Minden Fenwick[1] (18 December 1864 – 8 February 1938) was an English then later New Zealand tennis player active during the late 19th century and early 20th century. His best results in major tournaments came at the 1881 Wimbledon Championships where he reached the third round in the men' singles.[2] Between 1881 and 1904 he contested 13 career singles finals, and won 5 titles.[3]
Career
In 1881 Minden played his first event at the Darlington Association Tournament at Darlington, County Durham where he reached the quarter-finals before losing to his brother Mark Fenwick.[4] The same year he reached the semi-finals stage of the Northern Championships. In July 1881 he played at the Wimbledon Championships where he reached the third round stage, before he was beaten by George S. Murray Hill.[5]
In 1883 he won his first notable title at the Derbyshire Championships held at Buxton where he defeated Robert Parsons Earwaker. The same year he reached the finals of the Northumberland Championships at Newcastle upon Tyne before he was beaten by his brother Mark Fenwick. In 1884 he was a losing finalist at two events that year, the first at the Northumberland Cricket Club Open tournament where he lost to E.M. Sinclair for the second time, and at the Northumberland County Club Tournament.[8]
Around 1885 Minden emigrated to New Zealand with most members of his family. He did not play another event until 1886 when he took part in the Napier Open tournament at Napier, New Zealand where he reached the final before losing to Eric Pollard Hudson. The same year he played at the Canterbury Championships in Christchurch which he won defeating W.V. Millton in the final. In 1888 he took part in the New Zealand Championships where he reached the final, but lost to his brother Percival Clennell Fenwick. In 1889 he won the New Zealand Championships against Joy Marriott Marshall.[9] In 1890 he failed to defend his New Zealand national title where he was beaten by Joy Marshall who avenged his previous years defeat.
In 1892 he entered for play at the New Zealand Championships where he reached the final for the third time, this time winning his second title against Richard Dacre Harman.[10] In 1893 he retained his New Zealand national title for the third and final time.[11] In 1904 he played his last singles event at the Ashburton tournament at Ashburton, New Zealand where he exited early in the first round.[12] He retired from playing tennis thereafter.
^"LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT DARLINGTON: In the gentleman's final, Mr. Arthur Hallward beat Mr Minden Fenwick, and thus became the winner of the challenge cup and first prize". Northern Echo. Durham, England: The British Newspaper Archive. 11 August 1882. p. 3.
^'NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966.
Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/tennis-lawn/page-4 (accessed 17 January 2023)