Wilfred Baddeley

Wilfred Baddeley (11 January 1872 – 24 January 1929) was a British male tennis player and the elder of the Baddeley twins.

Wilfred Baddeley

Country (sports)	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Born	(1872-01-11)11 January 1872 Bromley, England
Died	24 January 1929(1929-01-24) (aged 57) Menton, France
Turned pro	1887 (amateur tour)
Retired	1903
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	2013 (member page)
Singles
Career record	93–23 (80.1%)[1]
Career titles	29[2]
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1891, ITHF)[3]
Grand Slam singles results
Wimbledon	W (1891, 1892, 1895)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	W (1891, 1894, 1895, 1896)

Career

The Lawn Tennis Championship at Wimbledon 1891, Messrs Baddeley and Pim competing for the Finals

Wilfred, the better-known competitor, made his debut at Wimbledon in 1889 and he went on to win singles title three times in 1891, 1892 and 1895.^[4] His 6–4, 1–6, 7–5, 6–0 win over Joshua Pim in 1891 at the age of 19 years and five months made him, until Boris Becker in 1985, the youngest men's singles champion at Wimbledon.^[5] He was also runner-up in 1893, 1894 and 1896. With Herbert, he won four doubles championships at Wimbledon in 1891, 1894 – 1896.^[4] The twins retired from competitive lawn tennis after the 1897 Wimbledon Championships to pursue their law careers but made a reappearance in the doubles event at Wimbledon in 1904 and 1905. In total he participated in eight Wimbledon singles tournaments and eleven doubles tournaments between 1889 and 1905.^[6]

Baddeley was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.^[3]

Professional life

In February 1895 the brothers qualified in London as solicitors. They joined their uncle and father Thomas and E. P. Baddeley in Leadenhall Street at the family firm, founded by their great-grandfather in 1790. The brothers remained partners in the firm until 1919, when they retired leaving their cousin, Cyril Baddeley, to carry on in the family name.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 6 (3 titles, 3 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1891	Wimbledon	Grass	Joshua Pim	6–4, 1–6, 7–5, 6–0
Win	1892	Wimbledon	Grass	Joshua Pim	4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2
Loss	1893	Wimbledon	Grass	Joshua Pim	6–3, 1–6, 3–6, 2–6
Loss	1894	Wimbledon	Grass	Joshua Pim	8–10, 2–6, 6–8
Win	1895	Wimbledon	Grass	W. V. Eaves	4–6, 2–6, 8–6, 6–2, 6–3
Loss	1896	Wimbledon	Grass	Harold Mahony	2–6, 8–6, 7–5, 6–8, 3–6

Doubles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1891	Wimbledon	Grass	Herbert Baddeley	Joshua Pim Frank Stoker	6–1, 6–3, 1–6, 6–2
Loss	1892	Wimbledon	Gras	Herbert Baddeley	Ernest Lewis Harold Barlow	6–4, 2–6, 6–8, 4–6
Win	1894	Wimbledon	Grass	Herbert Baddeley	Harold Barlow Ernest Lewis	5–7, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3, 8–6
Win	1895	Wimbledon	Grass	Herbert Baddeley	Ernest Lewis Herbert Wilberforce	8–6, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Win	1896	Wimbledon	Grass	Herbert Baddeley	Reginald Doherty Harold Nisbet	1–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2, 6–1
Loss	1897	Wimbledon	Grass	Herbert Baddeley	Reginald Doherty Laurence Doherty	4–6, 6–4, 6–8, 4–6