The Wimbledon Championship is the apex tournament for any tennis player. It is at this great stage that champions are made and legends are born. Over the years, the Wimbledon tournament has produced some incredible statistics and the 2017 edition will no doubt be the same bringing to our screens super excitement in the two weeks in which the tournament will be running. There can be zero arguments as to how the screens around the globe during these two weeks will be airing.
All people from all nations all over the world will come to participate and support at Wimbledon. As is the norm at such big events, not all things will turn out to be rosy. Nonetheless, the contenders get on the court for the sole purpose of this magical game and to unite everyone.
Year after year records are smashed and new ones set while we get to put some smiles on our faces due to several moomish moments which inevitably accompany this great spectacle. Below we take a look at some of the surprising facts about the tournament.
- The Wimbledon Championship along with the US Open Golf tournament is the oldest sports tournaments in the world; the Wimbledon tournament began in London in 1877.
- The name of the tournament i.e. Wimbledon was derived from the location which plays host to this iconic tournament i.e. Wimbledon, a small town in the southwest London.
- Though the tournament is of British origin, British players have not been able to dominate the event, at least in recent times. The tournament has in recent times been dominated by the United States of America, Spain, and Russia. Andy Murray in 2013 (Men’s Singles) and Virginia Wade in 1977 (Women’s Singles) are the only Britons in recent memory to be crowned champions.
- The Wimbledon tournament has its many firsts and it is one of the very first tournaments to be aired live on television alongside the football World Cup. The first time people watched the Wimbledon championships live on television was in 1937 on June 21 on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
- The Wimbledon Championship holds a unique and honorable record which it has kept since its inception till present day. The Wimbledon courts are purely covered by ryegrass making the tournament the only Grand Slam event in the world played on grass. The tournament patrons have reiterated that this will be the norm in the future.
- Though the Wimbledon tournament is a global attraction with supporters in all corners of the globe, the tournament does not allow advertisers.
- The Wimbledon Championship is held in the last week of June into the first week of July and during this time the rains will be falling in Britain. This made the tournament to experience difficulties in past years but the problem has been rectified as the Centre Court is now fitted with a retractable roof.
- The Wimbledon Championship has been able to safeguard its pride in allowing only Wimbledon tournaments at the Center Court. The Wimbledon Centre Courthas only been used for none other than the Wimbledon tournament once in its entire history.
- The hold held traditionof players bowing in front of The Royal Box was abolished in 2003, the only exception being the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIor the Prince of Wales.
- In an effort to take the tournaments’ ‘class’ to every department, Ball Boys and Girlswho participate in the Wimbledon tournament must pass a written test and a fitness test among other tests with the average age of a Ball Boy or Girl is 15.
