 Stoefen (left) with fianceé Ruth Henrietta Moody. 1936 | |
| Full name | Lester Rollo Stoefen |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | (1911-03-30)March 30, 1911 Des Moines,Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | February 8, 1970(1970-02-08) (aged 58) |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[1] |
| Turned pro | 1935 (amateur from 1930) |
| Retired | 1942 |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 9 (1933, Pierre Gillou)[2] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (1933,1934) |
| US Open | SF (1933) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | SF (1935) |
| Wembley Pro | SF (1935,1937) |
| French Pro | SF (1936,1939) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1933) |
| US Open | W (1933, 1934) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1934) |
| US Open | F (1934) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | F (1934Ch) |
Lester Rollo Stoefen (March 30, 1911 – February 8, 1970) was an Americantennis player of the 1930s.
Stoefen, partnering with compatriotGeorge Lott, won three Grand Slam doubles titles:1934 Wimbledon Championships,1933 and1934 U.S. National Championships. In 1933 he was ranked world No. 9 by Pierre Gillou (president of theFédération Française de Tennis) and World No. 10 byA. Wallis Myers ofThe Daily Telegraph.[2][3] Stoefen reached the semifinals of the U. S. Championships singles in 1933, losing toFred Perry in straight sets.[4]
In 1934 he played for the USDavis Cup team and won all his six matches, including the only match the US won in their defeat in the final against Great Britain.[5] Also in 1934 Stoefen won theU.S. Indoor Tennis Championships singles event, defeatingGregory Mangin in the final in three straight sets.[6]
Stoefen signed a professional contract in November 1934 with promoter Bill O'Brien. In January 1935, at Madison Square Garden, he started a series of head-to-head matches againstEllsworth Vines and by March trailed him 1–25.[1][7]
He was the cousin of basketball playerArt Stoefen, although they were commonly mistaken for brothers, and both attendedLos Angeles High School.[8][9]
On February 6, 1936, he married actress Ruth Moody in Hollywood.[10]
He died inLa Jolla, California on February 8, 1970, ofliver cirrhosis.[11][12]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1933 | U.S. National Championships | Grass |  George Lott | Frank ShieldsFrank Parker | 11–13, 9–7, 9–7, 6–3 |
| Win | 1934 | Wimbledon | Grass | George Lott |  Jean BorotraJacques Brugnon | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | George Lott | Wilmer AllisonJohn Van Ryn | 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Elizabeth Ryan | Helen JacobsGeorge Lott | 6–4, 11–13, 2–6 |
