When you think of Wimbledon, the attributes that come to mind are royalty, honor and prestige.
Held since 1877, it is the most renowned Grand Slam in the history of the game. Officially known as “The Championships, Wimbledon”, it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is held every year at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London. While the Australian Open and the US Open are played on hard courts and the French Open uses clay courts, it is the only Grand Slam that still schedules its games on grass courts.
As Wimbledon is known to be a tradition loving event, players are required to wear an all-white attire. The reason goes back decades. As the sight of sweat spots on colored clothing was deemed ungentlemanly, white clothing was used to help eliminate the issue. This rule is followed till date, even though the other Grand Slams no longer follow the practice. Following its tradition-rich history, this Grand Slam requires players to curtsy royalty when present, and serves strawberries and cream with its afternoon tea. It is the only Grand Slam in the sport of tennis that refers to its players as “Ladies” and “Gentlemen”.
With 1968 being the first time that professional players were allowed in the major tournaments worldwide, it also marked the first year that prize money was introduced and thus ushered in the “Open Era” of tennis. The tournament has witnessed several jaw-dropping battles in its history. The 1975 final was one such encounter between Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors. Despite being 3-0 down, Arthur Ashe recovered famously to clinch his first and only Wimbledon title. Also known as the best tennis match ever played, the 1980 final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe featured one of the longest tie-breaks in the history of the sport.
In recent history, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams are some of the most famous tennis players to have graced this competition, with Federer and Navratilova being the current record holders at 8 and 9 titles respectively.
Times have changed and technology has changed the game altogether, but what hasn’t changed is the prestige associated with this championship. Whether it is its historic charm, its royal features or just the prize money, it is an event which all budding tennis players set their eyes upon.
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