Ronald Thomas

Ronald Thomas played only singles tennis at the 1920 Olympics. Just before playing Jean Washer of Belgium in the second round, Thomas received notice that his father had died in Adelaide. Washer defeated Thomas in four sets, probably not unexpectedly, given that news. Thomas also competed at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games, after serving in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I. He was on the 1919 Australian Davis Cup but never played a match.

Thomas won three Grand Slam doubles titles, winning the Australasian Championships in 1919 and 1920 (now the Australian Open) with Pat O’Hara Wood. In 1919 he and O’Hara Wood won the doubles at Wimbledon, with Thomas losing in the singles quarter-finals. Thomas was runner-up to O’Hara Wood in singles at the 1920 Australasian Championships. Thomas was New South Wales singles champion in 1922, and won South Australian doubles championships for four consecutive years, 1920-23.