General André
Merlin
Male
France
1911-11-15
Brazzaville, French Equatorial Africa, -
1960-09-05
Paris, France


About

André Merlin was born in Brazzaville in what was then French Equatorial Africa. He was the son of the colonial administrator Henri-Marital Merlin and his second wife Marthe Merlin (née Daireaux). Martial Merlin was at various times Governor General of Indochina, Governor General of French West Africa, Governor General of Madagascar and Governor General of French Equatorial Africa. André Merlin lived in both Brazzaville and Indochina during his childhood, which is partially described in the book Le fils du consul/The Consul’s Son by the French author Lucien Bodard.

Following the decline of the legendary Four French Musketeers in the early 1930s, André Merlin had been looked to as one of France’s best prospects, but he was never quite able to live up to other people’s expectations. In 1933, he notably lost the final rubber of the Davis Cup Challenge Round to Britain’s Fred Perry at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, a result that gave the British a 3-2 win in the tie and the trophy. France had held the Davis Cup since 1927.

André Merlin was given the nickname “the basset” because he was small in stature. He was a salesman by profession and led a troubled life due to alcohol addiction. He attempted suicide in March 1935 by drinking a bottle of veronal, but was found in time and survived.



Media


Archive statistics 1927 - 1957
16
307
204


Tournament wins 1938 - French Switzerland Championships (Amateur)
1936 - Cabourg (Amateur)
1936 - Trouville (Amateur)
1936 - Villiers-sur-Mer (Amateur)
1936 - Tennis Club de France (Amateur)
1936 - Paris International Championships (Open)
1936 - Bagnoles-de-l'Orne (Amateur)
1935 - Cabourg (Amateur)
1934 - French Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1933 - Deauville (Open)
1933 - Houlgate (Amateur)
1932 - Italian International Championships ()
1932 - Viareggio (Amateur)
1932 - Houlgate (Amateur)
1931 - Dinard (Amateur)
1930 - Criterium de France Indoor (Amateur)


Tournaments Beaulieu Summer Tournament - 1957 Monte Carlo - 1950 Paris International Championships - 1950 Monte Carlo - 1947 Roland Garros - 1947 Tournoi de France - 1944 French Occupied Zone - 1944 Tournoi de France - 1943 French Occupied Zone - 1943 Deauville - 1939 Houlgate - 1939 Red Star Tournament - 1939 Villiers-sur-Mer - 1939 St. Moritz - 1938 Swiss International Championships - 1938 French Switzerland Championships - 1938 Coupe Albert Canet - 1938 Lugano Lido Summer - 1938 Tournoi de la Réserve de Saint-Cloud - 1938 Villiers-sur-Mer - 1938 Roland Garros - 1937 Côte d'Azur Championships - 1937 Nice - 1937 Paris International Championships - 1937 Algiers - 1937 France vs Italy Team Match - 1937 Trouville - 1937 Tournoi de la Réserve de Saint-Cloud - 1937 Roland Garros - 1936 Paris International Championships - 1936 Capri - 1936 Montana-Vermala - 1936 Championships of Berlin - 1936 Houlgate - 1936 Championships of Strasbourg - 1936 Team Match (Informal) US vs. France - 1936 US vs. France Exhibition - 1936 International Club Matches - FRA - 1936 Trouville - 1936 Cabourg - 1936 Villars - 1936 Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer - 1936 Crans-Sur-Sierre - 1936 Asnieres Indoor - 1936 Bagnoles-de-l'Orne - 1936 Tennis Club de France - 1936 Villiers-sur-Mer - 1936 Roland Garros - 1935 French Covered Court Championships - 1935 Le Touquet - 1935 Cabourg - 1935 Wimbledon - 1934 Roland Garros - 1934 Coupe de Noel - 1934 French Covered Court Championships - 1934 Le Touquet - 1934 Dinard - 1934 Houlgate - 1934 Coupe Albert Canet - 1934 Wimbledon - 1933 Roland Garros - 1933 St. Moritz - 1933 Coupe de Noel - 1933 Paris International Championships - 1933 Italian International Championships - 1933 Deauville - 1933 Houlgate - 1933 Coupe Albert Canet - 1933 Wimbledon - 1932 Monte Carlo - 1932 Roland Garros - 1932 Coupe de Noel - 1932 Riviera Championships - 1932 Paris International Championships - 1932 French Covered Court Championships - 1932 Italian International Championships - 1932 Dinard - 1932 Houlgate - 1932 Évian-les-Bains - 1932 Napoli - 1932 Villa d'Este - 1932 Viareggio - 1932 Tournoi du TC Flandres - 1932 Macomber Cup - Monte Carlo 23's - 1932 Coupe Albert Canet - 1932 R.C. Canottieri Roma - 1932 La Baule - 1932 Tournoi Moliere - 1932 Wimbledon - 1931 Roland Garros - 1931 US Open - 1931 Austrian International Championships - 1931 Coupe de Noel - 1931 Paris International Championships - 1931 French Covered Court Championships - 1931 Italian International Championships - 1931 Championships of Berlin - 1931 Le Touquet - 1931 Dinard - 1931 Évian-les-Bains - 1931 St. Raphael - 1931 Aix-Les-Bains - 1931 Monte Carlo Easter Tournament - 1931 Dinard - 1930-2 Roland Garros - 1930 Coupe de Noel - 1930 Paris International Championships - 1930 French Covered Court Championships - 1930 Coupe Albert Canet - 1930 Chantilly Spring - 1930 Critérium de France - 1930 Criterium de France Indoor - 1930 Coupe de Noel - 1929 Coupe Albert Canet - 1929 Criterium de France Indoor - 1929 Paris International Championships - 1927 Pornic - 1927

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