Wimbledon Tournament: from lawnmower to global greatness

Imagine: July 1877, a London suburb, a modest croquet club, two dozen spectators, and a man with a racket in his hand who will become the first world champion in lawn tennis in 48 minutes. No one could have predicted that this modest competition would grow into the main tennis tournament in the world, a symbol of British conservatism, elegance, and the spirit of sport. Wimbledon is not just "one of the four Grand Slam tournaments". It is a temple where the grass preserves the memory of great matches, where white has become a religion, and strawberry with cream a gastronomic symbol of summer. It is a story of how love for the game, stubbornness of traditions, and the pursuit of perfection created a phenomenon that has been around for nearly a century and a half.

The birth of a legend: 1877 and the first champion

It all started with a utilitarian need. The All England Croquet Club, founded in 1868, was experiencing financial difficulties and needed to repair the lawnmower. To raise funds, club members decided to hold something new — a lawn tennis tournament, a game that was just gaining popularity. On April 14, 1877, the competition started on the courts of Worple Road, in which 21 person participated. The game was played only in men's singles — women's and doubles matches were not even thought of at the time.

The first champion was 27-year-old British Spencer William Gore. He routed his opponent William Marshall 6:1, 6:2, 6:4 in just 48 minutes. As a prize, the winner received 12 guineas — an amount that would seem laughable today, but was a decent reward at the time. Interestingly, the final, as was often the case in the following decades, was interrupted by rain — a tradition that lasted until 2009, when a retractable roof appeared over the Central Court.

The success of the first tournament exceeded all expectations. The competition was held again the following year, and since then Wimbledon has been held annually, except for the years of the First and Second World Wars. In 1884, women's singles and men's doubles were included in the program. The first champion was the daughter of a local priest, and the women's final that year was played by two girls from the parish family. In 1913, women's doubles and mixed doubles were added. Thus, step by step, Wimbledon acquired those very disciplines that we know today.

Moving to Church Road: the home of history

In 1922, Wimbledon made a significant step — moved from Worple Road to a new location at Church Road, where it is located to this day. That's when the famous Central Court was built, which King George V opened on June 26, 1922. At that time, it could accommodate nearly 10,000 spectators, of whom more than three thousand stood for matches. Today, the Central Court is a 15,000-seat arena with a royal box for 74 seats and an international box for 85 seats.

The move was not only about expanding space but also about giving up the challenge round. Until 1922, the defending champion did not participate in the main draw but only met in the final match with the winner of the tournament qualifiers. This rule was abolished, and since then, all players — even last year's champions — start the tournament in the first round. This step made the competition more fair and intense.

Traditions that never die: white and the royal box

Wimbledon is perhaps the most conservative tournament in world sports. And its main calling card is the strict white dress code. Players must come out on the court only in white clothing: shirts, shorts, skirts, socks, laces, shoes — all white. The only exception is a thin colored strip less than a centimeter wide on the collar or cuffs. Even Roger Federer, the seven-time champion, was reprimanded for orange soles on his sneakers.

This tradition originated in the 19th century, when Victorian England dictated its rules, and white was considered a symbol of purity and aristocracy. At that time, men played in long white shirts and pants, and women in long white dresses. In the 1920s, fashion changed, but white remained inviolable. In 1963, an official regulation was adopted, and in 2014 it was tightened to the extreme. Even underwear should be white if it can be seen.

Another integral part of Wimbledon is the royal box on the Central Court. The tournament is under the patronage of the royal family. Members of the royal family regularly attend the final matches, and sometimes even the semi-finals, presenting cups to the winners. The tradition requires players to bow towards the royal box when coming out on and leaving the Central Court. This is a tribute not only to the monarch but also to the same British solemnity that makes Wimbledon unique.

Strawberry, champagne and 28 tons of fruit

When we talk about Wimbledon, we cannot bypass the culinary aspect. Strawberry with cream is not just food, it is a ritual. The tradition dates back to the 1950s, when strawberries were sold on the stands. Two decades later, sugar and cream were added to them. Today, spectators consume about 28 tons of strawberries and drink 7,000 liters of cream over two weeks of the tournament. And all this is accompanied by champagne — more than 29,000 bottles over the tournament.

Organizers approach this process with the meticulousness of a watchmaker. There should be exactly 10 strawberries in one serving, grown exclusively in England. The time from harvest to serving does not exceed 24 hours. Any deviation from the norm is considered a defect. This dessert has become so cult that even the most ardent critics, complaining about "tasteless strawberries," cannot resist the temptation to buy a cherished portion.

From amateurs to professionals: the open era

For a long time, Wimbledon remained a tournament exclusively for amateurs. But in 1968, a tectonic shift occurred: the All England Lawn Tennis Association announced that Wimbledon would be open to all players, regardless of their professional status. Other Grand Slam tournaments followed the example of Great Britain, and the Open era in tennis began.

The first open Wimbledon was won by Australian Rod Laver (in men's singles) and American Billy Jean King (in women's). Australians dominated in the early years of the open era, winning five of the first six men's tournaments. Since then, Wimbledon has acquired a completely different scale: prize funds have grown from 26,000 pounds in 1968 to 38 million in 2019, and winners in singles have received equal amounts regardless of gender.

Legends and records that no one can break

Wimbledon has seen greats. In men's singles, the record number of titles belongs to Swiss Roger Federer — eight victories. Next come Serbian Novak Djokovic with seven titles and American Pete Sampras with seven. However, before the open era, British William Renwick and American Pete Sampras also had seven victories, but Renwick won in the 19th century.

In women's singles, Martina Navratilova reigns supreme — nine titles, a record that no one has been able to repeat. Next is American Helen Wills-Moody with eight victories in the 1920s and 1930s. Among the women, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams stand out, each winning Wimbledon seven times.

But Wimbledon is not just about title counts. It's also about marathon matches. In 2010, American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut set a record for match duration: 11 hours and 5 minutes of pure time, with the score in the decisive fifth set reaching an incredible 70:68. After this, organizers introduced a rule: a tie-break is played when the score reaches 12:12 in the decisive set. And Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, receiving a wildcard in 2001, became the first tennis player in history to win Wimbledon on special invitation.

Russia at Wimbledon: one victory and two hopes

For a long time, Wimbledon was a tough nut for Russian tennis players. In men's singles, Russians have never won. However, in 2004, 17-year-old Maria Sharapova sensationally defeated Serena Williams in the final and brought Russia its only victory in women's singles. In doubles, Russian women have twice reached the top: Elena Likhovtseva and Vera Zvonareva.

A cultural phenomenon: more than just sport

Wimbledon has long ceased to be just a tennis tournament. It is a cultural phenomenon that is broadcast by 80 television companies and covered by more than three thousand journalists. Books are written about it, films are made, and millions of viewers around the world look forward to it. Ticket lines have become legendary — people camp on the streets to get into the Central Court. And the tournament is the largest annual sports catering event in Europe: more than 234,000 meals, 330,000 cups of tea and coffee.

Wimbledon is also about the unique atmosphere. There is no loud advertising on the courts, as on other tournaments. There is silence during the serve — spectators know that the ball cannot be distracted by noise. The judges are on the stands, not on screens. Even the balls are subject to strict control: more than 54,000 tennis balls are used for the tournament, which are stored in refrigerators and replaced every 7-9 games.

A roof over the head: modern technology in an old house

Despite its conservatism, Wimbledon does not stand still. In 2009, a retractable roof was installed over the Central Court, finally putting an end to the eternal problem of rainy finals. In 2019, the same roof was installed over Court No. 1. Artificial lighting is now available on the two main arenas. At the same time, the grass surface remains unchanged — the height of the grass is strictly 8 mm, and Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam tournament played on grass.

In 2021, organizers canceled a special seeding formula that took into account players' achievements on grass over the past 52 weeks. Now the seeding is based on the ATP and WTA rankings, as on other tournaments. This decision caused mixed reactions, but it made the tournament more predictable and fair.

Conclusion: 150 years of flying over the grass

Wimbledon is not just a competition. It is a living history where every racket shot echoes for centuries. Here are Spencer Gore and Roger Federer, Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova — all part of one great narrative. Here, traditions coexist with innovations, and white remains a symbol of the purity of the game. Here, strawberry with cream is not a dessert, but a ritual, and rain is not an obstacle, but part of the charm.

Wimbledon teaches us that greatness does not arise in a day. It grows from a modest beginning, from love for the job, from respect for the past, and the courage to look into the future. As long as the sound of the ball hitting the grass echoes in the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, this tournament will remain not just a sporting event, but a true temple where people come to worship the game. Wimbledon is alive. Wimbledon is eternal.

Permanent link to this publication: