Rodney Wilfred Heath (15 June 1884 – 26 October 1936) was an Australian tennis player.
Personal Heath was the second son of F. W. Heath who was the official timekeeper at the Victorian Racing Club and Victorian Amateur Turf Club. Rodney's brother C. V. Heath won the South Australian men's singles title in 1902. In June 1915 Heath left Australia to join the Royal Flying Corps in England. He was promoted to the rank of major two years later. In 1916 Heath was injured when he crash-landed his plane after flying into a snowstorm en route from England to France.
Tennis career Heath was the Men's Singles champion at the inaugural Australasian Championships in 1905 defeating Albert Curtis in four sets. He won again it five years later, in 1910, after a victory in the final against Horace Rice in three straight sets.
In 1911 he played in the Davis Cup challenge round in New Zealand against the United States and defeated William Larned in four sets.
In 1919 he reached the final of the Wimbledon Men's Doubles tournament with Randolph Lycett.
Death On 26 October 1936, 9 months before his 53rd birthday, Heath was found dead in the bedroom of his sister's home in Melbourne, Australia. It is said that Heath died from melanoma in his stomach.
Grand Slam finals Singles (2 titles) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1905 Australasian Championships Grass Arthur Curtis 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 Win 1910 Australasian Championships Grass Horace Rice6–4, 6–3, 6–2
Doubles: 5 (2 titles, 3 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1906 Australasian Championships Grass Anthony Wilding Cecil C. Cox Harry Parker 6–2, 6–4, 6–2 Loss 1910 Australasian Championships Grass James O'Dea Ashley Campbell Horace Rice 3–6, 3–6, 2–6 Win 1911 Australasian Championships Grass Randolph Lycett John Addison Norman Brookes 6–2, 7–5, 6–0 Loss 1914 Australasian Championships Grass Arthur O'Hara Wood Ashley Campbell Gerald Patterson 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6 Loss 1919 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Pat O'Hara-Wood Ronald Thomas 4–6, 2–6, 6–4, 2–6
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