A graduate of
Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, Hunt played college tennis at the
University of Southern California as a freshman, and he went undefeated in singles and doubles play while in college during 1938, including the
Ojai Tennis Tournament. During the 1940 quarterfinals against
Frank Kovacs, he staged a sit-down strike during the match after he complained to the referee about Kovacs' antics and was unhappy with the referee's lack of response. Early in their third set, Kovacs began engaging in prolonged antics with the stadium gallery. When the umpire would not stop Kovacs or quiet the crowd, Hunt sat down on his baseline and did not acknowledge several of Kovacs' serves, allowing them to fly by. Kovacs then sat down on his baseline, and the two players sat for up to five minutes while the crowd alternately jeered and cheered. When order was finally restored, Hunt went on to win the match in straight sets. Hunt represented the United States in the
1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge (now
Davis Cup) challenge round against Australia. He played the doubles match partnering
Jack Kramer which they lost to
John Bromwich and
Adrian Quist. Hunt married Jacque Carolyn Virgil in 1942. In September 1943, he won the United States singles championship at
Forest Hills while lying on the ground. On match point, Hunt collapsed with leg
cramps while his opponent,
Jack Kramer, who due to food poisoning had lost 19 pounds during tournament, Hunt was inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1966. In a 2014 interview Segura added: "He was a very good-looking man with a body like
Charles Atlas. He drew women to his matches. He would have been good for tennis. He was a credit to the game." ==Grand Slam finals==