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The Baron: Gottfried von Cramm Don Budge once said: "He would dominate any scene he was part of." Gottfried von Cramm, the Baron of German nobility, with blond hair and green eyes: the best tennis player Germany had known who was the Prince Charming of tennis during the 1930s, when he was thrice Wimbledon runner-up. The right-hander was born in Hanover on the 7th July 1909, popular wherever he went, he was noted for his tenacity and endurance on-court, winning the two French Singles Championship titles in 1934-35 for his efforts in a career that was plagued by threats from Hitler and the Nazi party.
Von Cramm was one of the finest players never to win Wimbledon, falling at the final hurdle to Fred Perry in 1935-36 and Budge in 1937 - a record he shares with Herbert Lawford (1884-86) and Fred Stolle (1963-65). The American also beat him a few months later in the U.S. Championship final, and a third time in the Davis Cup semi-final between Germany and USA. During the fifth and deciding match of the Cup tie, Budge came back from 1-4 and had five match points before he finally clinched it, falling to the ground in ecstasy, as Von Cramm raced across the court to congratulate him. The final score was 6-8, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 8-6 in what is considered to be one of the greatest matches ever played. When Budge recalled how he had put excellent first serves into court on the match points only for Von Cramm to hit winning returns past him. As they shook hands, with their arms around one another, The Baron said: "Don, this was the absolutely the finest match I have ever played in my life. I'm very happy I could have played it against you, whom I like so much. Congratulations." The German won six national titles between 1932-35 and astonishingly 1948 and 1949 aged 40. He loved representing Germany in Davis Cup, delighted at welcoming back a Democratic nation to Cup play in 1951. He completed 111 matches, one of 14 centurions to have done so. At the height of his career in 1936-38 as Hitler was forming his Nazism regime and launch into World War II, he declined to speak for the Nazi's on his tennis travels and was imprisoned by the Gestapo in 1938. He was a hero on the Russian Front during the war and afterwards had a successful business career and administrator in tennis, as President of Tennis Club Rot-Weiss in Berlin. He died in an automobile crash near Cairo, Egypt on the 8th November
1976, aged 66. Australian Doubles finalist 1938 French Singles winner 1934, 1936; Singles finalist 1935; Doubles winner 1937 Wimbledon Singles finalist 1935-37; Mixed winner 1937 U.S. Championships Singles finalist 1937; Doubles winner 1937 Tournament Record (inc. Davis Cup and Olympics) German Davis Cup team member 1932-37,
1951-53
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