10 Facts About Kathleen Nunneley

Kathleen Mary 'Kate' Nunneley was a New Zealand tennis player and librarian.

Kathleen Nunneley was the best woman tennis player in New Zealand in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and possibly still the best New Zealand woman player ever.

Kathleen Nunneley was born in Little Bowden, Leicestershire, England on 16 September 1872, the daughter of John Nunneley, a wholesale grocer, and Kate Young.

Kathleen Nunneley's father committed suicide in 1893 and she emigrated to New Zealand with her mother and siblings in 1894 where she joined the Thorndon Lawn Tennis Club in Wellington.

Kathleen Nunneley won the national singles title 13 times in a row from 1895 to 1907, winning in total 32 national titles.

Kathleen Nunneley defeated Blanche Hillyard the Wimbledon champion, and won two mixed doubles titles with Anthony Wilding; unfortunately there were fewer opportunities at Wimbledon for women players.

In May 1896 Nunneley won the singles title at the New South Wales Championships in Sydney, defeating Mabel Shaw in the final.

Kathleen Nunneley worked as a librarian for 30 years, retiring from her position as assistant in charge of the reference department at the Wellington Public Library in 1935.

Kathleen Nunneley had her tennis gold medals made into a trophy for interprovincial women's tennis, the Nunneley Casket.

Kathleen Nunneley was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.