Rodney Heath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 June 1884 Melbourne, Australia |
| Died |
26 October 1936 (aged 52) Melbourne, Australia |
Rodney Wilfred Heath (15 June 1884 – 26 October 1936) was an Australian tennis player.
Personal[]
Heath was the second son of F. W. Heath who was the official timekeeper at the Victorian Racing Club and Victorian Amateur Turf Club. Rodney's brother C. V. Heath won the South Australian men's singles title in 1902.[2] In June 1915 Heath left Australia to join the Royal Flying Corps in England. He was promoted to the rank of major two years later.[3][4] In 1916 Heath was injured when he crash-landed his plane after flying into a snowstorm en route from England to France.[5]
Tennis career[]
Heath was the Men's Singles champion at the inaugural Australasian Championships in 1905 defeating Albert Curtis in four sets. He won again it five years later, in 1910, after a victory in the final against Horace Rice in three straight sets.[6][7][8]
In 1911 he played in the Davis Cup challenge round in New Zealand against the United States and defeated William Larned in four sets.[9]
In 1919 he reached the final of the Wimbledon Men's Doubles tournament with Randolph Lycett.
Death[]
On 26 October 1936, 9 months before his 53rd birthday, Heath was found dead in the bedroom of his sister's home in Melbourne, Australia. It is said that Heath died from melanoma in his stomach.
Grand Slam finals[]
Singles[]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1905 | Australasian Championships | Grass |  Arthur Curtis |
4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 | [10] |
| Win | 1910 | Australasian Championships | Grass | Horace Rice |
6–4, 6–3, 6–2 | [10] |
Doubles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runners-up)[]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1906 | Australasian Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding |
Cecil C. Cox Harry Parker |
6–2, 6–4, 6–2 | [11] |
| Loss | 1910 | Australasian Championships | Grass |  James O'Day |
Ashley Campbell Horace Rice |
3–6, 3–6, 2–6 | [12] |
| Win | 1911 | Australasian Championships | Grass | Randolph Lycett |
John Addison Norman Brookes |
6–2, 7–5, 6–0 | [13] |
| Win | 1914 | Australasian Championships | Grass | Arthur O'Hara Wood |
Ashley Campbell Gerald Patterson |
5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6 | [12] |
| Loss | 1919 | Wimbledon | Grass | Randolph Lycett |
Pat O'Hara-Wood Ronald Thomas |
4–6, 2–6, 6–4, 2–6 | [14] |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Rodney Heath: Career match record". Tennismem SAL. https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=HEATH%2C+RODNEY&player_input=&sub=2#aSubmenu.
- ↑ "Rodney Heath". http://www.tennis.co.nf/RODNEY%20HEATH.htm.
- ↑ "Death of MR. R. W. Heath.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1936. p. 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11929907.
- ↑ "Personal.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 23 June 1915. p. 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1526204.
- ↑ "Rod. Heath's Accident.". Sydney: National Library of Australia. 20 April 1916. p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116670273.
- ↑ Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 355, 357, 692, 693. ISBN 978-0942257700.
- ↑ "Inter-state Tennis. Australasian Championship.". 27 November 1905. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nd1jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7242,6122532.
- ↑ "Player Profiles – Rodney Heath". Tennis Australia. http://www.tennis.com.au/player-profiles/rodney-heath.
- ↑ "Davis Cup Player Profile – Rodney Heath". International Tennis Federation (ITF). http://www.daviscup.com/en/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10003626.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Australian Open Results Archive / Men's Singles". http://2015.ausopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/events/MS.html.
- ↑ "Australian Open Results Archive / 1906 Men's Doubles". http://2015.ausopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/draws/1906_MD_1.html.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Australian Open Results Archive / Men's Doubles". http://2015.ausopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/events/MD.html.
- ↑ "Australian Open Results Archive / 1911 Men's Doubles". http://2015.ausopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/draws/1911_MD_1.html.
- ↑ "Wimbledon Rolls of Honour / Gentlemen's Doubles". http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/roll_of_honour/gentlemensdoubles.html.
External links[]
- Rodney Heath at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Rodney Heath at the International Tennis Federation
- Rodney Heath at the Davis Cup
- Rodney Heath at Tennis Australia
The original article can be found at Rodney Heath and the edit history here.