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General First nameFrank Herbert David
LastnameWilde
GenderMale
CountryEngland
Date of birth1911-03-01
Place of birthWimbledon, England
Date of death1982-02-06
Place of deathEastergate, West Sussex, England


About

From The Times, 16 February 1982:

Mr Frank Wilde

Mr Arthur P. Arnold writes: With the passing or Frank Wilde a great personality has left the scene of British tennis. Francis Herbert David Wilde was born on March 19, 1911, in Wimbledon and was educated at Mercers School. He learnt his tennis at the Herga Lawn Tennis Club, Harrow, of which both his parents were members.

Subsequently he became well known at Wimbledon where in 1937 and 1939 he was a finalist in the men's doubles with Charles Hare, and as a member of the England Davis Cup Team in 1937, 1938 and 1939. He was also the winner of the men’s doubles at both the British Hard Court and Covered Championships, among other successes.

After becoming a professional coach, it was the good fortune of many to get to know him both in that capacity, and also as a friend. I met him first at the indoor court in Hall Road, Saint John’s Wood, where some members of my club – Highgate Lawn Tennis Club – and others used to play during the week, and where, if we were ever short of a “fourth”, he was always ready to join us if he was not engaged in coaching.

He gave lessons at our club both when it was off North Hill, in the playing fields at Highgate, and later when it moved to its present home in Twyford Avenue, East Finchley, and it was always a great joy to see his familiar stocky figure on the courts, imparting advice and help to many young, and also not so young, aspiring players.

Although he had a rather serious look, he was essentially a kindly and friendly personality, and even after his earlier illness, a year or so ago, he was game to the end. He had to travel a long way from his West Sussex home, and owed a great deal to the devoted help of his wife, Molly who, after his illness, would drive him to and fro regularly.

Media


Archive statistics Career1929 - 1951
Tournament wins24
Matches169
Match wins91


Tournament wins 1937 - Dulwich (Amateur)
1937 - Southdean Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1937 - Cromer Covered Courts (Amateur)
1937 - Welsh Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1936 - Dulwich (Amateur)
1936 - Southdean Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1936 - Carmarthenshire Championships (Amateur)
1936 - Southdean-on-Sea (Amateur)
1935 - Southdean-on-Sea 2nd Meeting (Amateur)
1935 - Dulwich (Amateur)
1935 - Welsh Covered Court Championships (Amateur)
1935 - Cheltenham (Amateur)
1935 - Harpenden (Amateur)
1934 - Middlesex Championships (Amateur)
1934 - Northumberland Championships (Amateur)
1933 - Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) (Open)
1933 - London Hard Courts (Amateur)
1933 - Surrey Hard Court Championships (Open)
1932 - St. George's Hill (Amateur)
1931 - Irish Hard Court Championships (Amateur)
1931 - London Hard Courts (Amateur)
1931 - Felixstowe Autumn Meeting (Amateur)
1931 - Heaton Bradford (Amateur)
1930 - Irish Hard Court Championships (Amateur)


Tournaments Wembley Professional Championships - 1951 Wembley Professional Championships - 1950 Slazenger Professional - 1950 British Professional Championships - 1948 Wimbledon - 1946 British Hard Court Championships - 1946 North of England Championships - 1946 Wimbledon - 1939 Roland Garros - 1939 British Hard Court Championships - 1939 Scandinavian Championships - 1939 Wimbledon - 1938 Roland Garros - 1938 North of England Championships - 1938 Harrogate Hard Courts - 1938 Wimbledon - 1937 Roland Garros - 1937 Irish Championships - 1937 German International Championships - 1937 Dulwich - 1937 British Covered Court Championships - 1937 International Club Matches - GBR - 1937 GB vs AUS Exhibition - 1937 Palace Hotel - 1937 Welsh Covered Court Championships - 1937 Cromer Covered Courts - 1937 Southdean Covered Court Championships - 1937 Elbe Cup - 1937 Wimbledon - 1936 Roland Garros - 1936 Dulwich - 1936 Kent Championships - 1936 British Covered Court Championships - 1936 International Club Matches - FRA - 1936 International Club Matches - GBR - 1936 Palace Hotel - 1936 Torquay - 1936 Carmarthenshire Championships - 1936 Southdean Covered Court Championships - 1936 Southdean-on-Sea - 1936 Carlyon Bay Covered Court Championships - 1936 Wimbledon - 1935 Roland Garros - 1935 British Hard Court Championships - 1935 German International Championships - 1935 Dulwich - 1935 Cheltenham - 1935 Leicester - 1935 British Covered Court Championships - 1935 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1935 Welsh Covered Court Championships - 1935 Cumberland Hard Courts - 1935 Cromer Covered Courts Autumn Meeting - 1935 Harpenden - 1935 Roehampton Autumn Meeting - 1935 Highbury - 1935 Southdean-on-Sea 2nd Meeting - 1935 Australian Open - 1934 Wimbledon - 1934 US Open - 1934 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1934 Northumberland Championships - 1934 Leicester - 1934 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 4 - 1934 Middlesex Championships - 1934 Wimbledon - 1933 Roland Garros - 1933 US Open - 1933 Victorian Championships - 1933 Pacific Southwest Championships - 1933 British Hard Court Championships - 1933 Wimbledon Plate (Consolation) - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 1 - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 2 - 1933 Great Britain vs. Australia Test Match 3 - 1933 Surrey Hard Court Championships - 1933 London Hard Courts - 1933 Felixstowe Hard Courts - 1933 Wimbledon - 1932 German International Championships - 1932 St. George's Hill - 1932 Wimbledon - 1931 Hampshire Championships - 1931 British Covered Court Championships - 1931 St. George's Hill - 1931 Buxton - 1931 London Hard Courts - 1931 Frinton-on-Sea - 1931 Irish Hard Court Championships - 1931 Heaton Bradford - 1931 Felixstowe Autumn Meeting - 1931 Wimbledon - 1930 Irish Championships - 1930 Irish Hard Court Championships - 1930 Ulster Championships - 1930 Wimbledon - 1929 Irish Championships - 1929 Ulster Championships - 1929