This week's Throwback Thursday from the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum celebrates Easter in an alternative way...
In a slightly tenuous link to Easter, we'd like to discuss a familiar 1930s player. You may have heard his name mentioned in the last few years, particularly in relation to Andy Murray in 2012 and 2013. And no, I am not talking about Fred Perry, but another great British player from that golden age of tennis – Henry Wilfred Austin.
Henry Austin is perhaps better known by his nickname – given by his father after ‘Wilfred’ the Bunny from the comic strip Pip, Squeak and Wilfred – Bunny. Austin competed at Wimbledon between 1926 and 1939 and was regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. During this period, he reached the singles quarter-finals and beyond 10 times – including the final twice in 1932 and 1938. His appearance in the 1932 final was the first by a British player in 10 years.
He also made an appearance in both the Gentlemen’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles – reaching the semi-final of the Gentlemen’s Doubles during his debut at The Championships in 1926. In the Mixed Doubles, his partners included British greats Betty Nuthall, Joan Lycett and Dorothy Shepherd Barron. Unfortunately, Austin never won a Wimbledon title, having lost in both finals to the Americans Ellsworth Vines and Donald ‘Don’ Budge – both in three sets.
View Austin's complete Wimbledon record
Austin played a vital role within the British Davis Cup team. Together with Fred Perry, he successfully aided the team in winning the trophy between 1933 and 1935. All of these victories were played on Centre Court after The Championships.
As well as being a popular player, he was also a fashionable trend-setter. In 1933, Austin stunned a Wimbledon crowd by wearing a pair of shorts on Centre Court – the first player to do so. This change made it easier for him to move around the court. Traditionally, players wore heavy flannel trousers which tended to weigh them down. Austin was also somewhat of a pioneer in racket design. As with Rene Lacoste (original designer of the Wilson T2000), Austin designed a racket which would allow for more aerodynamic movement on court. The result was the ‘Streamline’ racket with a shaft that was split into three segments. This design was later manufactured by Hazell’s.
Austin retired from tennis after the war to settle down with his film star wife Phyllis Konstam. He later made a special appearance at the Millennium Championship parade on Centre Court, along with other former Wimbledon Runners-up and Champions. He passed away a few months after this event.
Bunny Austin was the last Briton to reach the Gentlemen's singles final before Andy Murray in 2012.
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