Chatrier, Philippe

Philippe Chatrier
Born: February 02, 1926
Died: June 23, 2000
Hometown: Paris, France
Citizenship: France
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1992

Contributions
International Federation President 1977-91
   Honorary Life President 1991-today

 Men’s Int’l Professional Tennis Council Chairman 1979-85

 French Tennis Federation President 1972

 International Olympic Committee Member

As player, journalist and administrator, Philippe Chatrier, a Parisian, made a tremendous impact on the game, and was instrumental in its growth and success, particularly during the open era. He was a good enough player to win the French junior titles in singles and doubles in 1945, play internationally for France, and later captained the Davis Cup team.

Serving dual roles as president of the French Federation of Tennis (1972-92) and the ITF (1977-91) he was largely responsible for the renaissance of the French Open, placing it on par with the other three majors and overseeing the splendid updating of Stade Roland Garros. He fought valiantly against over-commercialization of the game, and led a campaign to restore tennis to the Olympic Games, a goal realized in 1988 after a 64-year interval.

Championing the Grand Slam concept, he worked hard to ally the four major championships in staying at the pinnacle. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee. An intelligent chronicler of the game, he was a Paris newspaperman, and founded one of the leading magazines of the sport, “Tennis de France”.

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