Sydney Jacob

{{Short description|Indian tennis player}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox tennis biography | name = Sydney Montague Jacob | fullname = Sydney Montague Jacob | image = Sydney Jacob 1921.jpg | image_upright = .8 | alt = | caption = Jacob in 1921 | country = {{flagicon|IND|British}} India | residence = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1879|10|28}} | birth_place = Dalhousie, British India | death_date = {{death date and age|1977|2|14|1879|10|28|df=yes}} | death_place = Woldingham, Surrey, England | height = | weight = | college = | turnedpro = 1907 (amateur tour) | retired = 1928 |singlesrecord = {{tennis record|won=55|lost=37}}<ref name="tb">{{cite web |title=Players: Jacob, Sydney Montague. |url=https://thetennisbase.com/players/ |website=The Tennis Base |publisher=Tennismem SL |access-date=21 August 2023 |location=Madrid |url-access=subscription |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607054304/https://thetennisbase.com/players/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |singlestitles = 15<ref name="tb"/> | plays = | careerprizemoney = | tennishofyear = | tennishofid = | website = |AustralianOpenresult = |FrenchOpenresult = SF (1925) |Wimbledonresult = QF (1925) |USOpenresult = |Othertournaments = yes |Olympicsresult = QF (1924) |doublesrecord = |doublestitles = |highestdoublesranking = |currentdoublesranking = |grandslamsdoublesresults = |AustralianOpenDoublesresult = |FrenchOpenDoublesresult = |WimbledonDoublesresult = SF (1921) |USOpenDoublesresult = |OthertournamentsDoubles = |OlympicsDoublesresult = 1R (1924) |Mixed = yes |mixedrecord = |mixedtitles = |AustralianOpenMixedresult = |FrenchOpenMixedresult = |WimbledonMixedresult = 2R (1924, 1925, 1927) |USOpenMixedresult = |OthertournamentsMixedDoubles = |OlympicMixedDoublesresult = 2R (1924) }}

'''Sydney Montague Jacob''' (28 October 1879 – 14 February 1977) was an Anglo-Indian tennis player who represented India at the Davis Cup and Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/283 |title=Sydney Jacob |work=Olympedia |access-date=21 November 2021 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121200503/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/283 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was active from 1907 to 1928 and won 15 career singles titles.<ref name="tb"/>

==Career== He competed in the singles event at the 1924 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarterfinal in which he lost to Jean Borotra. With compatriot Mohammed Sleem, he competed in the men's doubles event and reached the second round. He also competed in the mixed doubles event with compatriot Nora Polley but lost their first match in the second round after a bye in the first round.<ref name=sportsreference>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ja/sydney-jacob-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418084223/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ja/sydney-jacob-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Olympic Sports – Athletes – Sydney Jacob |work=sports-reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=When Polley made history in Paris|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/tennis/article3635901.ece|work=The Hindu|author=Stan Rayan|date=14 July 2012|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203155147/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/tennis/article3635901.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> Jacob reached the semi-finals at the French championships in 1925, where he beat Jacques Brugnon and Andre Gobert before losing to René Lacoste.<ref name="gsta">{{cite web|title=French Open 1925|url=http://www.tennis.co.nf/FRENCH%20OPEN%201925.htm|website=www.tennis.co.nf|access-date=5 October 2017|archive-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924225701/http://www.tennis.co.nf/FRENCH%20OPEN%201925.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> He won the London Covered Court Championships two times, in 1925 and 1927.

He published an autobiographical book titled ''Favour for Fools in a Decadent Empire: A Skeletal Autobiography''.<ref>{{cite book|title = Favour for Fools in a Decadent Empire|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=j4xJPAAACAAJ|last1 = Jacob|first1 = Sydney Montague|year = 1986|access-date = 17 July 2021|archive-date = 12 April 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240412100831/https://books.google.com/books?id=j4xJPAAACAAJ|url-status = live}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{ATP}} * {{ITF}} * [http://www.myjacobfamily.com/favershamjacobs/sydneymontaguejacob.htm Website bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, Sydney}} Category:1879 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Anglo-Indian people Category:People from Solan district Category:Indian male tennis players Category:Olympic tennis players for India Category:Tennis players at the 1924 Summer Olympics Category:Indian emigrants to England Category:British people of Anglo-Indian descent