Marcel Bernard

Marcel Bernard (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl bɛʁnaʁ]; 18 May 1914 – 29 April 1994) was a French tennis player. He is best remembered for having won the French Championships in 1946 (reaching the semifinals a further three times). Bernard initially intended to play only in the doubles event but was persuaded to enter the singles competition as well.[2] He defeated Jaroslav Drobný in the final in five sets.

Marcel Bernard
Bernard in 1934
Country (sports) France
Born(1914-05-18)18 May 1914
La Madeleine, Nord, France
Died29 April 1994(1994-04-29) (aged 79)
Paris, France
Turned pro1930 (amateur tour)
Retired1956
PlaysLeft-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 5 (1946, A. Wallis Myers)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenW (1946)
Wimbledon3R (1934, 1937)
US Open3R (1932)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French OpenW (1936, 1946)
WimbledonQF (1935)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1935, 1936)
Wimbledon4R (1937)

In the same 1946 French Championships Bernard also won the Men's Doubles with Yvon Petra. In the 1935 French Open, he won the Mixed Doubles with Lolette Payot. In the following French Open (1936), he also won the Mixed Doubles with Billie Yorke and the Men's Doubles with Jean Borotra. Bernard's Grand Slam singles career spanned 25 years from 1931 to 1956. He played Davis Cup for France over a period spanning 21 years, from 1935 to 1956. Bernard was ranked world No. 5 for 1946 by A. Wallis Myers and world No. 9 for 1947 by Harry Hopman.[1][3]

Bernard became president of the national French tennis association, Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), in 1968 and held the position until 1973.[4] The trophy for the winners of the mixed doubles competition at the French Open is now known as the "Coupe Marcel Bernard". His name is also commemorated at the Roland-Garros Stadium by the walkway "Allée Marcel Bernard" which leads to the Suzanne Lenglen Court.[4]

Grand Slam finals

Singles : 1 title
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1946French ChampionshipsClayCzechoslovakia Jaroslav Drobný3–6, 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–3

Doubles : 2 titles, 1 runner-up
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1932French ChampionshipsClayFrance Christian BoussusFrance Jacques Brugnon
France Henri Cochet		4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 3–6
Win1936French ChampionshipsClayFrance Jean BorotraUnited Kingdom Pat Hughes
United Kingdom Charles Tuckey		6–2, 3–6, 9–7, 6–1
Win1946French ChampionshipsClayFrance Yvon PetraArgentina Enrique Morea
United States Pancho Segura		7–5, 6–3, 0–6, 1–6, 10–8

Mixed doubles : 2 titles
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1935French ChampionshipsClayFrance Lolette PayotFrance Sylvie Jung Henrotin
France André Martin-Legeay		4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Win1936French ChampionshipsClayUnited Kingdom Billie YorkeFrance Sylvie Jung Henrotin
France André Martin-Legeay		7–5, 6–8, 6–3

References
  1. United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 425.
  2. Collins, Bud (2016). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (3rd ed.). New York: New Chapter Press. p. 721. ISBN 978-1-937559-38-0.
  3. "World's Best 10 in Tennis", The Courier-Mail, 3 February 1947.
  4. Julien Pichené (29 October 2020). "Marcel Bernard : un acteur majeur du tennis français" (in French). Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT).
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