In short
On July 9, 1877, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London hosted the first lawn tennis championship open to all amateurs. Spencer Gore won the men's singles title, establishing what would become tennis's oldest Grand Slam tournament and a sporting institution that endures 147 years later.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
The Wimbledon Championships, commonly called Wimbledon, is a tennis tournament organised by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in collaboration with the Lawn Tennis Association annually in Wimbledon, London. It is chronologically the third of the four Grand Slam tennis events each year, held after the Australian Open and the French Open and before the US Open. It is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely regarded as the most prestigious.
As it was happening
10 voices, 33241 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Wimbledon Championships Begins
The All England Club opens its inaugural lawn tennis championship with 22 entrants competing in single elimination format on grass courts in south London.
Voices from this moment (4)
The Sporting Gazette, June 1877
Jun 20
“We have organised this tournament to determine the champion…”
The Field, July 1877
Jul 8
“The standard of play was remarkably high.”
The Times, July 1877
Jul 10
“Whilst the spectacle was orderly and the grounds pleasantly…”
Wimbledon Championships Begins
Jul 9
“The All England Club opens its inaugural lawn tennis…”
As it was happening
10 voices, 33241 days.
Day 19 · July 9, 1877
Wimbledon Championships Begins
The All England Club opens its inaugural lawn tennis championship with 22 entrants competing in single elimination format on grass courts in south London.
“We have organised this tournament to determine the champion…”
- The Sporting Gazette, June 1877, Jun 20
“The standard of play was remarkably high.”
- The Field, July 1877, Jul 8
“Whilst the spectacle was orderly and the grounds pleasantly…”
- The Times, July 1877, Jul 10
“The All England Club opens its inaugural lawn tennis…”
- Wimbledon Championships Begins, Jul 9
Day 29 · July 19, 1877
Spencer Gore Wins First Title
Spencer Gore defeats William Marshall in the final, claiming the championship and £12 prize money. Approximately 200 spectators attend the final match.
“This championship demonstrates that lawn tennis is not…”
- The Gentleman's Journal, August 1877, Aug 2
“Spencer Gore defeats William Marshall in the final,…”
- Spencer Gore Wins First Title, Jul 19
Day 369 · June 24, 1878
Second Championship Held
Wimbledon holds its second tournament, establishing itself as an annual event. Frank Hadow defeats Spencer Gore in the final.
“Wimbledon holds its second tournament, establishing itself…”
- Second Championship Held, Jun 24
Day 2546 · June 9, 1884
Women's Singles Added
Wimbledon introduces a women's singles championship, won by Maud Watson, expanding the tournament's scope beyond men's competition.
“Wimbledon introduces a women's singles championship, won by…”
- Women's Singles Added, Jun 9
Day 12978 · January 1, 1913
Lawn Tennis Association Takes Over
The newly formed Lawn Tennis Association assumes organizational responsibility for the championship, professionalizing tournament management.
“The newly formed Lawn Tennis Association assumes…”
- Lawn Tennis Association Takes Over, Jan 1
Day 33241 · June 24, 1968
Open Era Begins
Wimbledon becomes the first Grand Slam to allow professional players, dismantling the amateur-only restriction that had defined the sport for 91 years.
“Wimbledon becomes the first Grand Slam to allow…”
- Open Era Begins, Jun 24
The numbers.
3 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Spectators
0 (final day)
Matches Played
0 (single elimination)
Prize Money
£0 (winner), £6 (runner-up)
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Wimbledon Tennis Championships
en.wikipedia.org