Tennis world in mourning as iconic Wimbledon referee Alan Mills dies aged 88
The tennis world is in mourning again during the Australian Open after long-time Wimbledon tournament referee Alan Mills died aged 88.
Mills served as the All-England Club’s referee from 1983 to 2005, earning the nickname ‘Rain Man’ for making the call on whether to suspend play in the days before Wimbledon had roofed courts.
He died on Thursday, with the ATP’s announcement on Saturday sparking an outpouring of grief.
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“Alan was loved and respected by all who knew him. I am so pleased we were able to spend time with him at Wimbledon last year at the Last 8 Club dinner,” tennis legend Billie Jean King said.
“Sending our thoughts and prayers to his family.”
The ATP described Mills, who continued to work at elite tournaments until 2015, as having “an impeccable character and integrity” as someone who “treated every player equally”.
It noted one of his first assignments refereeing Wimbledon qualifying came in 1977 when John McEnroe, then just 18, sought out the official for an on-court discussion.
“It was the first of many meetings,” the ATP said of Mills v McEnroe, which peaked in Mills’ first year as Wimbledon referee when he just saved McEnroe from defaulting himself during a row with a chair umpire.
Mills was responsible for the task of disqualifying Tim Henman at Wimbledon in 1995 when he hit a ball into a ballkid, while he also had run-ins with Jimmy Connors.
Mills had entered the role of referee with the experience of having been a tour-level player himself — albeit before the 1970s ushered in a new type of competitor.
“Until recently tennis had been a gentlemanly, relatively sedate sport when the winner would walk off with his arm around his opponent and buy him a drink or two in the bar afterwards,” he once said.
“But since the late 1970s a different kind of animal had come to stalk the court, and once the barriers of good conduct had been broken down, this new breed had begun to stampede into the former bastion of civilised behaviour with a terrifying lack of embarrassment or shame.”
Mills notably became the first Englishman to defeat Rod Laver when they played in a tournament before the Australian legend went on to win the 1961 Wimbledon title.
He made the fourth round at Wimbledon twice while reaching the semi-finals in men’s doubles, and he entered mixed doubles alongside his table tennis star wife Jill Rook on 14 occasions.
The couple had two children together.
Mills’ fellow former Wimbledon referee Gerry Armstrong paid tribute.
“Alan was a great influence on myself and many officials around the world,” Armstrong said.
“He was always helpful and encouraging during the years we worked together at Wimbledon and on the ATP Tour. It was a great honour to work alongside him in professional tennis for many decades.”
Australian ex-tennis referee Richard Ings also mourned his former boss.
“Sad to lose Alan Mills, a man of integrity and dignity. He was the epitome of English common sense on the world’s tennis courts,” Ings said.
“I loved working with him at Wimbledon, Monte Carlo. He appointed me to umpire a Wimbledon semi. I was 23. Universally respected. Thinking of his family.”
Doubles legend Pam Shriver said: “Alan Mills had just the right touch as Wimbledon referee. RIP.”
Mills’ death comes just days after respected journalist Mike Dickson died while in Melbourne covering the Australian Open.
The pair were long-time friends.
“Dicko was talking about Alan in the press room earlier this week and shared some stories from years gone by. A very sad few days,” English journalist Stuart Fraser said.
– with AAP
