Lester Stoefen


Lester Rollo Stoefen was an American tennis player of the 1930s.

Career

Stoefen, partnering with compatriot George Lott, won three Grand Slam doubles titles: 1934 Wimbledon Championships, 1933 and 1934 U.S. National Championships. In 1933 he was ranked World No. 9 by Pierre Gillou and World No. 10 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph. Stoefen reached the semi finals of the U. S. Championships singles in 1933, losing to Fred Perry
In 1934 he played for the US Davis Cup team and won all his six matches, including the only match the US won in their defeat in the final against Great Britain. Also in 1934 Stoefen won the U.S. Indoor Tennis Championships singles event, defeating Gregory Mangin in the final in three straight sets.
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 against Ellsworth Vines and by March trailed him 1–25.

Personal life

He was the older brother of basketball player Art Stoefen, and both attended Los Angeles High School.
On February 6, 1936 he married actress Ruth Moody in Hollywood.
He died on La Jolla, California on February 8, 1970 of liver cirrhosis.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (3 titles)

OutcomeYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1933U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass George Lott Frank Shields
Frank Parker
11–13, 9–7, 9–7, 6–3
Winner1934WimbledonGrass George Lott Jean Borotra
Jacques Brugnon
6–4, 7–5, 6–1
Winner1934U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass George Lott Wilmer Allison
John Van Ryn
6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–4

Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)