Kathleen Mary Nunneley

Who is Kathleen Mary Nunneley?

Kathleen Mary Nunneley was a New Zealand tennis player and librarian. She 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. She was born in Little Bowden, Leicestershire, England in 1872, and emigrated to New Zealand with her mother and siblings in 1894.

She won the national singles title from 1895 to 1907, winning in total 32 national titles. She 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.

She retired from the Wellington Public Library in 1935.

She had her tennis gold medals made into a trophy for interprovincial women’s tennis, the Nummeley Casket. She was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.