Colin Baxter (79) competed at the world-famous competition as a junior, between 1946 and 1948, and at senior level between 1953 and 1963.

And he was the last native Scottish male to win a singles match at the competition, which he achieved in 1959, until Andy Murray's appearance at Wimbledon in 2005. In other years he also made it through one round each of the doubles and mixed doubles competitions.

The former Scottish No 1 began his playing career in 1942, at the age of 11, with Titwood Tennis Club in his native Glasgow and attended Wimbledon for the first time four years later. His greatest success in the junior championships came in 1948 when he won the boys' and mixed doubles competitions and was runner-up in the boys' singles.

He said that Wimbledon then, compared to now, was "a different world" with no sponsorship and little prize money, the main attraction being the glory of winning. He played mainly in competitions in the west of Scotland and, at senior level, was a regular winner at the West of Scotland Championships. His 11-year run as mixed doubles winner set between 1953 and 1964, with five different partners, has never been equalled.

He said: "I was very much an amateur and paid all my own expenses and even at Wimbledon Scottish players didn't get any expenses. And it was very expensive.

"I worked during the day and played in the evenings at weekends and I was probably lucky that the job I had, making tennis courts, bowling greens and sports grounds, was conducive to being in tennis tournaments and having a reasonable amount of time allowed.

"If you won a few tournaments up here and became prominent you applied for an entry form. If your results were sufficient, and you had someone to vouch for you, you'd be entered. I'd played at junior Wimbledon so they knew me.

"In those days we had what were called 'shamateurs', very good players from all over the world who were able to play full time, but they started open professional tennis in 1962 and that was just too late for me."

Mr Baxter said that when he played on the hallowed turf of the All England Club it was an ambition fulfilled but the reward for winning was slightly different to the prize money available these days.

He said: "At Wimbledon now I understand that a first round losing player in the men's singles gets £10,000, and it's £1million for the winner.

"Back then there was little, nominal prize money and it was for the glory of winning."

Although no longer a player, he is an honorary member of Montrose Tennis Club and honorary president of his old club in Glasgow. He maintains a keen interest in the sport although he is now most likely to be round playing a round of the Medal course as a member of the Royal Montrose or at Edzell Golf Club.