Rodney Heath
Australian tennis player

Rodney Heath

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Australian tennis player
A.K.A.
Wilfrid Rodney Heath
Gender:
Male
Work field:
Birth:
15 June 1884(Melbourne)
Death:
6 October 1936(Melbourne)
Star sign:
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Biography

Introduction

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. 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. In 1916 Heath was injured when he crash-landed his plane after flying into a snowstorm en route from England to France.

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.

In 1911 he played in the Davis Cup challenge round in New Zealand against the United States and defeated William Larned in four sets.

In 1919 he reached the final of the Wimbledon Men's Doubles tournament with Randolph Lycett.

Death

On October 26, 1936, 9 months before his 53rd birthday, Heath was found dead in the bedroom of his sister's home in Melbourne, Australia. Nelson said that Heath died from melanoma in his stomach.

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1905 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Arthur Curtis 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4
Winner 1910 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Horace Rice 6–4, 6–3, 6–2

Doubles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1906 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Anthony Wilding Australia Cecil C. Cox
New Zealand Harry Parker
6–2, 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 1910 Australasian Championships Grass United Kingdom James O'Day Australia Ashley Campbell
Australia Horace Rice
3–6, 3–6, 2–6
Winner 1911 Australasian Championships Grass United Kingdom Randolph Lycett Australia John Addison
Australia Norman Brookes
6–2, 7–5, 6–0
Winner 1914 Australasian Championships Grass United Kingdom Arthur O'Hara Wood Australia Ashley Campbell
Australia Gerald Patterson
5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6
Runner-up 1919 Wimbledon Grass United Kingdom Randolph Lycett Australia Pat O'Hara-Wood
Australia Ronald Thomas
4–6, 2–6, 6–4, 2–6