General Jaroslav
Drobny
Male
Czechoslovakia
1921-10-12
Prague, Czechoslovakia
2001-09-13
Tooting, London, England


About

He was a former World No. 1 amateur tennis champion as well as being an ice hockey player (!!) for the Czechoslovakian national team. He left Czechoslovakia in 1949 and travelled as an Egyptian citizen before becoming a citizen of Great Britain in 1959, where he died in 2001.

As a tennis player, Drobný was good enough as early as 1946 to be able to beat Jack Kramer in the round of 16 at Wimbledon before losiing in the semi-finals. In 1951 and 1952 he won the French Open and after he was the losing finalist at Wimbledon in both 1949 and 1952 before finally winning it in 1954 as the first left-hander to capture Wimbledon since Sir Norman Brookes.
Drobný was ranked World No. 1 in 1954 in the Daily Telegrap. He has also won the French Open doubles and mixed doubles title in 1948.

Drobný held the distinction of having competed at Wimbledon under four different national identities. In 1938, at the age of 16, he started for his native Czechoslovakia. A year later, following the German invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia, he was officially representing the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. After World War II, he started at Wimbledon yet again as Czechoslovakian but chose to defect from the communist regime in 1949 – he left Czechoslovakia for good on 11 July 1949.

During his amateur career, Drobný won over 130 singles titles, and was world ranked in the top 10 from 1946–55. Drobný was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island in 1983. He is the only person to win the rare combination of Wimbledon in tennis and a world championship title in ice hockey.

As a additional information, Drobný first attempted to gain Swiss, US and Australian papers until finally Egypt offered him citizenship and so he started in Wimbledon for Egypt from 1950 through 1959, including his title winning run in 1954.
He is the only Egyptian citizen ever to win a grand slam tennis tournament. At the time of his Wimbledon win in 1954, Drobný was already living in the United Kingdom but only in his final appearance at Wimbledon in 1960, at the age of 38, was he representing his new homeland, Great Britain.In 1954, he became the first and, to date, only player with African citizenship to win the Wimbledon Championships.
In total, Drobný started in Wimbledon 17 times, always sporting his trademark tinted prescription glasses as an old hockey injury affected his eyesight. Drobný is the only male tennis player who ever won a Wimbledon singles title while wearing glasses. Billie-Jean King and Martina Navratilova are the only female Wimbledon champions wearing glasses. Arthur Ashe, who was known for playing with spectacles, had switched to contact lenses by the time he won Wimbledon in 1975.
Drobný also has the distinction of winning the most clay court titles of anyone in history (over 90).

About his ice hockey career: He was a Silver medalist with the Czechoslovakian ice hockey team in the 1948 Olympics. In the final match, Czechoslovakia and Canada tied goalless but Canada won the gold medal due to a better overall goal average. Drobný scored 9 goals in 8 games at the Olympics. Jaroslav Drobný was also a member of the Czechoslovakian national ice hockey team which won the gold medals at the 1947 World Ice Hockey Championships in Prague. He scored 15 goals in 7 games in the tournament including a hat-trick in the decisive victory over USA which gave his country its first ever World Championships title. In 1997, Drobný was inducted in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame.
Drobný could have become the first ever European player to start in the National Hockey League when the Boston Bruins put him on their reserve in 1949. Apparently, he was offered $20,000 to come over to play for Boston but he refused, preferring to remain playing amateur ice hockey and retain the flexibility to play tennis during the summers. The first European to play in the NHL eventually became Ulf Sterner from Sweden when he started for the New York Rangers for the first time on 27 January 1965.

In 1955, Jaroslav Drobný published his autobiography titled Champion in Exile. He was married to Rita Anderson Jarvis, onetime English tournament player. He died September 13, 2001 in Tooting, London aged 79.

Jaroslav was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983.
Misc He's the only person to win the rare combination of Wimbledon in tennis and a world championship title in ice hockey.



Media


Archive statistics 1936 - 1971
158
1383
1100


Tournament wins 1965 - Chantacao (Amateur)
1963 - St. Moritz Suvretta (Amateur)
1962 - Exmouth (Open)
1962 - Budleigh Salterton (Amateur)
1961 - Palace Hotel (Amateur)
1959 - Kingston International Invitation (Amateur)
1959 - Aix-Les-Bains (Amateur)
1959 - Dallas Invitation (Amateur)
1959 - Kulm Carlton (Amateur)
1959 - St. Moritz Suvretta (Amateur)
1959 - German International Covered Court Championships ()
1959 - London Hard Courts (Amateur)
1958 - Coupe Albert Canet (Amateur)
1958 - Cannes Carlton (Amateur)
1958 - Austrian International Championships (Grand Prix Circuit)
1958 - Tournoi du TC Flandres (Amateur)
1958 - Aix-en-Provence (Open)
1958 - Cannes Championships (Open)
1957 - Championships of Wales (Amateur)
1957 - Coupe Albert Canet (Amateur)
1957 - Surrey (Open)
1957 - British Hard Court Championships (Open)
1957 - Asian Championships (Amateur)
1957 - Western India Championships (Amateur)
1957 - Aix-Les-Bains (Amateur)
1957 - Pörtschach Championships (Open)
1957 - Angers International (Amateur)
1957 - Algiers (Amateur)
1957 - Southern India Championships (Amateur)
1957 - London Hard Courts (Amateur)
1957 - Bad Neuenahr (Open)
1956 - Tally Ho! (Open)
1956 - Pörtschach Championships (Open)
1956 - Austrian International Championships (Grand Prix Circuit)
1956 - Grenoble Covered Courts (Amateur)
1956 - Palace Hotel (Amateur)
1956 - Coupe Marcel Poree (Open)
1956 - Gstaad (ATP)
1956 - Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament (Open)
1955 - San Remo (Amateur)
1955 - Championships of Berlin (Amateur)
1955 - Brumana International (Amateur)
1955 - Erlangen International (Amateur)
1955 - Düsseldorf International ()
1955 - Midland Counties Championships (Amateur)
1955 - Coupe Marcel Poree (Open)
1955 - Pau Championships (Amateur)
1955 - Trois-Epis (Amateur)
1954 - Western Province (Open)
1954 - Cava Dei Tirreni (Amateur)
1954 - Viareggio (Amateur)
1954 - Ortisei (Amateur)
1954 - Sicilian International Championships (Amateur)
1954 - Cortina D'Ampezzo (Amateur)
1954 - Düsseldorf International ()
1954 - Wimbledon (Grandslam)
1954 - Köln International (Amateur)
1954 - Sao Paulo International (Amateur)
1954 - Eastern Province (Open)
1954 - Torquay (Open)
1954 - Midland Counties Championships (Amateur)
1954 - Lima International (Open)
1954 - Baden-Baden (Amateur)
1954 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1953 - Baden-Baden (Amateur)
1953 - Parma (Amateur)
1953 - Pedavena (Amateur)
1953 - Bavarian International Championships (ATP World Tour 250 series)
1953 - International Championships of Egypt - Cairo (Open)
1953 - Brescia (Amateur)
1953 - Italian International Championships ()
1953 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1953 - Lyon Covered Court Championships (Open)
1953 - Monte Carlo Summer Tournament (Amateur)
1953 - International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria (Open)
1953 - Venezia (Venice International Tournament) (Amateur)
1952 - Venezia (Venice International Tournament) (Amateur)
1952 - San Remo (Amateur)
1952 - Sicilian International Championships (Amateur)
1952 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1952 - International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria (Open)
1952 - International Championships of Egypt - Cairo (Open)
1952 - British Hard Court Championships (Open)
1952 - Austrian International Championships (Grand Prix Circuit)
1952 - Algiers (Amateur)
1952 - Lyon Covered Court Championships (Open)
1952 - Köln International (Amateur)
1952 - Torquay (Open)
1952 - West of England Championships (Amateur)
1952 - Riccione (Amateur)
1952 - Cortina D'Ampezzo (Amateur)
1952 - Viareggio (Amateur)
1952 - Roland Garros (Grandslam)
1952 - South American Championship (Amateur)
1952 - Argentina International Championships (Open)
1952 - Guildford Hardcourts (Amateur)
1952 - San Pellegrino (Amateur)
1952 - Baden-Baden (Amateur)
1952 - Chile International (Open)
1951 - Sicilian International Championships (Amateur)
1951 - Palace Hotel (Amateur)
1951 - Pau Championships (Amateur)
1951 - Coupe Marcel Poree (Open)
1951 - Baden-Baden (Amateur)
1951 - Swiss International Covered Courts (ATP)
1951 - Knokke Le-Zoute (Amateur)
1951 - Hanover International (Amateur)
1951 - Roland Garros (Grandslam)
1951 - French International Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1951 - British Hard Court Championships (Open)
1951 - Den Haag Indoor (Amateur)
1951 - Paris International Championships (Open)
1951 - Le Touquet August (Open)
1951 - International Championships of Egypt - Cairo (Open)
1951 - International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria (Open)
1951 - Guildford Hardcourts (Amateur)
1951 - Velbert Invitational Tournament (Amateur)
1951 - Italian International Championships ()
1950 - Baden-Baden (Amateur)
1950 - Midland Counties Championships (Amateur)
1950 - Italian International Championships ()
1950 - Köln International (Amateur)
1950 - Monte Carlo (Grand Prix Circuit)
1950 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1950 - International Championships of Egypt - Cairo (Open)
1950 - West of England Championships (Amateur)
1950 - Danish International Championhips (Amateur)
1950 - German International Championships ()
1950 - Coupe Marcel Poree (Open)
1950 - Swiss International Covered Courts (ATP)
1950 - Maadi Sporting Club (Open)
1950 - Asian Championships (Amateur)
1950 - Madrid (Open)
1950 - British Hard Court Championships (Open)
1949 - Villars (Amateur)
1949 - North of England Championships (Open)
1949 - Czechoslovakian International Championships (Open)
1949 - Knokke Le-Zoute (Amateur)
1949 - Victorian Championships (Amateur)
1949 - Swedish International Covered Courts Championships (ATP)
1948 - Pan American Championships (Amateur)
1948 - Fluminese Club (Amateur)
1948 - Sao Paulo International (Amateur)
1948 - Czechoslovakian International Championships (Open)
1947 - Pan American Championships (Amateur)
1947 - Czechoslovakian International Championships (Open)
1946 - Czechoslovakian International Championships (Open)
1946 - Swiss International Championships (Amateur)
1946 - Swedish International Covered Courts Championships (ATP)
1945 - Czechoslovakian International Championships (Open)
1943 - Protectorate International Championships (Amateur)
1943 - Protectorate Championships (Amateur)
1942 - Protectorate Championships (Amateur)
1941 - Protectorate Championships (Amateur)
1940 - Protectorate Championships (Amateur)
1938 - Championships of Berlin (Amateur)
1938 - Association Championships (Amateur)
1937 - Brno (Amateur)


Tournaments Essex Championships - 1971 Dewar Cup First Leg - 1971 Dewar Cup Second Leg - 1971 Dewar Cup Fourth Leg - 1971 German International Covered Court Championships - 1969 German International Covered Court Championships - 1968 Championships of Berlin - 1968 Bavarian International Covered Court Championships - 1968 German International Covered Court Championships - 1967 Championships of Berlin - 1967 International Club Matches - GBR - 1967 Bavarian International Covered Court Championships - 1967 Wolverhampton - 1967 German International Covered Court Championships - 1966 German International Championships - 1966 Championships of Berlin - 1966 Brussel Covered Courts - 1966 Deauville - 1966 Baden-Baden - 1966 Wiesbaden Championships - 1966 Bavarian International Covered Court Championships - 1966 Roland Garros - 1965 French International Covered Court Championships - 1965 German International Covered Court Championships - 1965 British Hard Court Championships - 1965 German International Championships - 1965 Biarritz - 1965 Deauville - 1965 International Club Matches - FRA - 1965 Wolverhampton - 1965 Surrey - 1965 Championships of Freiburg - 1965 Dutch Covered Courts - 1965 Chantacao - 1965 Roland Garros - 1964 US Open - 1964 Irish Championships - 1964 French International Covered Court Championships - 1964 German International Covered Court Championships - 1964 German International Championships - 1964 Championships of Berlin - 1964 Deauville - 1964 Cheltenham - 1964 Baden-Baden - 1964 Kulm Carlton - 1964 Palace Hotel - 1964 Championships of Stuttgart - 1964 Monte Carlo - 1963 Roland Garros - 1963 Austrian International Championships - 1963 Cannes Carlton - 1963 Nice - 1963 French International Covered Court Championships - 1963 Italian International Championships - 1963 German International Covered Court Championships - 1963 Montana-Vermala - 1963 San Remo - 1963 Baden-Baden - 1963 Napoli - 1963 Gstaad - 1963 St. Moritz Suvretta - 1963 Adelboden - 1963 Roland Garros - 1962 British Hard Court Championships - 1962 South of England Championships - 1962 British Covered Court Championships - 1962 Exmouth - 1962 Palace Hotel - 1962 Scandinavian Championships - 1962 Oslo International - 1962 Budleigh Salterton - 1962 Bielefeld - 1962 Saltsjoebaden - 1962 French International Covered Court Championships - 1961 Italian International Championships - 1961 German International Covered Court Championships - 1961 Championships of Berlin - 1961 Portuguese International Championships - 1961 Baden-Baden - 1961 Palace Hotel - 1961 Lausanne - 1961 Pörtschach Championships - 1961 Moroccan International - 1961 Garmisch-Partenkirchen - 1961 Portuguese Hard Courts - 1961 Centennial Cup Deauville - 1961 Wimbledon - 1960 Monte Carlo - 1960 Roland Garros - 1960 New South Wales Championships - 1960 Cannes Carlton - 1960 Irish Championships - 1960 French International Covered Court Championships - 1960 Italian International Championships - 1960 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1960 German International Covered Court Championships - 1960 British Hard Court Championships - 1960 German International Championships - 1960 Le Touquet - 1960 Cannes Gallia - 1960 Baden-Baden - 1960 Scandinavian Championships - 1960 Viareggio - 1960 Ortisei - 1960 Pörtschach Championships - 1960 Finland National Indoors - 1960 Moroccan International - 1960 Championships of Freiburg - 1960 Wimbledon - 1959 Roland Garros - 1959 Swiss International Championships - 1959 Italian International Championships - 1959 German International Covered Court Championships - 1959 US International Indoor Championships - 1959 River Oaks Tournament - 1959 Montana-Vermala - 1959 German International Championships - 1959 Barcelona International - 1959 West of England Championships - 1959 Aix-Les-Bains - 1959 Baden-Baden - 1959 Kulm Carlton - 1959 Palace Hotel - 1959 Lausanne - 1959 Caribbean Championships - 1959 Caribe Hilton Championships - 1959 Coupe Pierre Gillou - 1959 Kingston International Invitation - 1959 Altamira International Invitation - 1959 Colombia International - 1959 London Hard Courts - 1959 Gstaad - 1959 Dallas Invitation - 1959 Pörtschach Championships - 1959 Antwerpen International - 1959 St. Moritz Suvretta - 1959 Championships of Freiburg - 1959 Wimbledon - 1958 Monte Carlo - 1958 Roland Garros - 1958 Austrian International Championships - 1958 Cannes Carlton - 1958 Cannes Championships - 1958 Lyon Covered Court Championships - 1958 Paris International Championships - 1958 French International Covered Court Championships - 1958 German International Covered Court Championships - 1958 German International Championships - 1958 Cannes Gallia - 1958 Conde de Godo - 1958 Aix-en-Provence - 1958 Düsseldorf International - 1958 Coupe Pierre Gillou - 1958 Oslo International - 1958 Gstaad - 1958 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1958 Tournoi du TC Flandres - 1958 Shirley Park - 1958 Antwerpen International - 1958 Coupe Albert Canet - 1958 Gallia - 1958 Bad Neuenahr - 1958 Championships of Freiburg - 1958 Wimbledon - 1957 Roland Garros - 1957 Austrian International Championships - 1957 Cannes Carlton - 1957 Irish Championships - 1957 Netherlands International Championships - 1957 British Hard Court Championships - 1957 Algiers - 1957 German International Championships - 1957 Championships of Wales - 1957 Cannes Gallia - 1957 Western India Championships - 1957 Aix-Les-Bains - 1957 Southern India Championships - 1957 Baden-Baden - 1957 International Club Matches - GBR - 1957 Asian Championships - 1957 Coupe Pierre Gillou - 1957 Priory Club - 1957 London Hard Courts - 1957 Gstaad - 1957 Kitzbühel - 1957 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1957 Pörtschach Championships - 1957 Surrey - 1957 Coupe Albert Canet - 1957 Angers International - 1957 Trois-Epis - 1957 Bad Neuenahr - 1957 Wimbledon - 1956 Roland Garros - 1956 Austrian International Championships - 1956 Italian International Championships - 1956 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1956 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1956 West of England Championships - 1956 Surrey Championships - 1956 Championships of Wales - 1956 Midland Counties Championships - 1956 Wiesbaden Championships - 1956 Palace Hotel - 1956 Scandinavian Championships - 1956 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1956 Genoa - 1956 Coupe Pierre Gillou - 1956 Gstaad - 1956 Turkish International Championships (Turkey Open) - 1956 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1956 Pörtschach Championships - 1956 Brumana International - 1956 Tally Ho! - 1956 Coupe Albert Canet - 1956 Angers International - 1956 Florence International - 1956 Championships of Upper Austria - 1956 Grenoble Covered Courts - 1956 Cannes Gallia Winter Tournament - 1956 Wimbledon - 1955 Monte Carlo - 1955 Lyon Covered Court Championships - 1955 South of France Championships - 1955 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1955 German International Championships - 1955 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1955 Championships of Berlin - 1955 Midland Counties Championships - 1955 San Remo - 1955 Baden-Baden - 1955 Wiesbaden Championships - 1955 British Covered Court Championships - 1955 Team Matches - Egypt - 1955 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament - 1955 Düsseldorf International - 1955 Coupe Pierre Gillou - 1955 Turkish International Championships (Turkey Open) - 1955 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1955 Brumana International - 1955 Pau Championships - 1955 Tunis International - 1955 Erlangen International - 1955 Trois-Epis - 1955 Wimbledon - 1954 Roland Garros - 1954 Italian International Championships - 1954 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1954 Uruguay International Championships - 1954 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1954 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1954 South African Championships - 1954 Argentina International Championships - 1954 West of England Championships - 1954 Midland Counties Championships - 1954 Baden-Baden - 1954 British Covered Court Championships - 1954 Sicilian International Championships - 1954 Düsseldorf International - 1954 Western Province - 1954 Viareggio - 1954 Köln International - 1954 Sao Paulo International - 1954 Cava Dei Tirreni - 1954 Cortina D'Ampezzo - 1954 Ortisei - 1954 Lima International - 1954 Torquay - 1954 Brazilian International - 1954 Eastern Province - 1954 Riccione - 1954 Wimbledon - 1953 Monte Carlo - 1953 Roland Garros - 1953 Lyon Covered Court Championships - 1953 Italian International Championships - 1953 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1953 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1953 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1953 Baden-Baden - 1953 British Covered Court Championships - 1953 Bavarian International Championships - 1953 Viareggio - 1953 South American Championship - 1953 Sao Paulo International - 1953 Pedavena - 1953 Monte Carlo Summer Tournament - 1953 Brazilian International - 1953 Riccione - 1953 Parma - 1953 Brescia - 1953 Wimbledon - 1952 Monte Carlo - 1952 Roland Garros - 1952 Austrian International Championships - 1952 Lyon Covered Court Championships - 1952 French International Covered Court Championships - 1952 Italian International Championships - 1952 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1952 British Hard Court Championships - 1952 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1952 Algiers - 1952 German International Championships - 1952 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1952 San Pellegrino - 1952 Argentina International Championships - 1952 West of England Championships - 1952 San Remo - 1952 Baden-Baden - 1952 British Covered Court Championships - 1952 Sicilian International Championships - 1952 Düsseldorf International - 1952 Viareggio - 1952 Köln International - 1952 South American Championship - 1952 Sao Paulo International - 1952 Gstaad - 1952 Cortina D'Ampezzo - 1952 Torquay - 1952 Guildford Hardcourts - 1952 Chile International - 1952 Riccione - 1952 Wimbledon - 1951 Roland Garros - 1951 Paris International Championships - 1951 French International Covered Court Championships - 1951 Italian International Championships - 1951 Venezia (Venice International Tournament) - 1951 South of France Championships - 1951 British Hard Court Championships - 1951 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1951 German International Championships - 1951 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1951 West of England Championships - 1951 Belgian International Championships - 1951 San Remo - 1951 Baden-Baden - 1951 Palace Hotel - 1951 Swiss International Covered Courts - 1951 Sicilian International Championships - 1951 Düsseldorf International - 1951 Köln International - 1951 Nations' Cup (Egypt) - 1951 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1951 Indian International Championships - 1951 Hanover International - 1951 Knokke Le-Zoute - 1951 Pau Championships - 1951 Guildford Hardcourts - 1951 All India Hard Courts - 1951 Le Touquet August - 1951 Den Haag Indoor - 1951 Velbert Invitational Tournament - 1951 Australian Open - 1950 Wimbledon - 1950 South Australian Championships - 1950 Monte Carlo - 1950 Roland Garros - 1950 US Open - 1950 Nice - 1950 Italian International Championships - 1950 British Hard Court Championships - 1950 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1950 German International Championships - 1950 International Championships of Egypt-Alexandria - 1950 West of England Championships - 1950 Midland Counties Championships - 1950 Baden-Baden - 1950 Danish International Championhips - 1950 British Covered Court Championships - 1950 Madrid - 1950 Swiss International Covered Courts - 1950 Asian Championships - 1950 Köln International - 1950 Oslo International - 1950 Maadi Sporting Club - 1950 Bastad - 1950 Coupe Marcel Poree - 1950 King's Cup Handicap - 1950 India Grass Courts - 1950 Wimbledon - 1949 US Open - 1949 Victorian Championships - 1949 New South Wales Championships - 1949 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1949 International Championships of Egypt - Cairo - 1949 Cairo Championships - 1949