James Willard

Not to be confused with James E. Willard.
James Willard
Full name Arthur James Willard
Country  Australia
Born 22 April 1893
Tambaroora, New South Wales
Died 10 June 1968 (aged 75)
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Plays Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open F (1926)
French Open 3R (1930)
Wimbledon 2R (1924)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games 3R (1924)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open F (1928)
French Open F (1930)
Wimbledon QF (1930)
Olympic Games 2R (1924)
Mixed Doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open W (1924, 1925)
Wimbledon 3R (1930)

Arthur James Willard (22 April 1893 – 10 June 1968), also known as Anthony Willard or Jim Willard, was an Australian tennis player.

Tennis career

Willard won two mixed doubles titles alongside Daphne Akhurst at the Australasian Championships, the future Australian Open, in 1924 and 1925. Willard also finished singles runner-up to John Hawkes in 1926 and reached the semifinals in 1927 and 1930.[1] He was the mixed doubles runner-up in Australia in 1926 and 1927, and doubles runner-up at the Australian Championships in 1928 and at the French Championships in 1930. He participated in the 1924 Wimbledon Championships, losing in the second round of the singles event. He returned at the 1930 Championships where he lost in the first round of the singles event, reached the quarterfinal of the doubles with Harry Hopman and made it to the third round of the mixed doubles partnering Lolette Payot.[2]

Willard competed in the singles and doubles event at the 1924 Summer Olympics. In the singles he made it to the third round before being defeated by Sydney Jacob. In the doubles event he teamed up with James Bayley and reached the second round in which they lost to eventual Olympic champions Vincent Richards and Frank Hunter.[3][4]

Willard won the Sydney metropolitan championships in October 1929 after a victory in the final against Jack Crawford.[5]

Grand Slam finals

Singles

Runner-up (1)

Year Championship Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
1926 Australasian Championships Grass Australia John Hawkes 6–1, 6–3, 6–1

Doubles

Runner-up (2)

Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
1928 Australian Championships Grass Australia Edgar Moon France Jean Borotra
France Jacques Brugnon 		6–2, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1930 French Championships Clay (Red) Australia Harry Hopman France Henri Cochet
France Jacques Brugnon 		6–3, 9–7, 6–3

Mixed doubles

Winner (2)

Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
1924 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Daphne Akhurst Australia Esna Boyd Robertson
Australia Edgar Hone 		6–3, 6–4
1925 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Daphne Akhurst Australia Sylvia Lance Harper
Australia Robert Schlesinger 		6–4, 6–4

Runner-up (2)

Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
1926 Australasian Championships Grass Australia Daphne Akhurst Australia Esna Boyd Robertson
Australia John Hawkes 		6–2, 6–4
1927 Australian Championships Grass Australia Youtha Anthony Australia Esna Boyd Robertson
Australia John Hawkes 		6–1, 6–3

References

  1. ↑ "1926 Australasian Championships draw". grandslamtennis.freeukisp.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  2. ↑ "Wimbledon players archive – James Willard". AELTC.
  3. ↑ "Olympic Sports – Athletes – Jim Willard". sports-reference.com.
  4. ↑ "Anthony Willard – Olympic Results". Australian Olympic Committee.
  5. ↑ "TENNIS.". Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954) (Lismore, NSW: National Library of Australia). 28 October 1929. p. 6.

External links