All You Need to Know About the Glorious History of the 125-Year-Old Wimbledon Championships

The Wimbledon Championships is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the tennis calendar. While the other three Grand Slam events have the same ranking points, the grass major carries a legacy that makes it stand above the rest. Held a few weeks after the French Open, Wimbledon is one tournament that every tennis fan and player awaits. 

Learn how the prestigious grass Grand Slam began

Officially called ‘The Wimbledon Championships’, it is the only major tournament in the year to be played on grass. It is undoubtedly the most renowned tennis competition in the world and the oldest. The Championships, which are held over two weeks in late June or early July, have been hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London since the first competition there took place 125 years ago in 1877.

Of the four major annual tennis tournaments, it is the only tournament which is still played on grass, which is where the name lawn tennis originated. Grass is also the surface which provides the fastest game of tennis.  

The first-ever title winners of Wimbledon

The first Wimbledon championships only had the gentlemen’s singles category. According to the official website of the championships, the tournament’s first winner was Spencer Gore, who won against William Marshall in straight sets in 1877. In the ladies’ category, the first winner was Maud Watson, who won in 1884 against Lillian Watson and in 1885 against Blanche Bingley.

The doubles category of the tournament began in 1884, which was the gentlemen’s doubles. Ernest and William Renshaw, who won in straight sets against Ernest Lewis and Teddy Williams, were the first winners of the new category. The Renshaw brothers also won the championship in 1885 and 1886. 

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Dora Boothby and Winifred McNair won the first women’s doubles title in 1913, almost two decades after the gentlemen’s singles. They played against Dorothea Lambert Chambers and Charlotte Sterry. Chambers and Sterry were ahead on the scoresheet, but they retired.

The mixed doubles category was held in the same year and was won by Hope Crisp and Agnes Tuckey against Ethel Larcombe and James Cecil Parke. The match had the same conclusion as the women’s doubles final. Larcombe and Parke were ahead but had to retire. 

Know the traditions of Wimbledon

As is with other grand slams, Wimbledon has many traditions of its own. One of the most surprising and renowned traditions in the grass major is a serving of strawberries and cream. A serving of the treat costs £2.50, the same price as in 2010. Almost 38 tons of strawberries and nearly 7000 liters of cream are used each year. 

Pimm’s Cup is another tradition at Wimbledon. The drink is a cocktail which uses Pimm’s Number 1 liquor, lemonade, and ginger ale. The garnishes for the drink are assorted; people can use cucumber, strawberry, mint and more.

Grass courts are another tradition followed at the major. The US Open and the Australian Open were also played on grass courts, but they changed surfaces later on. The French Open was also played on grass, along with clay, for a while. Wimbledon is the only grand slam which has maintained its main surface to this day. 

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The Royal Box is probably the most renowned off-court aspect of the Championships. It is a seating arrangement which is reserved at Centre Court for members of the Royal Family of Britain. The 74 seats in this premium box offer magnificent views of Centre Court. Although it is designated as “Royal Box,” it is frequently made available to dignitaries and other VIP guests of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. 

The fashion at Wimbledon

The attire of players in the tournament is also a tradition. At the competition, players are required to wear an all-white attire. This regulation has been strictly enforced by the All-England Club. The club published a 10-part “decree” in 2014 that is mentioned explicitly in the player’s guide for competitors.

The decrees are as follows –

• Off-white and cream are not considered to be white.
• Only “a single trim of color no wider than 1 cm” is permitted.
• “Any (colored) undergarments that either are or can be visible during play (including due to perspiration)” are prohibited.

As the tournament is right around the corner, the 2023 Wimbledon will hopefully be as entertaining as the previous years.