Frank Herbert David Wilde (1 March 1911 – 6 February 1982) was a British tennis and table tennis player who played in the Davis Cup. He reached the final of the Wimbledon Championships on three occasions, twice in the men's doubles and once in mixed doubles.

Frank Wilde
Wilde in 1933
Full nameFrank Herbert David Wilde
Country (sports) United Kingdom
Born(1911-03-01)1 March 1911
Wimbledon, England
Died6 February 1982(1982-02-06) (aged 70)
Eastergate, England
Singles
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1934)
French Open4R (1933)
Wimbledon3R (1932)
US Open3R (1933, 1934)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonF (1936, 1939)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonF (1939)

Biography

edit

Wilde was born in Wimbledon, London on 1 March 1911.

Tennis career

edit

A right-handed player, Wilde represented Great Britain in the Davis Cup from 1937 to 1939. He featured mostly in doubles rubbers, of which he won two out of six. One of the four losses was in the final of the 1937 tournament, against the United States in London, partnering Raymond Tuckey. The British, who had won the last four titles, lost the tie 1-4.[1]

The first of his Wimbledon finals was in 1936 when he and partner Charles Hare lost a five set final.[2] At the 1939 Wimbledon Championships he again finished runner up with Hare and also lost the mixed doubles final, with Nina Brown.[3][4]

As a singles player his best Grand Slam performance was a fourth round appearance at the 1933 French Championships.[5] He won the All England Plate in 1933.

His career was interrupted by World War II, after his success at Wimbledon in 1939 he didn't reappear at the tournament until 1946.

Grand Slam finals

edit

Doubles (2 runner-ups)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1936 Wimbledon Grass   Charles Hare   Pat Hughes
  Raymond Tuckey
4–6, 6–3, 9–7, 1–6, 4–6
Loss 1939 Wimbledon Grass   Charles Hare   Elwood Cooke
  Bobby Riggs
3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 7–9

Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1939 Wimbledon Grass   Nina Brown   Bobby Riggs
  Alice Marble
7–9, 1–6

Table tennis career

edit

Wilde was part of the England team that won a bronze medal in the men's team event at the 1929 World Table Tennis Championships.[6][7] The team included Fred Perry.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "On This Day". ESPN.co.uk. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Miss Helen Jacobs' Victory Thrilling to 20,000 Spectators". The Sunday Morning Star. 5 July 1936. p. 23. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Wimbledon Tennis". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 10 July 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  4. ^ "California's Wimbledon". The Argus. Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 11 July 1939. p. 15. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  5. ^ "French Tennis". Sydney Morning Herald. NSW: National Library of Australia. 2 June 1933. p. 11. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Profile". Table Tennis Guide.
  7. ^ "Table Tennis World Championship medal winners". Sports123.
edit