The Championships, Wimbledon Facts & Worksheets

Simply known as Wimbledon, The Championships, Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. Since 1877, the Championships has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. Along with the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open, Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. 

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• Founded on July 23, 1868, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was a private club based at Nursery Road off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Devised by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1876, lawn tennis, or the outdoor version of real tennis, became part of the activities of the club. 
• The following year, the club was renamed “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club” which marked the first Lawn Tennis Championship. 
• On July 9, 1877, the Wimbledon Championship had only one event, the Gentlemen’s Singles. The first tournament was held over five days, with 22 male participants. The final match was played by Spencer Gore and William Marshall. 

Spencer Gore, winner of the first Wimbledon Championship in 1877 won a silver challenge cup and prize money of 12 guineas.

• In 1882, the term ‘croquet’ was dropped from the club’s name. It was restored in 1899 but most activities were confined to lawn tennis. 
• In 1884, the Ladies’ Singles and Gentlemen’s Doubles were added to the competition. By 1913, the Ladies’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles were also added. 
• In 1924, Jamaican Bertrand Milbourne Clark became the first African player to complete.
• Similar to the other Grand Slam events, the reigning champion at Wimbledon had to only play in the finals. Moreover, professional players were not allowed to participate. It was only contested by top-ranked amateur players in 1922. 
• Between 1912 and 1924, the Wimbledon Championships was recognized by the International Lawn Tennis Federation as the “World Grass Court Championships.”
• During the First (1915–1918) and Second (1940–1945) World Wars, no tournament was organized. In 1946, the tournament resumed despite the damage caused by aerial bombing in London. 
• In 1937, the Championship was first televised.
• Wimbledon had many courts. The biggest and most prestigious is the Centre Court, known for its retractable roof installed in 2009 and seating capacity of 15,000 people. The Centre Court also has the premier box used by members of the Royal Family and VIPs.

The Centre Court was formed in 1881 from the combination of the middle two courts of the middle row.

• The retractable roof was installed in 2009 to prevent delays due to bad weather. It was unveiled with the exhibition match featuring Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, and Tim Henman. 
• Lines from Rudyard Kipling’s poem If were inscripted above the entryway to the Centre Court. It reads, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same”.
• In the early rounds of the tournament, games are played on the No.1, No.2, and No.3 courts. Each could also hold thousands of spectators. The No.1 court located north of the Centre Court had 11,430 seats. The No.2 court, also known as the “Graveyard of Champions”, replaced the original No.13 Court. 
• The No. 3 court is the smallest of the main courts and can hold up to 2,000 spectators. In addition to 18 Championship grass courts, Wimbledon also has 22 grass practice courts located within Aorangi Park. There are also 8 clay courts, 5 indoor courts, and 2 acrylic courts. 

WIMBLEDON TRADITIONS

• Known as BBGs, the ball boys and girls work in teams of 6: 2 at the net and four at the corners. They are expected to blend into the background and should not be seen. In the 1920s, ball boys were recruited from The Shaftesbury Children’s Home. By 1947, they were recruited from Golding. 
• The traditional colors of Wimbledon courts are dark green and purple. 
• In the tournaments, all participating tennis players are required to wear an all-white or at least almost all-white uniform. 
• Chair umpire, linesmen, and BBGs wore green uniforms until 2005.
• Beginning in 2006, officials and BBGs wore navy blue and cream-colored uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren. 
• Since 2009, players were referred to on the scoreboard by their full names. In the case of two players of the same surname such as Venus and Serena Williams, the umpire states the first name only. 
• Before 2003, players were required to curtsy to the members of the Royal Family seated in the box upon entering and leaving the Centre Court. It was Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and president of the club who discontinued this tradition. Today, players only curtsy in the presence of the Queen or the Prince of Wales. 
• Since 1937, the BBC had broadcasted the Wimbledon Championships. In 1967, color television was introduced in the UK. Tennis balls were switched from white to yellow in 1986. The tournament is also watched in Ireland, the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, and countries in Southeast Asia. 
• Champions of the Gentlemen’s Singles are presented with a silver gilt cup, while the victor of the Ladies’ Singles is presented with a sterling silver salver, commonly known as the Rosewater Dish.
• Champions of the Gentlemen’s, Ladies’ and Mixed Doubles are individually awarded silver cups. 
• In 1968, prize money was first awarded to the champion, the same year that professional players joined the tournament. 

EVENTS AND NOTABLE CHAMPIONS

• Wimbledon is composed of five main events including the Gentlemen’s Singles, Ladies’ Singles, Gentlemen’s Doubles, Ladies Doubles and Mixed Doubles. 

Notable Champions

• Winners of most Gentlemen’s Singles titles
  • William Renshaw (1881–1886, 1889)
  • Roger Federer (2003–2007, 2009, 2012, 2017)
• Winners of most Gentlemen’s Doubles titles 
  • Reginald Doherty (1897–1901)
  • Laurence Doherty (1903–1905)
  • Todd Woodbridge (1993–1997, 2000) (2002–2004)
• Winners  of most Ladies’ Singles titles
  • Helen Wills (1927–1930, 1932–1933, 1935, 1938)
  • Martina Navratilova (1978–1979, 1982–1987,1990)
• Winners of most Ladies’ Doubles titles
  • Elizabeth Ryan (1914, 1919–1923, 1925–1927, 1930, 1933–1934)
  • Martina Navratilova (1976, 1979, 1981–1984, 1986)

Famous Wimbledon Champions of the Open Era

• Boris Becker won three Wimbledon titles. The first was when he was at age 17 which made him the youngest male to win a Wimbledon title. 
• Venus Williams won five Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles titles. 
• Bjorn Borg won Wimbledon titles between 1976 and 1980. 
• Serena Williams won five Wimbledon titles within a decade (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012).
• Roger Federer was named as the Tennis Channel’s greatest player ever in 2012. He won seven men’s Wimbledon singles titles, five of which were won between 2003 and 2007. 
• Rafael Nadal won two Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010. After two years (2006–2007) of reaching the finals against Roger Federer, Nadal finally won in 2008. 

QUICK FACTS

• During a Championships period, about 54,250 balls are used.
• As mentioned, the Wimbledon Championships is the only Grand Slam played on grass courts. During play, the grass is cut at exactly 8 mm in height. 
• A Harris Hawk called Rufus scares away pigeons from the tennis court.
• The longest match ever played was held in 2010 between American John Isner and French Nicolas Mahut. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes and was played within three days. 
• The fastest women’s serve belongs to Serena William with about 206 kph. 
• Maria Sharapova holds the record for the loudest known grunt which reached 105 decibels while hitting the ball.
• Originally called “Sphairistikè”, tennis was invented in the UK by Walter Clopton Wingfield. 
• Winners take home a small replica of the trophy. The original trophy remains on display at the All England Club’s museum. 
• There are about 250 BBGs at the event. The recruitment ration is 50:50. 
• In 2021, the Wimbledon Championship will begin in June 28 and last until July 11. 

Men’s tennis ATP Rankings (top 5) 2021 according to ESPN.

Rank	Name	Points	Age	Country
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.	N. Djokovic D. Medvedev R. Nadal S. Tsitsipas D. Thiem	12,113 10,053 8,630 7,980 7,425	34 25 35 22 27	Serbia Russia Spain Greece Austria

Women’s tennis ATP Rankings (top 5) 2021 according to ESPN.

Rank	Name	Points	Age	Country
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.	A. Barty N.Osaka S. Halep A. Sabalenka S. Kenin	7,875 7,346 6,330 6,195 5,835	25 23 29 23 26	Australia Japan Romania Belarus Ukraine

The Championships, Wimbledon Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Wimbledon Championships across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about The Championships, or simply known as Wimbledon – the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. Since 1877, the Championships have been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. Along with the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open, Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. The Championships, Wimbledon Facts
2. Wimbledon Champion
3. Grand Slams
4. Wimbledon Quick Facts
5. Graveyard of Champions
6. Centre Court
7. Wimbledon Traditions
8. Who’s Who?
9. Current Champions
10. The AELTC
11. This Year’s Winner

Frequently Asked Questions

What are The Championships, Wimbledon?

The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly known as Wimbledon, is one of the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. It is held annually in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom, and is one of the four Grand Slam tennis events.

When does Wimbledon take place?

Wimbledon usually takes place over a two-week period, starting towards the end of June and ending in early July. The tournament is scheduled according to the lawn tennis season and its traditional place in the tennis calendar.

How many courts are there at Wimbledon?

Wimbledon has a total of 18 grass courts, including the famous Centre Court and No. 1 Court, which are the primary venues for the major matches. The other courts are used for various matches during the tournament.

What is unique about Wimbledon’s dress code for players?

Wimbledon is known for its strict dress code, which requires players to wear predominantly white clothing. This tradition dates back to the 19th century and has been upheld to maintain a sense of tradition and elegance on the court.

Who has won the most Wimbledon singles titles?

As of my last update in September 2021, the record for the most Wimbledon singles titles is held by Martina Navratilova and Pete Sampras, with each winning 9 titles. Navratilova achieved her victories in the women’s singles, while Sampras achieved his in the men’s singles.

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