was ranked world No. 9 by Pierre Gillou (president of the Fédération Française de Tennis) and World No. 10 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph.[2][3] Stoefen reached the semifinals of the U. S. Championships singles in 1933, losing to Fred Perry in straight sets.[4]
In 1934 he played for the US Davis Cup team and won all his six matches, including the only match the US won in their defeat in the final against Great Britain.[5] Also in 1934 Stoefen won the U.S. Indoor Tennis Championships singles event, defeating Gregory Mangin in the final in three straight sets.[6]
Stoefen signed a professional contract in November 1934 with promoter Bill O'Brien. In January 1935, at Madison Square Garden, he started a series of head-to-head matches against Ellsworth Vines and by March trailed him 1–25.[1][7]
Personal life
editHe was the cousin of basketball player Art Stoefen, although they were commonly mistaken for brothers, and both attended Los Angeles High School.[8][9]
On February 6, 1936, he married actress Ruth Moody in Hollywood.[10]
He died in La Jolla, California on February 8, 1970, of liver cirrhosis.[11][12]
Grand Slam finals
editDoubles (3 titles)
edit| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1933 | U.S. National Championships | Grass |  George Lott |
Frank Shields Frank Parker |
11–13, 9–7, 9–7, 6–3 |
| Win | 1934 | Wimbledon | Grass | George Lott |
 Jean Borotra Jacques Brugnon |
6–2, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | George Lott |
Wilmer Allison John Van Ryn |
6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–4 |
Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)
edit| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Elizabeth Ryan |
Helen Jacobs George Lott |
6–4, 11–13, 2–6 |
References
edit- ^ a b McCauley, Joe (2000). The History of Professional Tennis. Windsor: The Short Run Book Company Limited. pp. 25–26.
- ^ a b "World's first ten". The West Australian. Vol. XLIX, no. 9, 741. Western Australia. September 18, 1933. p. 5 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Mr. Wallis Myers' ranking". Sydney Morning Herald. September 22, 1933. p. 12 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ Talbert, Bill (1967). Tennis Observed. Boston: Barre Publishers. p. 111. OCLC 172306.
- ^ "Davis Cup – Lester Stoeffen". International Tennis Federation (ITF).
- ^ "Sport: Indoor Champion". Time. March 26, 1934. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013.
- ^ "Les Stoefen, tennis ace, joins pro ranks". The Gazette and Daily. AP. November 14, 1934. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stanford Cage Star Praises his Brother". Standard-Examiner. UP. January 9, 1936. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "In the Spotlight of Sports". Oakland Tribune. January 16, 1936. p. 18. Retrieved April 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lester Stoefen Marries American Film Actress". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 27, 916. Victoria, Australia. February 8, 1936. p. 25 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Lester Stoefen, 58, tennis champion" (PDF). The New York Times. February 9, 1970.
- ^ Barbara Stoefen (April 28, 2015). "Proof That Addiction Runs in Families?". Barbaracoferstoefen.com.
