Rodney Wilfrid
Heath
Male
Australia
1884-06-15
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
1936-10-26
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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.[2][3] In 1916 Heath was injured when he crash-landed his plane after flying into a snowstorm en route from England to France.[4]
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.[5][6][7]
In 1911 he played in the Davis Cup challenge round in New Zealand against the United States and defeated William Larned in four sets.[8]
In 1919 he reached the final of the Wimbledon Men's Doubles tournament with Randolph Lycett.
From The Age (Melbourne), 27 October 1936
Obituary – Mr Rodney W. Heath
Tennis circles particularly will regret to learn of the death yesterday of Mr Rodney W. Heath, who was 53 years of age. Deceased came to Australia as a youth, and in 1905 gained his first Australian singles tennis championship. The next year he won the doubles title with Anthony Wilding; in 1910 he was again singles champion; in 1911, partnered by Randolph Lycett, he secured the doubles title again.
He held inter-state singles titles up till 1914, and before retiring from first-class tennis about ten years ago had represented Australia three times in the Davis Cup. Heath played in the challenge round against the United States at Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1912, defeating by three sets the American champion, William Larned. His last appearance in Davis Cup tennis was against Briatin in 1920. In 1911, he won several European titles, and his last title was in 1925 when, with Miss Daphne Akhurst, he won the mixed doubles title at Deauville, France.
Deceased, who was not married, served with the R.A.F. during World War One, attaining the rank of major. He was a director of Gaunt’s (jewellers), of Bourke Street, Melbourne.
1901 - 1925
9
130
87
1914 - City of Sydney Championships (Amateur)
1913 - Victorian Championships (Amateur)
1911 - Wiesbaden Championships (Amateur)
1910 - Australian Open (Grandslam)
1910 - South Australian Championships ()
1909 - New South Wales Championships (Amateur)
1909 - Geelong Easter Tournament (Amateur)
1908 - New South Wales Championships (Amateur)
1905 - Australian Open (Grandslam)
Round 1
Jean Borotra 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-1
6-3
6-1
Round 1
Pierre Canivet 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Mr. Hennecart
6-1
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
H. Henrotin
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
Robert Champin 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-4
6-1
Round 2
H.J.P. Ham 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 2
W.A. Wise 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Joseph Finlayson
6-4
9-7
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Horace Rice
6-4
5-7
6-2
2-6
ret.
Round 3
Rodney Heath 1 *
Robert Monteith Rolland
0-6
6-1
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Pat O'Hara Wood 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
7-5
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Edward Druce (Ted) Yencken
6-3
6-0
6-2
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Leslie Newburn Rainey
6-3
6-2
6-4
Round 3
Rodney Heath 1 *
Ian Donald McInnes
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Gerald Patterson 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-4
6-1
6-3
Round 2
Alan Saint-Clair Brown 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
E.J. Ryan
6-1
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
James Ford Strachan
6-3
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Pat O'Hara Wood 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-1
6-1
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Edward Stanley Franklin
w.o.
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Maxwell (Max) Woosnam
6-4
6-3
7-5
Round 3
Rodney Heath 1 *
Brian Norton
5-7
3-6
6-1
6-4
6-2
Round 4
André Gobert 1 *
Rodney Heath
3-6
6-4
6-4
61
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
E.D. Stevenson
6-0
6-1
6-1
Round 3
Major Josiah George Ritchie 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
1-6
6-4
6-0
Round 1
Alain Gerbault 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
4-6
ret.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Samuel Percival England
6-3
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Leslie Norman Roebuck
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Ronald Victor Thomas
6-1
3-6
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Gerald Patterson 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
6-2
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Samuel Percival England
6-3
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Leslie Norman Roebuck
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Ronald Victor Thomas
6-1
3-6
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Gerald Patterson 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
6-2
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Dalgairns Outram Anderson
6-1
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Norman Peach
6-1
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Henry Marsh
4-6
6-3
7-5
3-6
6-2
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Gordon Wright
7-5
3-6
6-2
6-3
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
James Ford Strachan
6-0
6-2
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson
6-0
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Norman Barnard
6-0
6-3
6-4
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Joseph Croswell Blair
6-2
6-2
6-1
Final
Horace Rice 1 *
Rodney Heath
1-6
6-3
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson
6-0
6-1
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Gerald Patterson
11-13
6-2
3-6
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Stanley Doust
6-3
9-11
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Arthur O'Hara Wood
6-4
7-9
3-6
6-1
6-3
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Norman Brookes
w.o.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
L.G.H. Watson
6-1
6-1
6-3
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
James Anderson
6-2
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Henry Marsh 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Poule
James Cecil Parke 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
6-4
6-4
Poule
Charles Dixon 1 *
Rodney Heath
5-7
6-4
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Alfred Jones
8-6
5-7
7-5
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
John Johnston Addison
6-3
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
Norman Brookes 1 *
Rodney Heath
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-3
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
N.D. Malcolm
w.o.
Round 3
Rodney Heath 1 *
Alfred C. Hunter
6-0
6-2
6-1
Round 4
Rodney Heath 1 *
Frank Cochran
6-1
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Max Decugis 1 *
Rodney Heath
10-8
6-4
7-5
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Alfred Jones
8-6
5-7
7-5
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
John Johnston Addison
6-3
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
Norman Brookes 1 *
Rodney Heath
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-3
Round 1
F.P. Wilson 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 1
Heinrich Kleinschroth 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Final
Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-4
6-4
7-9
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
C.W. Murray
7-5
6-2
6-1
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
John Ronald (Jack) Brinkley
6-2
6-1
6-2
Round 3
Alfred Beamish 1 *
Rodney Heath
2-6
6-2
6-2
6-4
Round 2
Dick S. Ollesheimer 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Ferdinand Uhl
6-1
6-0
Round 3
Rodney Heath 1 *
Curt Bergmann
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Otto Von Muller 1 *
Rodney Heath
2-6
6-4
6-3
Round 1
Herbert Roper Barrett 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
6-4
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe
6-4
4-6
7-5
7-5
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
M. Ponzini
6-0
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Mr. Ascarelli
6-0
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Gino (Gingi) De Martino
6-2
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Max Decugis 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
5-7
6-4
6-1
Poule
Rodney Heath 1 *
Beals Wright
w.o.
Poule
Rodney Heath 1 *
Bill Larned
2-6
6-1
7-5
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Justin Leyden O'Dea
6-1
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Harry Alabaster Parker
6-2
6-4
9-7
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Reginald Harper Reid
6-0
6-3
7-5
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Horace Rice
6-4
6-3
6-2
Challenge Round
Rodney Heath 1 *
Harry Alabaster Parker
5-7
6-1
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Frederick Ernest Down
6-1
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
Stanley Doust 1 *
Rodney Heath
4-6
6-4
6-2
2-6
6-0
Round 1
Moritz von Bissing 1 *
Rodney Heath
w.o.
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson
6-1
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Norman Brookes 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
6-3
6-0
Challenge Round
Rodney Heath 1 *
Dr Granville Gilbert Sharp
6-1
3-6
6-1
0-6
6-3
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Arthur Leeson Baird
6-2
6-2
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Alfred Dunlop
5-7
6-0
6-3
Round 1
Fred Alexander 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
6-1
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Harry Gibbes
6-0
6-3
6-2
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Percy Brereton Colquhoun
6-0
6-4
6-3
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Eric Pockley
6-8
6-0
6-1
8-6
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Stanley Doust
6-3
3-6
6-4
0-6
8-6
Challenge Round
Rodney Heath 1 *
Horace Rice
6-3
6-4
7-9
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson
6-0
6-3
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Arthur Leeson Baird
6-2
6-3
Final
Alfred Dunlop 1 *
Rodney Heath
3-6
6-0
6-1
Round 1
Ashley Campbell 1 *
Rodney Heath
0-6
1-6
8-6
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Quarterfinals
Frank Fisher 1 *
Rodney Heath
2-6
7-5
6-1
5-7
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Robert George Bowen
3-6
5-7
6-3
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Thomas Whitalaw (Tom) Tatchell
6-3
4-6
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
C.S. Newman
6-4
7-5
4-6
6-2
Final
Norman Brookes 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Charles Strong Galbraith
6-4
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Basil Spence
7-5
2-6
11-9
6-4
Semifinals
Tony Wilding 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-4
6-1
6-3
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Arthur W. Young
6-0
6-3
6-3
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Robert Newton King Swanston
6-2
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Frank Fisher
6-1
8-6
7-5
Semifinals
Harry Alabaster Parker 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-3
6-3
6-3
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Thomas King (Timothy) Fitchett
6-4
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Rodney Heath 1 *
Horace Rice
4-6
6-2
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Herbert Turner
6-2
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Randolph Lycett
6-3
9-11
6-3
6-1
Final
Rodney Heath 1 *
Dr. Albert Curtis
4-6
6-3
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Randolph Lycett
6-1
2-6
6-4
Semifinals
Rodney Heath 1 *
Henry Francis De Little
6-2
6-4
Final
Thomas Whitalaw (Tom) Tatchell 1 *
Rodney Heath
2-6
6-4
6-3
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Walter L. Marsden
6-1
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
Harry Alabaster Parker 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-2
6-3
6-1
Round 1
Ashley Campbell 1 *
Rodney Heath
7-5
2-6
7-5
6-4
Round 1
Rodney Heath 1 *
Leslie Poidevin sr
6-4
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
Gus Kearney 1 *
Rodney Heath
6-4
6-2
6-2