André Maurice Henri
Gobert
Male
France
1890-09-30
Paris, France
1951-12-06
Paris, France
According to William Tilden: "One of the most picturesque figures and delightfully polished tennis games in the world are joined in that volatile, temperamental player, Andre Gobert of France. He is a typically French product, full of finesse, art, and nerve, surrounded by the romance of a wonderful war record of his people in which he bore a magnificent part, yet unstable, erratic, and uncertain. At his best he is invincible. He is the great master of tennis. At his worst he is mediocre. Gobert is at once a delight and a disappointment to a student of tennis.
Gobert's service is marvellous. It is one of the great deliveries of the world. His great height (he is 6 feet 4 inches) and tremendous reach enable him to hit a flat delivery at frightful speed, and still stand an excellent chance of it going in court. He uses very little twist, so the pace is remarkably fast. Yet Gobert lacks confidence in his service. If his opponent handles it successfully Gobert is apt to slow it up and hit it soft, thus throwing away one of the greatest assets.
His ground strokes are hit in beautiful form. Gobert is the exponent of the most perfect form in the world to-day. His swing is the acme of beauty. The whole stroke is perfection. He hits with a flat, slightly topped drive, feet in excellent position, and weight well controlled. It is uniform, backhand and forehand. His volleying is astonishing. He can volley hard or soft, deep or short, straight or angled with equal ease, while his tremendous reach makes him nearly impossible to pass at the net. His overhead is deadly, fast, and accurate, and he kills a lob from anywhere in the court.
Why is not Gobert the greatest tennis player in the world? Personally I believe it is lack of confidence, a lack of fighting ability when the breaks are against him, and defeat may be his due. It is a peculiar thing in Gobert, for no man is braver than he, as his heroism during the War proved. It is simply lack of tennis confidence. It is an over- abundance of temperament. In victory Gobert is invincible, in defeat he is apt to be almost mediocre.
Gobert is delightful personally. His quick wit and sense of humour always please the tennis public. His courteous manner and genial sportsmanship make him universally popular. His stroke equipment is unsurpassed in the tennis world.
I unqualifiedly state that I consider him the most perfect tennis player, as regards strokes and footwork, in the world to-day; but he is, not the greatest player. Victory is the criterion of a match player, and Gobert has not proved himself a great victor.
Gobert is probably the finest indoor player in the world, while he is very great on hard courts; but his grass play is not the equal of many others. I heartily recommend Gobert's style to all students of the game, and endorse him as a model for strokes."
1909 - 1926
22
183
134
1922 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1921 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1920 - British Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1920 - French Closed Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1920 - French National Championships (Open)
1920 - French Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1919 - French Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1919 - World Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1919 - Houlgate (Amateur)
1919 - Inter-Allied Tournament (Amateur)
1919 - Coupe Albert Canet (Amateur)
1919 - Deauville (Open)
1919 - Cabourg (Amateur)
1913 - French Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1912 - Coupe Albert Canet (Amateur)
1912 - French Closed Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1912 - Olympics Indoor (Olympic Games)
1912 - French Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1911 - French National Championships (Open)
1911 - Dieppe (Amateur)
1911 - Paris International Championships (Open)
1910 - Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) (Open)
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Douglas Powell
2-6
6-3
6-0
6-3
Round 2
Christiaan (Kick) van Lennep 1 *
André Gobert
2-6
7-5
7-5
8-6
Round 1
Ram Jagmohan 1 *
André Gobert
w.o.
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Henri Reynaud
6-1
6-2
3-6
6-3
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Pierre Henri Landry
5-7
6-3
6-2
6-1
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
Patrick Spence
0-6
9-7
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Sydney Jacob 1 *
André Gobert
2-6
2-6
6-4
7-5
Retired
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Roger George
3-6
6-4
6-0
6-2
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Jean Borotra
7-5
12-10
2-6
1-6
6-4
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Marcus Wallenberg
7-5
1-6
7-5
7-5
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jean Augustin
6-3
6-1
6-4
Final
Rene Lacoste 1 *
André Gobert
3-6
6-1
6-1
3-6
6-4
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
J. d' Espine
8-6
4-6
6-3
6-3
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
Umberto de Morpurgo
7-9
6-3
11-9
1-6
6-3
Round 4
Jean Washer 1 *
André Gobert
5-7
6-4
6-4
10-8
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Neville Deed
6-2
6-1
6-0
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Rupert Wertheim
6-4
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Algernon Kingscote 1 *
André Gobert
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Pierre Hirsch
6-1
10-8
6-4
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Marcel Dupont
7-5
7-5
8-6
Final
Jean Borotra 1 *
André Gobert
4-6
3-6
6-3
7-5
6-4
Round 1
John (Brian) Gilbert 1 *
André Gobert
w.o.
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
M. Chancerel
6-1
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jacques (Toto) Brugnon
6-0
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
Henri Cochet 1 *
André Gobert
1-6
9-7
6-4
6-2
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
Brian Norton
4-6
6-1
6-8
6-4
6-2
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
w.o.
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Francis Wordsworth (Frank) Donisthorpe
6-0
4-6
6-1
6-0
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
Arthur Diemer Kool
6-3
4-6
6-1
6-4
Round 4
Cecil Campbell 1 *
André Gobert
9-7
1-6
4-6
4-2
ret.
Round 2
Nicolae Mishu 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
11-9
6-3
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Mr. Rumeau
6-0
6-0
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
P. Ringuet
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Maurice Coutot
7-5
6-1
Final
Marcel Dupont 1 *
André Gobert
2-6
6-3
2-6
7-5
6-1
Challenge Round
Jean-Pierre (Jean) Samazeuilh 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
6-3
2-6
7-5
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Walter Cecil Crawley
6-2
6-4
4-6
0-6
7-5
Round 1
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Maurice Cousin
6-4
6-1
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jean Couiteas de Faucamberge
7-5
6-1
Final
Jean Borotra 1 *
André Gobert
6-1
3-6
6-3
6-4
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Percy Portlock
6-1
6-2
7-5
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Harold Scotter Owen
6-1
6-2
6-3
Round 3
Zenzo Shimidzu 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
10-8
4-6
2-6
6-4
Semifinals
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Jacques (Toto) Brugnon
6-0
6-2
6-1
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
José María Alonso de Areyzaga
6-3
6-1
6-1
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Arthur M. Lovibond
6-4
6-3
6-2
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Charles Winslow
7-5
7-5
7-5
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Erik Tegner
w.o.
Final
William Laurentz 1 *
André Gobert
9-7
6-2
3-6
6-2
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jacques (Toto) Brugnon
6-2
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jean-Pierre (Jean) Samazeuilh
13-11
1-6
7-5
6-3
Final
André Gobert 1 *
François Blanchy
3-6
6-1
6-2
6-3
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-3
3-6
1-6
6-2
6-3
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Frank Fisher
w.o.
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
John P. (Jack) Wendell
6-1
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
James O'Hara Murray
6-2
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Theodore Mavrogordato
6-0
6-2
6-2
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Major Josiah George Ritchie
6-3
6-1
6-1
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
Percival Davson
6-4
7-5
6-2
Final
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
8-6
6-4
6-4
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Nicolae Mishu
6-1
6-4
6-4
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Arthur M. Lovibond
6-2
6-2
6-4
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
Francis Wordsworth (Frank) Donisthorpe
10-12
6-2
6-0
6-2
Round 4
André Gobert 1 *
Rodney Heath
3-6
6-4
6-4
61
Quarterfinals
Gerald Patterson 1 *
André Gobert
10-8
6-3
6-2
Round 1
Nicolae Mishu 1 *
André Gobert
6-0
8-6
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
Maurice Cousin
6-0
6-0
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
P. Guillemant
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Dean Mathey
6-1
6-1
Final
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
6-0
6-3
6-3
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-0
6-2
6-2
Poule
André Gobert 1 *
Percival Davson
7-5
6-4
4-6
6-4
Poule
Algernon Kingscote 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
6-4
7-5
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Georges Sabbagh
6-3
6-0
6-1
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Henrik Ernst Wilhelm Fick
w.o.
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Armand Charles Simon
6-1
6-0
6-0
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Georges Manset
6-1
8-6
6-2
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-3
6-3
6-4
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Mr. Vitry
w.o.
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Mr. Haouir
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Pierre Dezerville
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
J.M. Barbas
6-3
6-3
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
3
sets
Round 1
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Mr. Dumortier
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Leonce Aslangul
6-1
6-1
Final
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
6-3
6-1
6-2
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
T. Tripp
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
C. McGavin
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Frank Riseley
6-3
7-5
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-4
2-1
ret.
Round 1
Quarterfinals
Alain Gerbault 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
6-1
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
André Chancerel
7-5
3-6
2-6
6-4
6-4
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
A. Georges Watson
6-2
6-1
5-7
6-1
Quarterfinals
Ludwig von Salm 1 *
André Gobert
7-5
6-3
6-3
Poule
Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe 1 *
André Gobert
6-1
6-1
6-1
Poule
Oscar Kreuzer 1 *
André Gobert
1-6
6-4
6-2
6-3
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Robert Quennessen
6-4
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Émile Chelli
6-4
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Ludwig von Salm
6-4
6-1
6-0
Final
William Laurentz 1 *
André Gobert
6-1
9-7
3-6
6-2
2-3
ret.
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
6-3
4-6
6-2
6-4
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
w.o.
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Mikhail Sumarokov-Elston
6-2
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Bela Von Kehrling
6-1
6-1
6-0
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Otto Froitzheim
6-3
6-3
6-3
Final
Tony Wilding 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
6-3
1-6
6-4
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Albert Canet
w.o.
Final
Max Decugis 1 *
André Gobert
5-7
8-6
6-0
6-4
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Dr Ernest Ulysses Williams
6-0
6-4
6-0
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
James Cecil Parke
6-3
6-4
6-4
Round 4
André Gobert 1 *
Albert Prebble
6-1
6-4
6-4
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe
6-1
6-2
7-5
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-3
6-3
1-6
4-6
6-4
Final
Arthur Gore 1 *
André Gobert
9-7
2-6
7-5
6-1
Round 1
A. Félix Poulin 1 *
André Gobert
w.o.
Round 1
Major Josiah George Ritchie 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
5-7
5-7
6-4
1-1
ret.
Round 1
Major Josiah George Ritchie 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
5-7
5-7
6-4
1-1
ret.
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Georges Gault
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
A.E. Blanc
6-2
6-2
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Maurice Germot
6-4
6-4
6-2
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
P. Renard
w.o.
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
J. Arnal
6-1
6-1
6-0
Quarterfinals
Robert Kleinschroth 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
6-1
6-4
Challenge Round
Max Decugis 1 *
André Gobert
w.o.
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Erik Larsen
8-6
6-1
5-7
8-6
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Carl Kempe
6-1
6-2
7-5
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Arthur Lowe
6-1
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Gordon Lowe
6-4
10-8
2-6
2-6
6-2
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Charles Dixon
8-6
6-4
6-4
Final
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
6-2
6-3
6-2
Poule
Charles Dixon 1 *
André Gobert
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-3
Poule
Arthur Gore 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
4-6
6-3
6-3
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
4-2
ret.
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
William Strong Cushing
6-2
6-0
7-5
Round 2
Arthur Gore 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
6-3
6-2
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
M. Dufau
6-1
7-5
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Craig Biddle
6-0
6-3
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Albert Canet
6-1
8-6
Final
André Gobert 1 *
William Laurentz
6-4
6-4
6-3
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Pierre Dufau
6-3
6-1
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Albert Canet
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
8-6
3-6
6-3
Semifinals
Tony Wilding 1 *
André Gobert
1-6
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Jacques Samazeuilh
7-5
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
E. Strauss
6-4
6-2
6-1
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Max Decugis
6-3
6-1
7-5
Challenge Round
André Gobert 1 *
Maurice Germot
6-1
8-6
7-5
Final
Max Decugis 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Stanley Doust 1 *
André Gobert
6-2
6-2
6-1
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
A.M. Cooper
6-2
6-3
6-3
Round 2
Gordon Lowe 1 *
André Gobert
4-6
6-1
6-2
7-5
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Brame Hillyard
6-3
6-8
6-4
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Neville Willford
6-2
6-3
Round 3
Major Josiah George Ritchie 1 *
André Gobert
6-4
6-3
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
P.F. Schobloch
6-0
6-2
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
William Alfred Ingram
6-4
6-3
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Cecil Stewart Hartley
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
Theodore Mavrogordato 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
6-2
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Reginald Speke Barnes
1-6
6-2
6-3
7-5
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Arthur Wallace MacGregor
6-2
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
Gordon Lowe 1 *
André Gobert
4-6
6-1
6-2
3-6
8-6
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
A.R. Sawyer
8-6
9-7
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
George P. Allen
6-2
6-2
Round 3
André Gobert 1 *
George Henry Nettleton
w.o.
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Henry Pollard
6-4
7-5
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Eric Pockley
4-6
6-1
6-1
Final
André Gobert 1 *
Percival Davson
6-4
6-4
Round 2
André Gobert 1 *
Cecil Stewart Hartley
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
André Gobert 1 *
Sydney J. Watts
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
André Gobert 1 *
Philip MacDonnell Sanderson
6-4
6-1
Final
Alfred Beamish 1 *
André Gobert
6-0
6-2
Round 1
Charles Stuart Gordon-Smith 1 *
André Gobert
6-2
2-6
10-8
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
Edward Stanley Franklin
5-7
6-3
6-2
Round 2
Theodore Mavrogordato 1 *
André Gobert
6-2
6-0
Round 1
André Gobert 1 *
P. Defize
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Paul de Borman 1 *
André Gobert
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Étienne Micard 1 *
André Gobert
6-3
7-5
Round 1
Albert Canet 1 *
André Gobert
11-9
3-6
6-0
Quarterfinals
Jean-Pierre (Jean) Samazeuilh 1 *
André Gobert
w.o.