Jean Marie Octave Constant Washer (; 22 August 1894 – 23 March 1972) was a Belgian

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

player successful in the 1920s. He was the father of

Philippe Washer Philippe Washer (; 6 August 1924 – 27 November 2015) was a Belgian tennis player. He competed in the Davis Cup a number of times, from 1946 to 1961. He was ranked world No. 8 in 1957. Early life and family Philippe Washer was born on 6 August ...

Tennis career

Washer reached the final of the

World Hard Court championships World Hard Court Championships were an annual major tennis tournament sanctioned by the International Lawn Tennis Federation, held from 1912 to 1923. It was principally held in Paris, on clay courts of the Stade Français in the Paris suburb of ...

(the precursor to the French championships) in 1921, beating

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 ...

in the quarter finals. He lost the final in straight sets to

Bill Tilden William Tatem Tilden II (February 10, 1893 – June 5, 1953), nicknamed "Big Bill", was an American tennis player. He was the world No. 1 amateur for six consecutive years, from 1920 to 1925, and was ranked as the world No. 1 professional by Ra ...

. The correspondent from ''Le Sport universel illustré'' summed up the Belgian by saying "Washer is one of the most conscientious players in existence. Solid, robust, he reminds me completely of one of the best forwards in the world of rugby". The article went on to describe the final and said Washer had a "very good forehand" and made a "better showing than the result seems to indicate, because he obliged the great Tilden to work hard". In

1923 In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...

he reached the final again, beating

Henri Cochet Henri Jean Cochet (; 14 December 1901 – 1 April 1987) was a French tennis player. He was a world No. 1 ranked player, and a member of the famous " Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Born in ...

in five sets. "The Belgian attacked with magnificent brilliance" and his service "began to annoy Cochet too". Washer lost the final to Bill Johnston. Washer reached the semifinals of Roland Garros in

1925 Events January * January 1 – The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria (1925–1930), State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini m ...

, beating Cochet in the quarter finals. Cochet had lost five times to that point against Washer and had not beaten him. Washer won the match with a fast and powerful drive. Washer lost to Jean Borotra in the semi finals. Washer also reached the quarters in

1926 In Turkey, the year technically contained only 352 days. As Friday, December 18, 1926 ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Saturday, January 1, 1927 '' (Gregorian Calendar)''. 13 days were dropped to make the switch. Turkey thus became the ...

and the quarterfinals of the 1924 Wimbledon Championships. He was ranked world No. 9 by A. Wallis Myers of

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

for 1923.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Washer, Jean Belgian male tennis players 1894 births 1972 deaths Olympic tennis players for Belgium Tennis players at the 1920 Summer Olympics Tennis players at the 1924 Summer Olympics Tennis players from Antwerp