2009 Wimbledon Tennis Championship
Dates and History of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship
Apr 27, 2009
The 2009 Wimbledon tennis championship will be played between Monday 22 June and Sunday 5 July. The third of the tennis grand slam quartet, Wimbledon is the only tournament played on a grass surface and is regarded as the most prestigious prize in the sport. 2009 will also see the opening of the new roof over the iconic Centre Court.
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Founded in 1868, the game lawn tennis was introduced to the club in 1875 with the first championship launched in 1877. The grounds of the club were arranged so that the main court was situated in the middle with secondary courts surrounding. Hence the title 'Centre Court' was retained when the club moved to its present site in 1927.
The Wimbledon Championship flourished in subsequent decades and British tennis had a golden era in the mid to late 1930's. Between 1934 and 1937, 11 singles titles were gained, three consecutively by Fred Perry with a brace for Dorothy Round. During this period Great Britain also defended the Davis Cup on three occasions on the Centre Court.
The Open Professional Age
In 1964 the All England Club tried to persuade the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to extend invitations to all players, professional or amateur, and declare the tournament 'Open'. This plea was rejected but an invitational competition in 1967 paved the way for a new era.
In August 1967, eight professionals were invited to play on the Centre Court in a tournament sponsored by the BBC to advertise its new colour television channels. This heralded the end of the amateur and professional divide with the first 'Open' championship being held the following year.
The Wimbledon Greats
From Fred Perry, through Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampars to Roger Federer many great players have graced the grass courts of Wimbledon.
Bjorn Borg won the men's singles title five times, an accomplishment matched by Roger Federer. Pete Sampras won his ninth crown in 2000 and, memorably, a 17 year old Boris Becker triumphed in 1985, the first unseeded player to lift the men's trophy. Martina Navratilova won a remarkable nine victories in the ladies singles. All outstanding achievements by wonderful players.
The Wimbledon Centre Court Roof
Perhaps unfairly regarded as a Club that hosts a tournament dogged by bad weather, 2009 will see the All England Club respond by unveiling a roof for the Centre Court. Two years in completion, the roof will take approximately 10 minutes to close with a further 30 minutes required for the air management system to create the required playing conditions. The new Centre Court will have an increased capacity of 15,000.
2009 Wimbledon Championship
The 2009 Wimbledon Championship promises to be another exciting fortnight of top quality tennis. The men's and women's competitions will be keenly contested and perhaps, for once, a little rain will be welcome to see the new Centre Court roof close for the first time.
References
BBC Sport
Wimbledon Tennis
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