On July 9th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1877. This was the day that the first Wimbledon tennis tournament began at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club in London, England.
The tournament was organized by the All England Club, which had previously focused on the sport of croquet. However, with the growing popularity of lawn tennis, the club decided to hold a tennis tournament. The event was advertised in The Field magazine, stating, "The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, propose to hold a lawn tennis meeting, open to all amateurs, on Monday, July 9th and following days."
The first Wimbledon tournament was a Gentlemen's Singles event, with 22 players competing. The entry fee was one guinea, and the winner would receive a silver challenge cup, valued at 25 guineas, which was to be held by the winner until the next year's tournament.
The final match was played on July 19th between Spencer Gore and William Marshall. Gore, a 27-year-old rackets player, won the inaugural Wimbledon title in a 48-minute match, defeating Marshall in straight sets: 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Gore's victory was not surprising, as he was considered the favorite due to his experience in racket sports.
This first Wimbledon tournament laid the foundation for what would become one of the most prestigious and iconic tennis events in the world. Today, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, alongside the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open.
