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Wimbledon Quick Facts
Posted: Wednesday June 21, 2000 01:36 PM
Tournament Dates: June 26 - July 9, 2000 HistoryWimbledon is the oldest tournament in the sport and the only Grand Slam still played on a grass court, the fastest in tennis. All England Croquet Club was founded in 1868 and tennis was added to its activities in 1875. The first tennis championship was held in 1877, men's singles only. Women's singles and men's doubles were introduced in 1884 and women's doubles and mixed doubles in 1913. The first overseas champion was May Sutton of the United States who won the women's singles in 1905. Norman Brookes of Australia won the men's title in 1907. Wimbledon moved to its present site in Church Road in 1922. FacilitiesWimbledon has two show courts -- Centre Court (which holds 13,800) and No. 1 Court (11,400). Time schedulePlay in the first six days will begin at 8 a.m. ET on the Centre and No. 1 Courts and 6 a.m. ET on the other courts. There is no play on Sunday July 2, except if bad weather delays the tournament during the first week.Best of the bestWilliam Renshaw holds the crown for most men's singles titles. He won a total of seven Wimbledon men's crowns (1881-86, 1889). Martina Navratilova is the leader among women. She won nine women's singles titles (1978, 1979, 1982-87, 1990). H. Laurie Doherty holds the record for the most combined singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles for men with 13, including: 5 singles and 8 doubles, won between 1897-1905. Billie Jean King holds the record for the most combined singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles for women with 20, including: 6 singles, 10 doubles and 4 mixed, won between 1961-79. King also holds the distinction of being the oldest woman to receive a singles seed at Wimbledon. She was 39 years, 209 days when she got the No. 10 seed in 1983. Talking numbersThe youngest men's singles champion on record is Boris Becker, who won the title in 1985 when he was 17 years, 227 days. The youngest women's singles champion is Charlotte Dod, who won the title in 1887 when she was 15 years, 285 days. The oldest men's singles champion is Arthur Gore, who won the title in 1909 at 41 years, 182 days. The oldest women's singles champion is Charlotte Sterry, who won the title in 1908 at 37 years, 282 days. Bragging rightsThe countries whose representatives have won men's singles titles are: British Isles (32), United States (32), Australia (20), France (7), Sweden (7), Germany (4), New Zealand (4), Britain (3), Czechoslovakia (1), Egypt (1), Netherlands (1), Spain (1). The countries whose representatives have won women's singles titles are: United States (43), British Isles (29), Britain (7), France (6), Germany (7), Australia (5), Brazil (3), Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic (3), Spain (1), Switzerland (1).
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