The vibrant umbrellas that compliment the bright green grass and the players in all white and the succulent strawberries served with cream are all part of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship which is in its 125th year. While most people are rooting for their favourite players and have great memories of some of the legendary clashes between the top seeded players on the fast paced grass courts of Wimbledon Tennis tournament, few are aware of these interesting historical facts about the Grand Slam event.
The Very First Tournament
The event took place in 1877 and it was hosted to raise funds for a roller that the club needed. The winner of the event was Spencer Gore who had won a grand prize of 12 guineas along with the distinction of being the first Wimbledon Tennis Champion. The prize money would be just enough to buy a six pack but that would certainly not suffice the 22 other players competing for the unusually large prize amount.
When talking about the first champion of the Wimbledon tournament, it is also imperative to mention the first person to be disqualified from the championship. This honour was retained by Tim Henman who was kicked out of the tournament for hitting a ball in the face of a poor ball girl in a fit of rage. He did try to make amends by sending her some flowers and apologising. However, he thought that would not be enough so he even licked her face which just raised the weirdness quotient on the episode a few notches.
The clothes and the amateurs
It was and still is the rule that during the Wimbledon Tennis tournament, all players have to adhere to the all white dress code of the tournament. The club was partial to the dress code because it gave the impression of cleanliness and simplicity to the game and perhaps to the players as well. In 1930, Brame Hillyard became the first participant in the Wimbledon tournament to wear a pair of shorts on the court, subsequently most other men flowed his lead.
In 1968, the championship event line-up included an impressive list of professionals and several amateurs struggling to earn their place in the spotlight. The event was won by Billie Jean king and Rod Lever.
War and Money
In 2011, the winner of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships made a whopping 1,100,000 which was a significant improvement over the measly 2,000 made by the champions of 1968. During WWII, the club was extensively used for military and defence operations and the centre court was struck by a bomb.
The Left-handers and the rackets
The Wimbledon tournament was originally played with wooden rackets and these were incredibly hard to win with. A perplexing fact about the championships is that out of the 10% of the human population who favours the left hand over their right, only nine people (seven men and two women) have played at the Wimbledon and managed to win a title.
The Winners and the Longest Match
The country which has produced the most number of Wimbledon tournament winners is the United States. While the tournament is hosted in England to the utter chagrin of the English, the chance to claim the cup at Wimbledon has eluded players from the UK. In 2010, the longest match in the history of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship was played between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner who won the match after playing for a startling 11 hours and 5 minutes.
The Very First Tournament
The event took place in 1877 and it was hosted to raise funds for a roller that the club needed. The winner of the event was Spencer Gore who had won a grand prize of 12 guineas along with the distinction of being the first Wimbledon Tennis Champion. The prize money would be just enough to buy a six pack but that would certainly not suffice the 22 other players competing for the unusually large prize amount.
When talking about the first champion of the Wimbledon tournament, it is also imperative to mention the first person to be disqualified from the championship. This honour was retained by Tim Henman who was kicked out of the tournament for hitting a ball in the face of a poor ball girl in a fit of rage. He did try to make amends by sending her some flowers and apologising. However, he thought that would not be enough so he even licked her face which just raised the weirdness quotient on the episode a few notches.
The clothes and the amateurs
It was and still is the rule that during the Wimbledon Tennis tournament, all players have to adhere to the all white dress code of the tournament. The club was partial to the dress code because it gave the impression of cleanliness and simplicity to the game and perhaps to the players as well. In 1930, Brame Hillyard became the first participant in the Wimbledon tournament to wear a pair of shorts on the court, subsequently most other men flowed his lead.
In 1968, the championship event line-up included an impressive list of professionals and several amateurs struggling to earn their place in the spotlight. The event was won by Billie Jean king and Rod Lever.
War and Money
In 2011, the winner of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships made a whopping 1,100,000 which was a significant improvement over the measly 2,000 made by the champions of 1968. During WWII, the club was extensively used for military and defence operations and the centre court was struck by a bomb.
The Left-handers and the rackets
The Wimbledon tournament was originally played with wooden rackets and these were incredibly hard to win with. A perplexing fact about the championships is that out of the 10% of the human population who favours the left hand over their right, only nine people (seven men and two women) have played at the Wimbledon and managed to win a title.
The Winners and the Longest Match
The country which has produced the most number of Wimbledon tournament winners is the United States. While the tournament is hosted in England to the utter chagrin of the English, the chance to claim the cup at Wimbledon has eluded players from the UK. In 2010, the longest match in the history of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship was played between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner who won the match after playing for a startling 11 hours and 5 minutes.
About the Author:
If you're a tennis nut and tune in religiously to Wimbledon every year, come rain or shine, why not show your appreciation for the sport with some beautiful Wimbledon jewellery?
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