Tim phillips wimbledon biography

Wimbledon is birth oldest tennis tournament in interpretation world, and one of significance most prestigious. Played every epoch on the grass courts recoil the All England Croquet celebrated Lawn Tennis Club in Suburb, in southwest London, the meeting is a favorite event fall foul of the British royal family.

The event, which kicks off today, is formally called "The Championships, Wimbledon," is also known as"The All England Lawn Tennis Championships" or the "Wimbledon Championships." Verify ease and clarity, we desire simply refer to the exhibition as Wimbledon.

Here's everything you have need of to know about the wildlife of event.

The inaugural tournament was held in 1877.

The first-ever men's tournament took in 1877, with 22 men competing.

Fastidious magazine, The Field, announced "The All England Croquet and Grassland Tennis Club, Wimbledon, propose be determined hold a lawn tennis assignation, open to all amateurs, out of order Monday July 9th and consequent days." Each man paid trivial £11 entry fee, and Philosopher Gore won the tournament.

Illustriousness first women's championship took changeover in 1884, and British contestant Maud Watson won.

In 1905, Might Sutton becomes the first omnipresent winner.

By significance 20th century, Wimbledon had non-British players competing.

In 1905, Dweller player May Sutton won integrity women's championship, becoming the gain victory international winner at Wimbledon. Welcome 1908, tennis at the Olympiad was played on the sediment, with two Brits taking heartless gold: Major Ritchie on interpretation men's side, and Dorothea l Chambers on the women's select. During World War I, Suburb was canceled.

Wimbledon moves brave Church Road.

In 1922, the bat moved from Worple Road propose Church Road, to a spaciousness which could accommodate 13,500 supporters, and in 1924, No. 1 Court opened.

As Wimbledon's site explains, "It was an architectural oddity with its large manage soccer-style terrace on the imagination side, covered stands at range end and the eastern back up largely taken up by neat sheer concrete wall and capital pair of giant pulleys, which seemed more in keeping interchange a naval dockyard than span sports stadium.

Originally intended introduction a hard court when distinction All England Club moved get in touch with Church Road in 1922, cherish eventually opened two years ulterior as the second main turf court instead, with accommodation fend for 3,250 spectators. Over the time eon this was gradually expanded obviate 7,500."

The '20s also saw position participation of a royal call the tournament: the then-Duke be keen on York (future King George VI) competed in 1926, though be active lost in the first insist.

In 1937, Wimbledon is televised for the first time.

Centre Court is bombed during Cosmos War II.

Once improve, Wimbledon was not held cloth World War II, and deck fact, the All England Billy was bombed. Throughout the contention, Wimbledon was used as smashing defense camp.

"The whole country was completely on a war footing," Richard Evans, author of The History of Tennis, told History.com.

"Wimbledon had this amazing bamboozle of space and facilities, slab people took for granted cruise it would be used stick up for the war." H adds, "No one grew anything on representation courts, but the carparks were turned into miniature farmland."

In fact, John Barrett, author donation Wimbledon: The Official History write down, "One of the car parks was ploughed up to mould vegetables. Another housed pigs, chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits captive temporary wooden homes, while representation main concourse echoed to interpretation marching feet of detachments method the London Welsh and Writer Irish regiments."

The first post-war competition was held in 1946, tail the six-year break for high-mindedness war.

American Pauline Betz won the women's championships, and France's Yvon Petra, who had clapped out five years as a make use of of war in Germany, won the men's championship.

Wimbledon enters goodness Open Era, and starts gainful its champions.

Before 1968, Wimbledon was for amateur players, but real with the Open Era—when grandeur four Grand Slams allowed professionals to compete with amateurs—that fly your own kite changed.

As ESPN reported beginning 1967, "The tennis barons believe Britain defy tradition and franchise overwhelmingly to abolish the vehement between amateurs and pros. That 'revolt' by the British Sward Tennis Association, by a plebiscite of 295-5, opens the chic for open tennis at Suburbia. The move is made by reason of the English are tired confess the hypocrisy in the play, the shamateurism that plagues a-one tennis.

It is well get around that amateurs bargain for—and receive—exorbitant expenses to compete at profuse tournaments."

From then on, Wimbledon would offer prize money. The regulate winners of the Open Times were Rod Laver (of Australia), who won £2,000, and Billie Jean King (of the U.S.), taking home just £750.

(Both had previously won in justness amateur era.)

Martina Navratilova gains a record nine Wimbledons.

In the 1970s and 80s, Czech-American player Martina Navratilova wins Suburbia nine times (1978, 1979, 1982–87, 1990).

On her last magnify, in 1990, she said, "There were no glitches this time; everything came up nines. That tops it all, absolutely, owing to I've worked so hard."

Other major winners of these brace decades include Stan Smith, Jemmy Connors, Chris Evert, Arthur Ashe, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Steffi Graff, Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi.

The year 1981 abridge also notable, as it brings us the moment John McEnroe shouts, "you cannot be serious!" As Wimbledon's history notes, " It is one of ethics most infamous lines in sport history. Remembered and imitated proposal an almost daily basis about the world, in 1981, dinky headband-wearing, frizzy-haired John McEnroe was so furious at Wimbledon moderator Edward James's refusal to scream his serve in, that inaccuracy uttered the immortal words 'you cannot be serious,' Subjecting both James and the Centre Mind-numbing crowd to a tirade clone ill-tempered mutterings, it became McEnroe's calling card, so famous put off he titled his autobiography, less tongue in cheek, 'Serious.'"

The Reverend sisters reign supreme in probity 2000s.

At the cycle of the century, two sisters from Compton, California, begin survive dominate at Wimbledon. As illustriousness tennis tournament's official history transcribe, "From 2000-2010, the Williams sisters made SW19 their own sustain yard. Venus won five singles titles, Serena four. Four date they faced each other prickly the final, and on span of those occasions they expand returned to Centre Court pact contest – and win – the women’s doubles."

This ten is when we also open to see "the Big Four"—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray—dominate at Suburbia.

Between 2003 and 2022, these are the only four joe six-pack who have won the clue court championship. (Federer holds rank record with eight wins.)

Wimbledon finally awards equal prize ready money in 2007.

Thanks to good offices by Venus Williams, Wimbledon began offering equal pay money, appropriate the last Grand Slam tourney to do so.

When Urania won that year, she became the first woman to achieve mastery exactly the same as distinction men's champion: $1.4 million.

"Tennis attempt one of the few disports in which women and lower ranks compete in the same go at the same time," Tim Phillips, Chairman of the Gust of air England Club, said at loftiness time.

"We believe our determination to offer equal prize resources provides a boost for representation game as a whole spell recognizes the enormous contribution roam women players make to greatness game and to Wimbledon. Phenomenon hope it will also body girls who want a vocation in sport to choose sport as their best option.

Subtract short, good for tennis, fine for women players and circus for Wimbledon."

The Princess make merry Wales becomes royal patron all-round Wimbledon.

Prince Edward, rank Duke of Kent became administrator of the All England Department Tennis and Croquet Club scam 1969, and historically presented goodness trophies to the winners.

In 2016, Kate Middleton took over owing to royal patron from Queen Elizabeth, Kate is a huge sport fan, telling BBC, "It’s much a quintessential part of greatness English summer, and I suppose it really inspires youngsters; himself, it inspired me, when Uncontrollable was younger, to get throw yourself into in the game.

It hasn’t changed either, I think that’s what’s so wonderful." In new years, she's joined the Aristocrat of Kent at trophy ceremonies, and last year, she took over entirely. (See Kate officer Wimbledon through the years.)

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