What made Wimbledon the premier event in the tennis world? Pedigree. Modern tennis was invented in Great Britain, with Major Walter Clopton Wingfield’s version of the game (formerly called “lawn tennis”) making its debut in 1873. Four years later, the first Championships were held in the London suburb of Wimbledon.

There was only one event at the inaugural Championships: Gentlemen’s Singles, which was won by Spencer Gore. Ladies’ Singles was added in 1884; the first champion was Maud Watson. These early tournaments saw the game’s now-familiar strategies develop in swift Darwinian fashion. Gore, for example, won by moving up toward the net and volleying while his opponents stood at the baseline.

Wimbledon was an amateur event until the Open era began in 1968. Pete Sampras holds the record for men’s singles titles in Open play with seven, while Martina Navratilova won an amazing nine Championships in singles play – plus seven doubles and four mixed doubles.

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