10 Facts About Norman Brookes

Sir Norman Everard Brookes was an Australian tennis player.

Norman Brookes was born in the St Kilda suburb of Melbourne as the youngest son to Catherine Margaret and William Norman Brookes.

Norman Brookes received a private education at Melbourne Grammar School where he matriculated in 1895.

In 1907 Norman Brookes became the first non-British player and the first left-hander to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon after a straight sets victory in the final against 39-year old Arthur Gore.

Norman Brookes intended to defend his Wimbledon title as late as February 1908 but in April cancelled his plans to travel to England due to the ill health of his father which meant that Norman Brookes had to spend more time at his father's company Australian Paper Mills.

Norman Brookes gave priority to his business endeavors during this time and would not return to Wimbledon until 1914 when he again won the singles title, this time against the title holder Anthony Wilding with whom he won the Wimbledon doubles title in 1907 and 1914.

Norman Brookes was instrumental in the development of Kooyong as a tennis centre.

Norman Brookes married 20-year-old Mabel Balcombe Emmerton, the daughter of Harry Emmerton, a solicitor, on 19 April 1911 at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne.

Norman Brookes was created a Knight Bachelor "for public services in the Commonwealth of Australia" in the 1939 Birthday Honours.

Norman Brookes was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1977.