Anthony Wilding and Arthur Balfour at Nice, 1914
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Anthony Wilding and Arthur Balfour at Nice, 1914
Captain Anthony Frederick Wilding (1883-1915), New Zealand born tennis player and four-times Wimbledon champion pictured in Nice in 1914 about to partner Mr Arthur Balfour, British conservative M.P. Prime Minister and tennis enthusiast. Wilding helped Balfour improve his game. Wilding died near Neuve Chapelle, France on 9 May 1915 while fighting in the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Date: 1914
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Media ID 14141276
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1883 Anthony Arthur Balfour Champion Frederick Match Minister Nice Player Players Prime Racquet Racquets Riviera Sportsmen Tennis Wilding Wimbledon
EDITORS COMMENTS
An Encounter of Tennis and Politics: Anthony Wilding and Arthur Balfour in Nice, 1914 This evocative photograph captures the moment when New Zealand-born tennis champion, Captain Anthony Frederick Wilding (1883-1915), met with British Conservative M.P. and future Prime Minister, Arthur Balfour (1848-1930), in the picturesque city of Nice, France, in 1914. Wilding, a four-time Wimbledon champion, was in the Riviera to participate in a tennis tournament. Balfour, an avid tennis enthusiast, seized the opportunity to improve his game under the tutelage of the renowned player. The image shows Wilding, holding his racquet at the ready, while Balfour, dressed in a smart suit, looks on intently. The sun-drenched terrace, with its stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea, adds to the idyllic atmosphere of the scene. Little did they know that this tranquil moment would be a brief interlude in their lives, as the looming shadows of war were already beginning to gather on the horizon. Tragically, just over a year later, on 9 May 1915, during the Battle of Aubers Ridge in France, Captain Wilding lost his life while fighting valiantly for his country. His death was a profound loss not only to the tennis world but also to the people of New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Arthur Balfour, who became Prime Minister in 1902 and served until 1905, went on to play a significant role in British politics, most notably as the architect of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which paved the way for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the intersection of sport and politics, and the fleeting nature of life, as two remarkable men came together for a brief moment in time, unaware of the momentous events that would soon unfold in their lives and in history.
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