Philippe Washer, tennis player, Died at 91

  Sports

Philippe Washer was born on August 6, 1924, and died on November 27, 2015.

He was a Belgian tennis player. He competed in the Davis Cup a number of times, from 1946 to 1961.

Philippe was born on 6 August 1924. He is the son of Jean Washer, another Belgian tennis player and textile industry mogul.

Her mother, Simone van der Straeten, was the daughter of Ernest Solvay, founder of the Solvay International Chemical Group.

Philippe had three brothers: Paul Washer, president of the Chemical Industry Federation of Belgium and director of the Solvay company; Jacques Washer, antiquarian who died in the Swissair Flight 316 crash; and Edouard.

They were also the cousins of famous sportscar racer Olivier Gendebien.

Philippe started playing tennis at the age of six. Philippe was coached by his father.

He won his first tournament on 9 May 1940 in La Rasante just one day before the Battle of Belgium during which he volunteered to join the Belgian Army.

In 1942, Philippe won the French junior championships.

Philippe retired from tennis in 1961, moved to Switzerland and subsequently started playing golf.

In 1964, he represented Belgium in the Eisenhower Trophy.

In 1955 he lent his own Ferrari 250 Europa GT Pinin Farina Coupe car to Olivier Gendebien who drove it in the Liège-Rome-Liège rally and finished third.

After retiring, Philippe served as the president of the Royal Léopold Club between 1983 and 1994, which his family saved from bankruptcy in 1948.

He remained its major shareholder afterwards.

Philippe Washer passed away on 27 November 2015 at the age of 91.