Recalling 9th July 1877, a kick start Wimbledon Championship

Wimbledon Championship is the world’s most illustrious and clichéd tennis tournament. This day marks the 141 celebrations of the notorious tennis tournament. The Wimbledon Championship began on 9th July 1877 as a men’s singles and a long tennis tournament, which was held in All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AEC
The All England Club was established on a land sizing about 4 acres outside London that was dedicated to croquet and other lawn sports. With the growing popularity of tennis, all around the world tennis lawns were unified into All England Club making it the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AEC
All England Club posted an official news announcement in a weekly sporting magazine known as “The Field” in 1877 mentioning: “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, propose [sic] to hold a lawn tennis meeting open to all amateurs, on Monday, July 9, and following days. Entrance fee, one pound, one shilling.”

22 men registered themselves for the tennis tournament but only 21 men showed up for the tennis tournament on 9th of July reducing the number to 11 and then 6 and then 3. The Wimbledon Semifinals was played on 12th of June and Wimbledon Final was scheduled on 16th July that got delayed on to a further date, i.e. 19th of July due to heavy rain. The 1st Wimbledon Championship 1877 Finals match was played between William Cecil Marshall, an amateur tennis player and a famous finishing runner-up and Spencer William Gore, an English tennis player, and a 1st class cricketer. The match hardly lasted for 48 minutes, resulting in the winning of Spencer William Gore, being the 1st male Wimbledon champion.

The 1st women singles of Wimbledon Championship was played in 1884. The Wimbledon Championship 1884 women’s singles were played between the 2 English tennis players and sisters Muan Edith Eleanor Watson and Lilian Mary Watson. Muan Edith Eleanor Watson won the game being the 1st female Wimbledon champion.

Since then, the legacy and evolution of Wimbledon Championship continue with increasing fan base each year.