July Newsletter
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Wimbledon
Wimbledon is Britain’s perennial fascination with tennis and one of the major grand slam tennis tournaments. Now in its 130th year, Wimbledon 2007 kicks off on the 25th June to July 8th and promises to be as big a spectacle as ever. What started out as little more than a west London garden party in 1877, has developed into one of the world’s biggest sporting events and the tennis world’s most prominent grass court competition, that for a few weeks in summer engulfs Britain into a frenzy of tennis and strawberries & cream - despite the inevitable rain showers! The hallowed grass courts of Wimbledon are situated in southwest London, and for two weeks over June and July, they host the Wimbledon Championships. Tennis stars from over 60 nations compete for a total prize money of over £10million, in front of 500,000 spectators in the stands, with millions more watching worldwide. The first Wimbledon Championships were held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877. It was a Gentleman’s singles competition watched by less than 200 people, who paid a shilling each to watch Spencer Gore win. In 1884, Ladies tennis was added to the championship and the first lady to win at Wimbledon was Maud Watson, also in that same year doubles tennis was added to the spectacle. In 1922, to accommodate the growing interest in the sport, the Wimbledon Championships were moved from the All England Club to their current location. By the turn of the 19th century Wimbledon grew from being a British competition to an international tennis tournament. Indeed since 1905 only two British men have won, Arthur Gore and Fred Perry, while British ladies have faired better, with Kitty McKane Godfree, Dorothy Round, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones and Virginia Wade becoming British winners at Wimbledon. In 1977 the championships celebrated their centenary. Each previous surviving winner received a silver medal from the then Club President HRH the Duke of Kent while HRH The Queen, presented that year’s winner Virginia Wade with the ladies trophy. Over the years the Wimbledon’s famous centre court has been the stage for the talents of some of the greatest names in tennis, such as Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Billie Jean King, Ilie Nastase, Bjorn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Pat Cash, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras, all of whom have flourished in the legendary atmosphere of Wimbledon. Last year saw the emotional retirement of Wimbledon favourite Andre Agassi, as Roger Federer beat close rival Rafael Nadal in the men’s final and Amelie Mauresmo took the ladie’s crown. This year fans are expecting a repeat of the men’s final, with Federer favourtie to retain his title, but the women’s title is a much tougher one to call. Could it be Sharapova, Henin-Hardenne or one of the Williams sisters who lifts the famous Rosewater Dish this year? Could this be the year for Britain’s Andy Murray or Wimbledon stalwart Tim Henman? There’s probably more chance of another wild card winner! Tickets for Wimbledon can range from £8 to £80 and are notoriously hard to get hold of. They are available through affiliates of the Lawn Tennis Association or by public ballot well in advance of the championship. It is possible to buy tickets on the day of play by queuing at the ground, but demand always far exceeds supply, so be prepared to queue several hours before the grounds open (people are known to queue overnight!). Tickets are sold strictly on a basis of one ticket per person and payment is cash only – you wouldn’t want to queue all night only to have your American Express turned away! Whether you get a ticket or not, tennis fans can visit the award winning Wimbledon Tennis Museum all year round. Opened in 1977, Wimbledon’s centenary year, the museum outlines the history of the tournament and relives some of its greatest moments, with state of the art exhibits. Highlights of the museum include a virtual tour of Wimbledon’s off limits areas and a wander down memory lane led by a virtual John McEnroe, the Whites of Wimbledon exhibition following the fashions of tennis through the years and a fantastic new cinema featuring a 200 degree screen, immersing the viewer into a centre court match between Russia's Maria Sharapova against Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives, as commentary explains the science of tennis.
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