Bill Sidwell

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Bill Sidwell
Bill Sidwell 1945.jpg
Sidwell (1945)
Full nameOswald William Thomas Sidwell
Country (sports)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
ResidenceSydney, Australia
Born(1920-04-16)16 April 1920
Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Died19 August 2021(2021-08-19) (aged 101)
Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Retired1951
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 10 (1949, John Olliff ) [1]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open SF (1948, 1949, 1950)
Wimbledon 4R (1950)
US Open 3R (1947, 1948)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open F (1949)
French Open F (1947)
Wimbledon F (1947, 1950)
US Open W (1949)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open F (1948)
Team competitions
Davis Cup F (1948Ch, 1949Ch)

Oswald William Thomas Sidwell (16 April 1920 – 19 August 2021) was an Australian tennis player.

Contents

Sidwell reached five Grand Slam doubles finals, winning once, at the 1949 U.S. National Championships with compatriot John Bromwich. He also played in the Davis Cup in 1948 and 1949 where Australia lost to the United States both years in the Challenge Round. As a junior, he won the Australian Open boys' singles event in 1939. Sidwell played golf regularly in place of tennis.

He was ranked world No. 10 for 1949 by John Olliff. [1] As of December 2008, Sidwell was still organising golf events at the age of 88. [2] He turned 100 in April 2020 [3] and died in Caringbah in August 2021, at the age of 101. [4]

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (1 title, 4 runners-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1947 French Championships Clay Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tom Brown Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Eustace Fannin
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Eric Sturgess 		4–6, 6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Loss1947 Wimbledon Grass Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tony Mottram Flag of the United States.svg Bob Falkenburg
Flag of the United States.svg Jack Kramer 		6–8, 3–6, 3–6
Loss1949 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Brown Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bromwich
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Adrian Quist 		6–1, 5–7, 2–6, 3–6
Win1949 US National Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bromwich Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Sedgman
Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Worthington 		6–4, 6–0, 6–1
Loss1950 Wimbledon Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Brown Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bromwich
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Adrian Quist 		5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6

Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1948 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Thelma Coyne Long Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Colin Long 		5–7, 6–4, 6–8

References

  1. 1 2 United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 426.
  2. ↑ tennishistory.com.au: Bill Sidwell
  3. ↑ Aussie tennis player shares secret to long life on his 100th birthday
  4. ↑ "SIDWELL, Oswald William Thomas | Death Notices | Sydney". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 September 2021.


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