Anthony Frederick Wilding

Anthony "Tony" Frederick Wilding (31 October 1883 – 9 May 1915) was a champion tennis player from Christchurch, New Zealand and a soldier killed in action during World War I near Neuve-Chapelle, Pas-de-Calais, France.

He was the son of wealthy English immigrants to New Zealand and enjoyed the use of private tennis courts at their home. He obtained a legal education and joined his father's law firm. Wilding was a first-class cricketer and a keen motorcycle enthusiast. His tennis career starting with him winning the Canterbury Championships aged 17. He developed into a leading tennis player in the world during 1909–1914 and is considered to be a former World number 1. He won 11 Major titles including in 6 singles and 5 in doubles and was both World Hard Court and World Covered Court champion then an ITF Major, he also won the Davis Cup several times for Australasia, and won a bronze medal at the 1912 Olympics. In his ranking list of greatest tennis players compiled in 1950, Norman Brookes put Wilding in fourth place. He still owns a number all-time tennis records that still stand to this day. They are 114 career outdoor titles (shared with Rod Laver) first ahead of Ken Rosewall, Bill Tilden and Roger Federer, 75 career clay court titles that places him in front of Guillermo Vilas and Rafael Nadal also most singles title won in a single season 23 in (1906) places him first ahead Laver, Tilden and Vilas. In addition to his 3 consecutive 13+ singles title's winning seasons,(1906-1908).His 39 career grass court title's ranks him 3rd all-time behind Laver and Rosewall.

Wilding was the second of five children of Frederick Wilding and Julia Anthony and was named after both parents. Cora Wilding was a younger sister. Wilding's parents had emigrated from Herefordshire, England in 1879. His father was a well-to-do lawyer in Christchurch, New Zealand who also played tennis and won several doubles championships of New Zealand. At their house they had two tennis courts, one asphalt court for use in the wintaller and one grass court for summer play. Tony was first educated at William Wilson's private school for boys in Cranmer Square, where he was captain of the school football team at 12, then attended the Canterbury University College for six months before going to England in 1902 to study law at Trinity College, Cambridge University, where he developed his tennis game as a member of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. He passed the law examination and graduated B.A. in June 1905 and returned to New Zealand to join his father's law practice. Finishing his education, he was called to the English Bar at the Inner Temple in June 1906.

Links:

• Cenotaph Record
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
• New Zealand War Graves Project
• wikipedia.org