Francis Hunter

Francis "Frank" Townsend Hunter (June 28, 1894 – December 2, 1981) was an American tennis player who won an Olympic gold medal. He won the U.S. National Indoor Championships in 1922 and 1930 and the Eastern Clay Court Championships in 1919.

Early and personal life Hunter graduated from Cornell University in 1916, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society, the ice hockey team, and the Alpha-Kappa Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

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

Hunter was the second husband of the actress Lisette Verea in 1954.

Hunter was later successful in the coal and printing industries.

Tennis career Hunter set a one-day record by winning five matches in singles, 1920. They were all straight-set victories and came in two different New York tournaments.

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

He was a singles finalist at Wimbledon in 1923 (where he beat Gordon Lowe, then lost to Bill Johnston).

Hunter won a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics, in the men's doubles event with partner Vincent Richards.

He won the Scheveningen Championships on red clay in the Netherlands in 1928 defeating Hendrik Timmer in the semifinal in four sets and Jean Borotra in the final in three straight sets.

Hunter reached the U.S. championships singles final in 1928 (where he beat Jack Crawford and George Lott, then lost to Henri Cochet in five sets).

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

Hunter won the Brooklyn Indoor Championships in 1930 defeating J. Gilbert Hall in the semifinal.

Hunter turned professional in mid January 1931 joining Bill Tilden. He reached the final of the U.S. Pro Championships in 1933 where he lost to Vincent Richards. As well as playing on the pro tour, Hunter was also a promoter, including promoting the first Perry-Vines tour in 1937 with S. Howard Voshell.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 3 runners-up ResultYearChampionship SurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 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 Win 1927 Wimbledon Grass Bill Tilden Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet 1–6, 4–6, 8–6, 6–3, 6–4

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