Morpurgo, Baron Hubert Louis de

a/k/a Baron Umberto L. de Morpurgo

An Austrian Jew who was English on his mother's side, de Morpurgo served in the German Air Force in World War One, then became an Italian when Italy took over Trieste. A member of Italy's first Davis Cup team in 1922, the Baron was described by American Lawn Tennis Magazine in 1924 as having a "finely rounded game," and noted that "his worst fault seems to be his inability to devote himself seriously to tennis for long periods of time." In 1929, de Morpurgo was named Italian Commissioner of Tennis by Mussolini.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. 1896 - d. Unknown

Career Highlights:
de Morpurgo won an Olympic Bronze medal for Italy in 1924 by defeating the French champion Jean Borota, who had just won the Wimbledon Singles championship. The Baron was ranked in the world's top ten from 1928-1930, and (except for 1928), he was Italy's top-ranked player from 1927-31. Bill Tilden, an American tennis icon, ranked de Morpurgo No. 6 in the world in 1929. The Baron was on the Italian Davis Cup team from 1922 until 1933.

Origin:
Trieste, Austria

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