Everything begins in Wimbledon, in the suburb of London, in 1875. This year there, All England Croquet Club decides to propose to his members a new sport: the tennis; invented the same year, by the Chief warrant officer Wingfield. All England Croquet Club was based in 1869 by two British: J.H Walsh, director of the main review of .H Walsh, director of the main review of leisure activities of the country, The Field and Henry Jones, his chief editor. For 120 books a year, they rent a meadow situated in Wimbledon, between Worple Road and a rail. In 1875, both founders thus buy for 25 books the new game of the Chief warrant officer Wingfield. The members of the All England All England Croquet Club tests, so, the tennis and correct him repeatedly. Henry Jones will not stop improving rules and game of the tennis. In February, 1877, All England Croquet Club (renamed recently All England Lawn-tennis And Croquet Club) crosses a financial bad patch. It is then that Henry Jones suggests creating a championship of tennis to bail out the boxes of the clubAnd so in July, 1877, the first tournament of Wimbledon was born. The first big competition of the history of the tennis. Let us note that until 1922, the official naming of the tournament will be: Lawn-Tennis Championship.
The first edition opened only to the men, lasted 5 days (9, 10, 11, in July 12th and 19th). All England Club has welcomed 22 players and approximately 200 spectators. Henry Jones, director of the tournament, had involved a cup at 25 guineas. The time, the tennis was évidement no another separate sport but rather leisure. Nevertheless, All England Club made efforts so that Wimbledon is a real competition. On July 19th, finale of the first Wimbledon sets a player of 27-year-old racket, Spencer Gore, has a player of palm, Mr Marshall. The victory returned to the first one (6/1 6/2 6/4) who surprised all his opponents by playing an offensive and powerful game up to the net, the flight, the powerful striking. In 1878, the participation is in increase. 33 players try to reach in finale to face the winner of the previous year. The system of the Challenge Round - the winner was automatically qualified for finale next year - was effective until 1922. It is Franck Hadow, on holidays around, which had the privilege to play finale in front of Slip-over Gore. This unknown English did not leave favourite in front of beatings and of the knocks of the powerful S. Gore. Nevertheless, Frank Hadow created the surprise by taking away finale (7/5 6/1 9/7). Incomprehensible victory unless admitting that Hadow had just invented the lob! He wondered, after his. The edition of 1879 account 1000 spectators in the daytime of finale and 45 participants. The same year, the double man appears. The victorious team took away a trophy offered by Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club.
It is necessary to wait for 1884 to see the first feminine tournament of Wimbledon. It is two sisters who play finale. Maud and Lilian Watson. The victory returns to the first one on the score of 6/8 6/3 6/3. Years pass. At the same time as the internalisation of the tennis, the fame and the prestige of Wimbledon increases. At the end of the 19th century, the tournament is the most important championships of tennis for the world; in spite of the creation of the other international competitions as Us Open and the Championship of hard-packed surface to Paris ( future Roland Garros). Highly-rated court, the end of the century is marked by the dominion of the brothers Renshaw on the lawns of Wimbledon. Ernest and Willie (inventor of the smash) collect between 1881 and 1890 7 trophies in double and 14 finales in simple sirs among whom 8 ended in a victory. Willie even took away Wimbledon 6 times in succession (1881-1886) in simple as double. A record. Renshaw will leave then place to the other brothers: Laurie and Reggie Doherty. 9 victories to them two between 1898 and 1906. At the ladies, it is Lottie Dod (younger champion of Wimbledon at the age of 15), Charlotte Cooper and Dorothea Douglass that dominate. 5 titles in each between 1887 and 1910. The tournament is interrupted during the first world war but starts again in 1919. Before the tournament is again interrupted during the second world war, René Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon (4 musketeers) are the stars of Wimbledon. Fred Perry realizes a hat-seventh trick, he gains all his finales within 40 minutes. After the war Rod Laver takes away 4 titles and realizes the big slam. In 1957 Althea Gibson is the first black winner in Wimbledon. The continuation of the history of Wimbledon is dominated by Bjorn Bjorg then Pete Sampras and now by Roger Federer at the Men. At the Women Billy Jean King dominate 1960s, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graff 1970s - 1980. Today Wimbledon extends over 17 hectares, possesses 19 courts and welcomes 500 000 nobody in every edition
