Josef
Koželuh
Male
Czechoslovakia
1890-00-00
Prague, Czechoslovakia
1974-00-00
Copenhagen, Denmark
Josef Koželuh was the brother of fellow lawn tennis players Alois, Antonin, František, Jan, Karel and Marie Koželuh. They were seven of the ten children – seven sons and three daughters – of Josef Koželuh, senior (1860-1926), a bakery worker and native of Beranova Lhota who later moved to Prague, and Marie Koželuhová (née Králíček; 1853-1950), who was originally from Český Brod in Central Bohemia.
The Koželuhs lived in a small apartment on Škroupova Street in Prague, on the Letná Plain (Letenská pláň), a hill overlooking the historic centre of Prague, located beside Stromkova, or the Royal Park. This area was also the centre of sport in Prague, with tennis courts and football pitches and clubs having been established there. It was there that the Koželuh children were first able to take part in different sports.
Like several of his siblings, Josef Koželuh excelled at a number of sports including lawn tennis and football. During World War One, he played for the Austrian football team Rapid Vienna. In 1919, Josef and Karel Koželuh took part in the special Inter-Allied Games in Paris, where they lost to Pat O’Hara Wood and Randolph Lycett in five sets, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In 1921, Josef accepted the offer of King Gustav V, a keen lawn tennis player, to coach him at the sport. He also gave lessons to the king’s granddaughter Ingrid, who later became Queen of Sweden. Josef also enjoyed some success on the professional lawn tennis circuit. Together, Josef and Karel Koželuh won the men’s doubles event at the Bristol Cup in Beaulieu, France. Josef was ranked no. 10 among professionals in 1930.
In later life Josef Koželuh settled in Denmark. His son, Bent (1922-81), also became a tennis player, representing Denmark, and took part in the Wimbledon tournament in 1949. Josef Koželuh died in Copenhagen in 1974.
1930 - 1930
0
2
1
Round 1
Round 2
Martin Plaa 1 *
Josef Koželuh
8-6
3-6
6-2
4-6
6-0