Everyone at Wimbledon was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Alan Mills CBE, who made a remarkable contribution to the history of Wimbledon as a player, long-standing Championships Referee and esteemed Full Member of the All England Club.

During his record 23-year tenure as Referee, Alan became a recognisable figure to tennis fans around the world, expertly stewarding The Championships year after year and navigating any issues presented by weather, players, bad light and more.

Prior to this, Alan was one of the leading British players of the 1950s and 60s, twice reaching the fourth round of The Championships in singles.

In 1966 he reached the semi-finals of the gentlemen’s doubles alongside Mark Cox and also regularly competed alongside his wife Jill in the mixed doubles. He also represented Great Britain in the Davis Cup and could boast the feat of being the first Englishman to defeat Rod Laver, doing so at the 1961 London Hard Court Championships.

In 1977, Alan was appointed as an Assistant Referee for The Championships, before succeeding Fred Hoyles as Referee in 1983. He carried out this role with great distinction until his retirement in 2005, and remained a highly respected figure by colleagues and players alike.

A Full Member of the All England Club since 1967, Alan was awarded an OBE in 1996 and a CBE in 2006. His appropriately titled autobiography, Lifting The Covers, was published in 2005.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.