Tony Wilding
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| Olympic medalist | |||
 Anthony Wilding |
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| Medal record | |||
| Men's Tennis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1912 Stockholm | Indoor singles | |
Anthony ("Tony") Frederick Wilding (born October 31, 1883 in Christchurch, New Zealand – died May 9, 1915 near Neuve-Chapelle, Pas-de-Calais, France) was a champion tennis player and a soldier killed in action during World War I. He was the World No. 1 player in 1913.
From a well-to-do New Zealand family, he was educated in New Zealand before attending Cambridge University, where he developed his tennis game.
In 1905, Wilding made his first Davis Cup appearance as part of the Australasian team and the following year won the Australian Open singles and doubles championships. Finishing his education, he was called to the English Bar in 1906.
Between 1907 and 1909 he helped the Australasian team win the Davis Cup then won his second Australian Open in 1909, the same year he qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor at the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Focusing on his tennis game, he then won the Wimbledon Championships singles title for four straight years between 1910 and 1913 and narrowly missed winning his fifth in a row but lost in the 1914 finals to Norman Brookes. In addition, he won four doubles titles at Wimbledon. In 1914, he returned to Davis Cup play, leading the Australasian team to another championship.
At the outbreak of World War I, Tony Wilding joined the Royal Marines, serving as a Captain with the Armoured Car Division in the battlefields of France. He was killed in action on May 9, 1915 during the Battle of Aubers Ridge at Neuve-Chapelle, France.
Captain Tony Wilding was buried in the Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery in Richebourg-L'Avoue, Pas-de-Calais, France. In 1978, he was named to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
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[edit] Trivia
- Wilding Park, the principal venue for tennis in Christchurch, is named in his honour.
- Pete Sampras was the first persons to break his record across multiple Wimbledon wins in doubles, singles and mixed doubles.
- Dated and was about to marry Hollywood silent screen star Maxine Elliot.[1]
- Said to be first person to take a motorbike solo around Europe.[2]
- Had no children.
- Closest relatives include Anna Wilding,producer, director, actress, Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut who lives in United States.[3]
[edit] Grand Slam Titles:
- Singles:
- Australian Open: 1906, 1909
- Wimbledon Championships: 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913
- Doubles:
- Australian Open: 1906
- Wimbledon Championships: 1907, 1908, 1910, 1914
[edit] Other Titles:
- Davis Cup:
- Winning team: 1907, 1908, 1909, 1914
