AMONG THE GREATEST

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29713, 5 January 1962, Page 7

AMONG THE GREATEST

IN spite of the achievements of the Kramers, Sedgmans and Hoads, Anthony Frederick Wilding, four times Wimbledon winner, still ranks as one of the greatest Wimbledon winners, one of the world’s greatest sportsmen. He was remarkable not only for his ability at a game but for his character and personality. Born in 1883, Anthony Wilding played tennis from boyhood on the court of his father, Mr Frederick Wilding, K.C., at their beautiful home. “Fownhope,” Opawa. Educated at Wilson’s School, Christchurch, and for a few months at Canterbury University College, Anthony Wilding was at first more interested in cricket than in tennis and he represented Canterbury at that sport. But promise of his future in tennis was given when he won the Canterbury championship in the 1900-01 season at the age of 17. Wilding went to England in 1902 and entered Trinity College, Cambridge, to study law. Although an all-round athlete, he concentrated on tennis and, after winning the Cambridge freshmen's tournament, he soon gained his Blue. At the same time he completely reorganised the university tennis club as its secretary.

From then he embarked on a career in tennis that has not been equalled by any New Zealander and by only

a few overseas players. When he returned to New Zealand in 1906 he had won many trophies at English tournaments and that year won the New Zealand title for the first time, subsequently winning again in 1908 and 1909.

To the young New Zealander physical fitness was almost a religion; he did not drink or smoke. His great stamina and enthusiasm for tennis and for motor-cycling were demonstrated in two strenuous years —1907 and 1908. Leaving New Zealand early in 1907 he played in turn on the Riviera, in Paris, London, Germany, Austria, and at Wimbledon, and then shuttled twice between Austria and England, the whole programme stretching from March to September.

Busy Year The next year he engaged in an even more intensive campaign of tennis and travel. On his motor-cycle he travelled to many parts of the Continent to attend tournaments. After two months on the Riviera, he again toured the Continent, retained his doubles title at Wimbledon, played in Austria and Germany and then voyaged to Melbourne to help retain the Davis Cup for Australasia with Norman Brookes. The next spring he was back in Melbourne beating Brookes in the Victorian championship I

and in less than a year he was at Johannesburg winning the South African title.

A rest of almost a year in New Zealand in 1909 would seem to have been a welcome rest which prepared him to win the coveted Wimbledon singles title in 1910 at his fifth attempt. At that time the holder of the title did not have to play through the tournament but was required to play only the challenge round.

In 1910, Wilding beat A. W. Gore, and he retained the title in 1911 when the challenger, Roper Barrett, retired at two sets all. The next year he beat Gore again but the 1913 match was the most notable of his victories. He beat the American. M. E. McLoughlin, by superb confidence and grim determination in the face of a very fast service. He lost the title to Brookes in 1914.

Wilding and Brookes proved a grand Davis Cup team. In 1907 they beat England in the challenge round. They successfully defended the cup in 1908 at Melbourne and in 1909 at Sydney. Wilding did not play in the cup again until 1914 when Australasia regained the cup, beating Germany, England, and then America.

On May 9. 1915, Captain Anthony Wilding was killed during an attack in which his armoured car section was involved in France,