Wimbledon Championship, which takes place in late June and early July, is one of four annual “Grand Slam” tennis events, along with the Australian, French, and United States Opens, and is the only one which is still played on natural grass courts.
The very first Wimbledon championship was held in 1877 which made it the oldest Tennis tournament in the world. It was played on one of the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club’s croquet lawns (since 1882 the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club).
Winning Wimbledon is the pinnacle of a professional tennis player’s career, and no one described it better than Martina Navratilova, arguably the greatest female player of all time. “Wimbledon is a drug.” When you win it for the first time, you feel compelled to do it again and again…”
One such memorable moment in Wimbledon’s 134-year history is the match between American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, which stands out as one of the most memorable matches in Wimbledon history due to its length. Isner defeated Mahut in five sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68) in the longest tennis match ever in 2010 to become a Wimbledon legend.
The prestigious annual tournament has been witnessed by the fans from all across the globe on TV since forever as well. The BBC aired The Championships, Wimbledon for the first time on television on June 21, 1937.
Wimbledon added a women’s championship in 1884, and the national men’s doubles competition was relocated from Oxford to Wimbledon as well. In 1913, mixed doubles and women’s doubles were introduced. In fact, the record for the most number of Wimbledon Singles title wins is also held by a woman – Retired Czech and American player Martina Navratilova with nine victories.
In 1920, Suzanne Lenglen of France became the first person to win three Wimbledon titles (in singles and doubles) in a single year; in 1937, Don Budge of the United States became the first man to win three Wimbledon titles in a single year. (He repeated that feat in 1938, as well as the other three Grand Slam titles.)
Björn Borg of Sweden won the men’s singles for the fifth time in 1980, a feat not accomplished since the winning streaks of William Renshaw (1880s) and Laurie Doherty (1900s), which were held under the old challenge-round system, which favoured defending champions.
In 1920, Suzanne Lenglen of France became the first person to win three Wimbledon titles (in singles and doubles) in a single year; in 1937, Don Budge of the United States became the first man to win three Wimbledon titles in a single year. (He repeated that feat in 1938, as well as the other three Grand Slam titles.)
Björn Borg of Sweden won the men’s singles for the fifth time in 1980, a feat not accomplished since the winning streaks of William Renshaw (1880s) and Laurie Doherty (1900s), which were held under the old challenge-round system, which favoured defending champions.
The current championships include junior boys and girls events in addition to men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum documents the sport’s history in some unique and historic fashion as well.