Hope Crisp (6 February 1884 – 25 March 1950), was an English tennis player. With Agnes Tuckey he was the first winner of the Wimbledon mixed doubles in 1913.

Hope Crisp
Country (sports) United Kingdom
Born(1884-02-06)6 February 1884
Highgate, England
Died25 March 1950(1950-03-25) (aged 66)
Roehampton, England
Singles
Grand Slam singles results
WimbledonQF (1913)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonSF (1914)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonW (1913)

Education

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Educated at Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet,[1] he went up to St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he captained the University of Cambridge tennis team.[2]

Tennis career

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1913

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In the 1913 Wimbledon Championships, he won with Agnes Tuckey the first mixed doubles final at Wimbledon in an unusual fashion - one of their opponents Ethel Thomson Larcombe was struck in the eye by her partner's miss-hit smash and unable to continue the match. The incident occurred when the second set was 5–3 for Crisp and Tuckey, the first having been won by the opposing pair of James Cecil Parke and Mrs Larcombe. In the 1914 Wimbledon Championships Crisp and Tuckey were the losing semi-finalists.

1915

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During the First World War, he received a commission in The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.[3] In April 1915 while attached to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he was wounded at Hill 60 near Ypres and his right leg was amputated.[4]

1919

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However, with a prosthesis, he returned to Wimbledon to play in the 1919 Championships with Mrs Perrett, losing in the second round after a bye in the first. The Times wrote;[5] "It was interesting to see how he managed. He is a strong volleyer and naturally half volleys many balls which a two-legged player would drive. The artificial leg is the right; accordingly service is fairly easy and when there is no hurry, he walks with a fair speed, approaching a run. Other times, he hops. His cheerful temperament makes the game a real pleasure to himself and others."

1923

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After the war, Captain Hope Crisp was employed as a Regional Awards Officer for the Ministry of Pensions; for this work he received an award of the OBE in 1923.[6]

Grand Slam finals

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Mixed doubles (1 title)

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Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1913 Wimbledon Grass   Agnes Tuckey   James Parke
  Ethel Thomson Larcombe
6–3, 3–5 ret.

References

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  1. ^ "Queen Elizabeth's School - National and international honours list". Qebarnet.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  2. ^ "THREE AMERICANS LOSE AT TENNIS - McLoughlin Only Player from This Country Left in English Championships" (PDF). The New York Times. 28 June 1913. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  3. ^ LONDON GAZETTE, 14 MAY, 1915
  4. ^ The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania); 9 June 1915
  5. ^ "ONE-LEGGED NET PLAYER. - Britisher Injured in War Continues in Tennis Doubles" (PDF). The New York Times. 29 July 1919. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  6. ^ SUPPLEMENT to THE LONDON GAZETTE, 29 JUNE 1923; p460