- Philippe Chatrier
Philippe Chatrier (
2 February 1926 -22 June 2000 ) was a Frenchtennis player. After his playing career ended, he became ajournalist , and was then involved in sports administration. He was president of theFrench Tennis Federation for 20 years, from 1973 to 1993, and president of theInternational Tennis Federation for 14 years, from 1977 to 1991.Chatrier was born in
Cretell in France. He was the French junior tennis champion in 1945. He was a member of the FrenchDavis Cup team from 1948 and 1950. He last played a Wimbledon in 1953, and then became ajournalist . He founded the magazine "Tennis de France" in 1953. He was also sports and news editor for the Paris daily newspaper "Paris-Presse ".He married
Susan Partridge , who was French tennis champion in 1953. They later divorced, and he remarried Frenchgolf er,Claudine Cros .He took part in the merger of professional and amateur tennis organisations in 1968. He was a vice-president of the
French Tennis Federation ("Fédération française de tennis") from 1968 to 1973, and was captain of French Davis Cup team in 1969. He became president of the French Tennis Federation in 1973, then president ofInternational Tennis Federation in 1977. Under his direction, tennis was reintroduced to the Olympic program in 1981, as ademonstration sport at the1984 Summer Olympic Games inLos Angeles , and then a full Olympic sport from the1988 Summer Olympic Games inSeoul . He became a member of theInternational Olympic Committee in 1988.He retired as president from the International Tennis Federation in 1991. He became a member of the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992. He retired as president of the French Tennis Federation in 1993.He died in
Dinard . The main tennis court at theStade de Roland Garros , the home of theFrench Open inParis , was renamed theCourt Philippe Chatrier in his honour in 2001.He had two sons from his first marriage. The elder,
Jean-Philippe Chatrier , is an actor.References
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000624/ai_n14309687 Obituary] , "
The Independent ",24 June 2000
*frenchtrans|Philippe Chatrier|8 March 2007
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