James Willard

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

James Willard
Full nameArthur James Willard
Country (sports) Australia
Born(1893-04-22)22 April 1893
Tambaroora, New South Wales
Died10 June 1968(1968-06-10) (aged 75)
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenF (1926)
French Open3R (1930)
Wimbledon2R (1924)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games3R (1924)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenF (1928)
French OpenF (1930)
WimbledonQF (1930)
Olympic Games2R (1924)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian OpenW (1924, 1925)
Wimbledon3R (1930)

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. 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.[1]

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.[2][3]

Willard won the Sydney metropolitan championships in October 1929 after a victory in the final against Jack Crawford.[4]

He became a professional player in February 1933.[5]

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 runner-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1926Australasian ChampionshipsGrass John Hawkes6–1, 6–3, 6–1

Doubles (2 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1928Australian ChampionshipsGrass Edgar Moon Jean Borotra
Jacques Brugnon
2–6, 6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Loss1930French ChampionshipsClay Harry Hopman Henri Cochet
Jacques Brugnon
3–6, 7–9, 3–6

Mixed doubles (2 titles, 2 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1924Australasian ChampionshipsGrass Daphne Akhurst Esna Boyd Robertson
Gar Hone
6–3, 6–4
Win1925Australasian ChampionshipsGrass Daphne Akhurst Sylvia Lance Harper
Robert Schlesinger
6–4, 6–4
Loss1926Australasian ChampionshipsGrass Daphne Akhurst Esna Boyd Robertson
John Hawkes
2–6, 4–6
Loss1927Australian ChampionshipsGrass Youtha Anthony Esna Boyd Robertson
John Hawkes
1–6, 3–6

References

  1. "Wimbledon players archive – James Willard". AELTC.
  2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jim Willard". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  3. "Anthony Willard – Olympic Results". Australian Olympic Committee.
  4. "Tennis". The Northern Star. 28 October 1929. p. 6 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Tennis Pro". The Sun (7217). Sydney. 15 February 1933. p. 15 via National Library of Australia.
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