Marcel Bernard (; 18 May 1914 – 29 April 1994) was a French

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

player. He is best remembered for having won the

French Championships The French Open (french: Internationaux de France de tennis), also known as Roland-Garros (), is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, beginning in late May each year. The tournament and ven ...

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. He defeated

Jaroslav Drobný Jaroslav Drobný (; 12 October 1921 – 13 September 2001) was a World No. 1 amateur tennis and ice hockey champion. He left Czechoslovakia in 1949 and travelled as an Egyptian citizen before becoming a citizen of the United Kingdom in 1959, w ...

in the final in five sets. 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 Jean Laurent Robert Borotra (, ; 13 August 1898 – 17 July 1994) was a French tennis champion. He was one of the " Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Borotra was imprisoned in Itter Castle ...

. 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."World's Best 10 in Tennis"
''The Courier-Mail'', 3 February 1947. Bernard became president of the national French tennis association,

Fédération Française de Tennis The French Tennis Federation (french: Fédération française de tennis, FFT) is the governing body for tennis in France. It was founded in 1920, and is tasked with the organisation, co-ordination and promotion of the sport. It is recognised by the ...

(FFT), in 1968 and held the position until 1973. 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.

Grand Slam finals

Singles : 1 title

Doubles : 2 titles, 1 runner-up

Mixed doubles : 2 titles

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard, Marcel 1914 births 1994 deaths French Championships (tennis) champions French male tennis players People from La Madeleine, Nord Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles Sportspeople from Nord (French department) Presidents of the French Tennis Federation