London is a great place to visit in summer because it opens up so many wonderful outdoor possibilities. For visitors, that can often mean sports – and while cricket is a game still played mainly by countries that were part of the British Empire a century ago, tennis is a truly global game.
Although various forms of racket sport emerged in France from the 12th century onwards, lawn tennis, for this is its official name despite seldom being played on grass these days, was invented in Britain in 1874. Major Walton Clopton Wingfield was the wonderfully-named author of the rules, although this happened not in London, but in Birmingham.
The First Grand Slam
The fact that the sport as we know it today was not devised in London did not, however, prevent the capital from soon becoming the home of the sport. This happened in 1877 when the All England Croquet Club in Wimbledon changed its name to become the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.
In 1899, the name changed again, reversing the order in which the two sports were mentioned. Croquet is not a mass-participation sport, but by the end of the 19th century, tennis certainly was.
Having adopted tennis in 1877, the All England Club held its championship that very same year, the very first ’Wimbledon’ and, indeed, the first of the four ‘Grand Slam’ events.
However, there were quite a few differences between then and now. At first, there were only singles matches and it was not until 1884 that there was a ladies’ championship. The first winner, Spencer Gore, won the final in front of a crowd of just 200. The current green and purple club colours were not adopted until 1909.
From Worple Road To Henman Hill
However, the most significant difference of all was the venue. The All England club was based on the other side of Wimbledon at Worple Road until it moved to the current site in 1922.
Today, the Worple Road site is occupied by a school playing field. The site is worth visiting as part of a private London tour, however, as a plaque was unveiled there in 2012 to commemorate its role in tennis history.
You may stop at this spot and try to imagine what the first final must have been like, but upon a visit to the modern arena, you can enjoy seeing history for real at the All England Club’s museum. You can also tour the grounds, though not during the championships themselves.
Of course, if you are lucky enough to get tickets, you can see the modern players in action as they seek to write their own piece of history. But whether you make it to Centre Court or Henman Hill, it is worth noting that Wimbledon, while so important in tennis history and heritage, is not the only site for lovers of the sport to visit in London.
The Queen’s Club
Another important venue in the capital is the Queen’s Club, which hosts one of the most important grass court events before Wimbledon. This had been only for men for 52 years until the resumption of the women’s championship this year,
The Queen’s Club is located in West Kensington and has a long history of its own, being established as a multi-sports club in 1886. It is a multi-sports venue at which various racquet sports can be played, although the tennis in June is the big show that attracts the major talent, an event that dates back to 1881.
Like Wimbledon, Queens stands out as a grass court tournament in a world where most tennis is now played on hard courts or clay. Alongside Wimbledon’s requirement for players to wear white, the traditions are enduring and unique. Few things are more quintessentially British.
British Battles
All of that may make it seem odd that Britons have not had more success in the sport. This was a long-running gripe during the 77 years that passed between Fred Perry’s third successive triumph in 1936 and 2013, when Andy Murray ended the wait in the first of his two triumphs.
There had been four British ladies’ singles winners in the intervening years, but the most recent of those was Virginia Wade in 1977. Could Emma Raducanu put that right after her 2021 US Open triumph as a teenager?
A 21st Century Venue
While Britons may not always perform, the best in the world love to come to London to show off their tennis skills. Indeed, as well as the historic courts of Wimbledon, a modern venue has also played host to the superstars, with the O2 Arena in North Greenwich staging the ATP tour finals from 2009 to 2020.
Tennis may not have been invented in London, but on a tour of this great city, you can see where some of the sport’s greatest history was made.
