Count Imre Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeő (; 22 July 1909 – 28 September 1999) was a Hungarian left-handed amateur tennis player, count and inventor. He was related to the Hungarian Asian explorer Jenő Zichy.
During the Second World War, he emigrated to Spain where he died at the age of 90. He was a member of the Hungary Davis Cup team between 1933–34 and was mainly a doubles and mixed doubles player winning several titles during his career. He was also a three-times national doubles champion.
Biography
Count Zichy was born in the family property at Sárszentmihály, being the fifth son of Count Raphael Zichy and wife, , and lived in Hungary until 1943, when he moved to Madrid and stay there for the rest of his life. On 29 August 1947, he married in Enschede Dutch divorcée Edith Marie Ledeboer, formerly Mrs. Oswald, and had a single child:
Count Imre Helmich Paul Zichy (b. 28 June 1952), who married on 2 April 1979 María Teresa Sánchez-Arjona y Eyaralar, daughter of Manuel Sánchez-Arjona y Courtoy and María Teresa Eyaralar y Azcona and had five children: Countess Edina Melanie Maria (b. 14 January 1980), married on 30 April 2010 Jose Márquez y Gonzalez de Gregorio, eldest son of Rafael Márquez, 9th Count of las Torres de Alcorrín and former wife Pilar González de Gregorio, 13th Duchess of Fernandina Countess Stephanie Charlotte Maria (b. 27 September 1983), married Álvaro Rosillo Echevarría, son of the late Francisco de Borja Rosillo y Colón de Carvajal and Virgina de Echevarría y Wakonigg. Count Imre Enrique Ignacio (b. 18 August 1987) Count Nándor Károly (b. 8 August 1989) Countess Teresa Manuela (b. 7 Juni 1992)
In 1957, he invented the reversing light for cars and its operating system. Imre Zichy died on 28 September 1999 in Madrid. His funeral was held at the San Agustín del Guadalix Church on 26 October 1999.
Tennis career
Count Zichy started his tennis career by competing in the Hungarian Junior Championships where he was a runner-up for the doubles and third in singles in 1929. Later he won the Hungarian National Tennis Championships in doubles (1931, '32, '34) and in mixed doubles (1931). He also won the Hungarian International Tennis Championships in doubles in 1931 and 1932. He kept playing tennis in Spain.
Doubles Legend (singles) International Championships (3)
Titles No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score 1. 1931 Oradean Championships N/A Béla von Kehrling Popławski / Stolarow 3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–2 2. 1931 Hungarian International Championships N/A Emil Gabrovitz Béla von Kehrling/ Franjo Šefer 11–13, 6–3, 6–2, 1–6, 7–5
Runner-up
No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score 1. 1931 Budapest International Championships N/A Iván Balás Béla von Kehrling / Emil Gabrovitz N/A 2. 1931 Warsaw International Championships N/A Iván Balás Ferenc Marsalek / Josef Siba 6–3, 2–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 3. 1931 Tatra International Tournament N/A Franz Wilhelm Matejka Roderich Menzel/ Klein w/o 4. 1932 Italian Riviera Championships N/A Béla von Kehrling George Lyttleton-Rogers/ Tatsuyoshi Miki 4–6, 8–6, 6–4, 7–5 5. 1944 San Sebastian international N/A Mario Szawost Fernando Olózaga/ Julio Fleischner 6–0, 6–4, 0–6, 7–5
Mixed doubles
Titles
No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score 1. 1931 Hungarian International Championships N/A Lenke Zizovits Béla von Kehrling / Mrs. Deutch w/o
Runner-up
No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score 1. 1931 Budapest International Championships N/A Jankovich Béla von Kehrling / Szapáry N/A
Davis Cup
Europe Zone Round Date Opponents Final match score Venue Surface Match Opponent Rubber score1R5 – 7 May 19330–5BudapestN/ADoubles (with Emil Gabrovitz)Jiro Sato / Ryosuki Nunoi0–6, 1–6, 2–6 (L)2R3 – 5 Aug 19343–2BudapestClayDoubles (with Emil Ferenczy)Johan Haanes / Finn-Trygve Smith6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 (L)QF31 Aug – 2 Sep 19342–3BudapestN/ADoubles (with Emil Gabrovitz)Franjo Šefer / Franjo Punčec4–6, 4–6, 3–6 (L)
Friendly/Exhibition matches
Outcome Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Scoreloss 1931 Cluj-Napoca N/A Ivan Balás Henri Cochet / André Merlin 6–0, 6–2loss (4–2) 1931 Hungary–Italy friendly team match N/A Emil Gabrovitz N/A Outcome Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score Draw 1931 Cluj-Napoca N/A Michael Cantacuzène 6–6
Ancestry
Bibliography
Béla von Kehrling, ed. (1931). Tennisz és Golf. III (Budapest, Hungary: Egyesült Kő-, Könyvnyomda. Könyv- és Lapkiadó Rt.) 1–24 (in Hungarian). Retrieved 10 February 2012.
References
External links