Birger Folke

Birger Kjell Herbert Folke (3 March 1936 - 17 September 2020[1][2]) was a Swedish tennis player and television commentator.[3]

Birger Folke
Country (sports)Sweden Sweden
Born(1936-03-03)3 March 1936
Tranås, Sweden
Died17 September 2020(2020-09-17) (aged 84)
Stockholm, Sweden
Turned pro1954 (amateur tour)
Retired1969
Singles
Career record52–51
Career titles2
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open1R (1967)
French Open1R (1967)
Doubles
Career record1–3
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (1967)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open2R (1967)
Wimbledon3R (1971)

Tennis career

In 1954 Folke participated in the Wimbledon Junior Championships. From 1954, up to the end of the 1960s he competed internationally and won two tournaments in his career. In July 1963 he won the New York State Clay Courts tournament held in Long Island in the United States. In April 1967 he won the Connaught Hard Court Championships in Chingford, Great Britain, beating his compatriot, Lars Ölander in the final.[4]

Folke participated in the singles draw of two Grand Slam events, the 1967 Australian Championships and the 1976 French Open.[5] In 1971, at the age of 35, he returned to Wimbledon to compete in the mixed doubles event in partnership with fellow Swede, Christina Sandberg. During the period 1967 to 1969, Folke was captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team.[6]

Folke also worked as a TV commentator with expert opinion on the Eurosport TV channel.

References
  1. "Dödsannonser - Sök efter dödsannonser på familjesidan.se".
  2. "Till minne av Birger Folke".
  3. "Birger Folke| Player Stats | ATP Tour | Tennis". ATP Tour. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  4. "player – Tennisarchives.com". www.tennisarchives.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  5. "Birger Folke". www.itftennis.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  6. "Davis Cup - Teams". www.daviscup.com. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
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