The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, London | Party Earth The All England Lawn Tennis Club Collapse map / See photo gallery Expand map / See nearby venues Venues Events Expand map / See nearby venues Collapse map / See photo gallery 0 User Reviews Jonah Emma INFO The All England Lawn Tennis Club is an exclusive private members society that hosts the prestigious Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament every summer. Originally founded in 1868 as a croquet and tennis club, it was... ... read more Neighborhood: Official Website The All England Lawn Tennis Club Information The All England Lawn Tennis Club is an exclusive private members society that hosts the prestigious Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament every summer. Originally founded in 1868 as a croquet and tennis club, it was moved to its current location in Wimbledon in 1922 in order to expand and accommodate for the popularity of what has now become the premier tennis tournament in the world. Famous for its surface, Wimbledon is the only grand slam tournament played on grass, which adds a dynamic to the game in that the ball spins differently off its bounce. The club grounds house two dozen tournament courts, nineteen of them grass, along with another twenty-two grass practice courts, but the famed history of the venue resides with Centre Court.

After renovations and the installation of a sliding glass roof, Centre Court can hold 15,000 spectators and hosts the final matches of the championships each year. The sweat and tears of champions like Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, the Williams’ Sisters, and Martina Navratilova have watered the grass of Centre Court since its inception. Along with the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the courts also host tennis events for the Olympics when they come to London, including the 1908 and 2012 Games. The main arena has seen the chronicles of antiquity beyond tennis as well, having large sections of the grandstands incinerated by high-explosive bombs from German airstrikes in 1940. Embedded with royalty, the Lawn Tennis Club receives its patronage from Queen Elizabeth II herself, and is run by her cousin, Prince Edward the Duke of Trent. The history of the club has also been criticized over the century for its overly pompous elitism, anti-Semitism, racism, and sexism, but its allowance of minorities in the tournament after 1952 and its most recent decision to award men and women equal prize purses has silenced most of those sentiments.

Wimbledon 2016: An A to Z guide to The Championships Wimbledon 2016: An A to Z guide to The Championships Wimbledon gets underway next Monday 26 June 2016 • 8:00am A is for All England Club Or to give it its full name The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, our hosts for the fortnight . The private members club was founded in 1868, held its first Gentlemen's Singles Championship in 1877 and currently has about 565 full members, some temporary playing members and some honorary members. Sir Cliff Richard and the Duchess of Cambridge are prominent members but with a waiting list of more than a 1,000, it is said you stand a better chance of winning the championship and becoming an honorary member than joining the club the supposedly orthodox way. Should you be so lucky, robe yourself in green and purple in perpetuity. For the other 50 weeks of the year the club's members have access to the eight clay courts, two acrylic courts, five indoor courts and 22 Aorangi Park grass courts, with the 19 courts used for the championships available from May until September.

B is for Bjorn Borg Baseline behemoth with biblical looks who won the Gentlemen's Singles title five years in succession from 1976. Because he rarely spoke he came to be defined by what he was not, the decent man who stood between civilisation and Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe . A man of phenomenal stamina, he ground opponents down with his wonderful array of groundstrokes and his tungsten nerve, never losing his cool or dignity despite provocation. In truth it was all a front and on his retirement he revealed that his years at the top had been rife with torment. During the past two decades, happily, he has found genuine contentment. Bjorn Borg gears up for victory in 1977 Credit: The Telegraph C is for Centre Court The showpiece court was built in 1922 and after several modifications, including the construction of a roof that was completed in 2009, now holds 15,000 spectators, making it the fourth largest tennis stadium in the world.

The court hosted the finals of the tennis tournament of the 2012 Olympic Games and its Royal Box regularly provides photo opportunities for the best-connected tennis aficionados from Hollywood, Bollywood and the world of sport. The scoreboard, for years a dot matrix design, were replaced by LED screens in 2008 in the club's shade of green and sponsored, as ever, by Rolex. Keira Knightley watches from the Roayl Box in 2014 Credit: AP D is for Doubles Usually an afterthought as far as television schedulers are concerned and never the greatest draw for those paying the highest ticket prices but for many of us it remains the most fun form of the game to play socially and there are always plenty of matches to see on the outside courts in the second week. During the barren years between Virginia Wade's victory in 1977 and Andy Murray's in 2013, doubles kept home hopes alive with much cherished victories for John Lloyd, Jeremy Bates, Jo Durie, Jamie Murray and Jonathan Marray. Everything begins with a J in British doubles.

Jamie Murray and Jelena Jankovic win the mixed doubles in 2007 Credit: Reuters E is for Evert as in Christine The original 'All American Golden Girl', Chris Evert became 'the darling of the Centre Court' when she married John Lloyd and became a Brit by proxy if not by passport. She won the singles three times, her last in 1981, the year of the Royal Wedding, as Mrs Evert-Lloyd but was almost as famous for the seven occasion she finished as runner-up. Prejudice against Martina Navratilova, as much for her serial winning habit as anything else, made Evert the standard bearer for a different style but in reality the two were close friends whose 80 matches over 15 years were played with true sportsmanship and good grace. Chris Evert 'the darling of Centre Court' in 1982 Credit: ALLSPORT F is for Federer as in Roger Seven-times the Gentlemen's Singles champion, a record he shares with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw, Roger Federer is the tennis player we would all like to be.

His matchless elegance and poise have been deservedly praised but there is genuine competitive sadism, too, in his ability at his twentysomething peak to stretch his opponents' stamina to breaking point. Continues to look as if he has just swanked in off the set of the Great Gatsby and if his pomp is in his past he has left us with indelible memories. Roger Federer wins his sixth Wimbledon in 2009 Credit: Getty Images G is for grass The surface that makes Wimbledon unique among the great tennis tournaments. Originally all four 'grand slam' championships were held on grass - it is lawn tennis after all - but only Wimbledon perseveres with the fastest, most skiddy surface of them all. Grass is conducive to the serve and volley style beloved by the home audience and the added benefit is the ability to slide across the turf soundlessly, hence saving each spectator from the unholy, avant-garde symphony of squeaky shoes that make the Australian and US Opens a form of aural torture. Grass - it doesn't squeak Credit: AFP H is for Henman Hill AKA 'Murray Mound' but never 'Perry Promontory'.

To give it its proper name, Aorangi Terrace is where those with ground admission tickets but without reserved seats on the show courts gather pre and post promenade around the other courts to watch the travails and triumphs of the best British players on the big screen. Guaranteed to arouse a sneer each year from people who think its funny to patronise the southern English middle-class when in fact there always seems to be a very cosmopolitan atmosphere even if the flags tend to be red, white and blue. Fans mass on Henman Hill in 2010 to watch Andy Murray Credit: Heathcliff O'Malley/THE TELEGRAPH I is for If Two lines from the Rudyard Kipling poem, which is so easy to rip out of context and spoof for its platitudinous stoicism because it has become so familiar, are inscribed above the entrance to Centre Court: 'If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/ And treat those two impostors just the same.' In that context, right there, they still seem perfectly apt as they did in the society and culture that inspired Kipling to write them.

J is for June and July The so-called British summer months where the SW19 tournament falls in the calendar each year. Fans attending the championships must be armed with umbrellas and expect lengthy delays due to heavy rain fall as is the tradition at Wimbledon. According to the record books, only seven championships have escaped a rain interruption since 1922 (1931, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2010). Ironically the Centre Court roof was ready in time for the second of those back-to-back dry tournaments seven years ago. Rain and Wimbledon go hand-in-hand Credit: Heathcliff O'Malley K is for Krajicek as in Richard The 1996 final between Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington was the subject of several headlines. Yes it was the first Sampras-less final in four years and yes Washington was the first African-American male to reach the Wimbledon final since Arthur Ashe in 1975. But it was also the year that 23-year-old Melissa Johnson became the first female streaker to get on to Centre Court.

As the players were smiling for the pre-match pictures, Johnson was mid-disrobing in front of their eyes to bring even wider grins from the first-time finalists. It didn’t throw Dutchman Krajicek off his stride as he won in straight sets. L is for Laver as in Rod The Australian holds the record of winning not just one but two Wimbledon finals in under an hour. His 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 win over Chuck McKinley back in 1961 took just 55 minutes – he shaved four minutes off that time a year later in his 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 dismantling of Marty Mulligan. Laver, who won 11 slams overall, also holds the record for the shortest final of the Open Era – which coincidentally also happened to be the first. He beat Tony Roche 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in 1968 in precisely one hour.

Rod Laver still holds claim to the shortest ever Wimbledon final victory Credit: Hulton Archive M is for Mahut as in Nicolas Suffered ignominy of losing the longest ever singles match at Wimbledon in the ‘endless match’ against John Isner six years ago. After 11 hours and five minutes of play over three days which started on Tuesday 22 June 2010 at 6.13pm and finished on Thursday June 24 at 4.47pm, Mahut finally wilted under pressure from the American to lose 70-68 in the final set which lasted 8hrs 11 minutes alone. The Court 18 scoreboard had to be fixed so it could go past 47-47 after falling dark on day two. Isner, unsurprisingly, went on to lose his second round contest in just 74 minutes. Mahut suffered defeat after over 11 hours on court Credit: Getty Images N is for Novotna as in Jana Produced one of the biggest sporting chokes in living memory when she crumbled to Steffi Graf in 1993.

The tall Czech had game point to go up 6-7, 6-1, 5-1 against Graf but the images of the Duchess of Kent consoling her in the trophy ceremony remain iconic to this day. Novotna said after that it was “the best thing that happened to my life. I opened the newspapers and I was on the front page of every newspaper, I felt like a winner”. Despite defeat to Martina Hingis in the final four years later (minus the tears), Novotna experienced that real feeling of winning in 1998 with her Wimbledon mother the Duchess in close quarters again – this time to hand over the quivering the Venus Rosewater dish (see V). Novotna is consoled by Duchess of Kent Credit: Getty Images O is for outfits Despite Wimbledon's all-white traditions players have been known to push the boundaries - including whiter-than-white Roger Federer. Federer was given a slap on the wrists for wearing orange-soled shoes in 2014 which resulted in the All England Club re-issuing their policy.

It's an extremely precise list which only allows for a single trim of colour no more than one centimetre in width and has led to Federer among others to label the ruling "extreme" and compared it to "playing in the 1950s". Even all-white outfits have caused a stir - back in 1985 Ann White was told by referee Alan Mills to change out of her all-in-one bodysuit during an inevitable rain delay. Ann White caused a stir with her bodysuit in 1985 Credit: Getty Images P is for People's Saturday "People's Saturday" is regarded as one of the most atmospheric days of the tennis calendar when ‘real’ fans are able to queue up and bag themselves a seat on Centre Court. Introduced in 1992 to allow more supporters the chance to purchase a ticket for the main showcourt, the All England Club cut back on seats available in 2002 after 9,000 fans camped out at Wimbledon Park the previous year in the hope of catching a glimpse of Tim Henman’s third-round match against Wayne Ferreira.

Fans on Centre Court on Peoples Saturday Credit: Getty Images Q is for Queues, queues, queues Need we say more? Oh yes we should. Remember to take a newspaper, book or a tablet to while away the hours and er, cash. Even in this day of contactless and smart phone payments they will only accept real money on the gate! Remember to have cash in your pocket for Wimbledon Credit: Getty Images R is for Rufus as in Rufus the hawk Wimbledon’s pigeon-frightener in residence, seven-year old Rufus has been part of the SW19 family since he was four months old, taking over from previous hawk Hamish duties of patrolling the 42 acres of competition courts and keeping them safe from pigeons. Rufus was in fact stolen during the tournament back in 2013 but was returned three days later, leading handler Imogen Davis to say of the incident “it was the worst weekend imaginable. I don’t let him out of my sight now”.

Rufus the hawk patrols the Wimbledon courts Credit: Heathcliff O'Malley S is for Strawberries and cream One of the staples of Wimbledon, the ludicrously over-priced strawberries and cream combo is as much a part of the Wimbledon furniture as the Pimm's (also ludicrously over-priced). A portion (minimum of 10 strawberries) costs around £2.50, with around 28,000 kilos of English strawberries sold at each tournament. A familiar sight at the All England Club T is for Titanium pigment The technical term for what was once known as 'chalk'. Because as the Wimbledon website proudly explains, paint is not used to mark the lines on the court - instead a white compound containing titanium dioxide is used to make it durable. So if John McEnroe were playing today, his infamous 'chalk flew up' rant would have to be slightly modified. Though we're not sure if 'titanium pigment flew up' would have quite the same ring to it. U is for Umpires A source of much frustration for the likes of McEnroe over the years, umpires have the unenviable job of keeping the peace when things get heated.

Sometimes, as was the case with Jeff Tarango, umpires even have to deal with the ire of the players' spouses. In 1995, Tarango stormed off the court in a huff at what he perceived to be incorrect calls, before his wife Benedicte caught up with the umpire Bruno Rebeuh and promptly slapped him. Twice. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), the job of the umpire is a little easier these days thanks to the introduction of HawkEye. In total there are 369 officials at The Championships working as chair umpires and line umpires (345) or off-court staff (24). Disputes between umpires and players are all part of the fun V is for Venus Rosewater dish This is the name of the trophy awarded to the winner of the ladies' singles. The original dish was made in 1864, but a copy is now used, traditionally handed over to the champion by the Duchess of Kent. The original remains in the museum at the All-England club.

The Venus Rosewater Dish is presented to the winner of the singles competition W is for Williams sisters The most decorated sisters in the history of the sport, Venus and Serena are both legends of the All England club. It was Venus who made the first breakthrough, winning the singles title in 2000 - one of five she has claimed in total. Serena has since gone on to win six Wimbledon singles titles, and the sisters have won the doubles title together on five occasions. They have also faced each other in the singles final on four occasions. The Williams sisters have redefined the sport X is for X-rated language Normally the epitome of gentility, the Wimbledon air can occasionally be turned blue by the players’ foul language. 2015 was a vintage year in this regard, with Liam Broady and Serena Williams given given code violations for swearing and the BBC forced to apologise for Heather Watson’s verbal volleys. Nick Kyrgios was also reprimanded for muttering 'dirty scum' during a match against Diego Schwartzman, which he insisted was aimed at himself rather than the umpire Mohamed Lahyani.

Liam Broady vents his anger last year Y is for Youngsters There have been a number of players who have lit up Wimbledon as teenagers, but a couple have really stood out. Firstly Boris Becker, who is still the youngest men's champion after his win in 1985 as a 17-year-old. Secondly, Martina Hingis, who holds some staggering records from her time as a teenage prodigy in the mid-1990s. 'The Swiss Miss' won junior Wimbledon aged 13, the women's doubles aged 15, and the singles aged just 16. Lottie Dod actually holds the record for youngest ladies singles winner (aged 15 years and 285 days in 1887) but it's fair to say the field was a little smaller in the 19th century. Martina Hingis won Wimbledon aged just 16 Z -is for Natasha Zvereva Not at all in this list just because she’s one of the few players whose surname begins with Z, Zvereva was a very accomplished grass-court player in the 1990s.

Her best in the singles was a run to the semi-final in 1998, but it was in the doubles that she really excelled – the Belarussian won five Wimbledon ladies doubles titles between 1991 and 1997. Despite her achievements, Zvereva may be usurped in this list in years to come by the exciting young German player Alex Zverev, who last week beat Roger Federer on the grass courts at Halle. Watch this space. A journey with tennis through time - The Championships, Wimbledon 2017 - Official Site by IBM A journey with tennis through time Wimbledon.com is marking National Sports Heritage Day with this blog to take a look back at not only how past events have affected tennis but also how the sport has impacted on history READ MORE By Bianca Harrisskitt The Championships at Wimbledon have long been a key part of the British sporting calendar. Talented tennis players, Henman Hill and strawberries and cream have all played their part in enshrining Wimbledon’s iconic place in Britain’s sporting heritage. However, the game of tennis has a long history dating back to the 14th century.

From advancements in game play to tennis related deaths, tennis-inspired fashion and even a tennis-incited war, this blog post considers not only how past events have affected tennis but also how the sport has impacted on history. Have a look through and see how much tennis history you really know! 14TH CENTURY Did you know that tennis has been an important part of life in Britain since the 14th century? It is widely believed that the game we now know as tennis first emerged from early ball games which involved using hitting a ball back and forth using the palm of the hand, popular in the Southern regions of Europe. This game was given the name Jeu de Paume (game of the hand or hand ball). Despite the tensions between Britain and France during the 14th and 15th centuries, one thing they had in common was a love for Jeu de Paume, with the game spreading from France to Britain in the mid-14th century. 24 May 1337 Hundred Years' War between England and France begins. 7 July 1348 'Black Death' enters Britain On average, between 30% and 45% of the general populace died.

30 September 1399 Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 15TH CENTURY Developments in game play/equipment In the first half of the 15th century a stiff double glove started to be widely used in Jeu de Paume in order to avoid nasty broken fingers! Did you know that tennis balls played a role is kicking off the Battle of Agincourt? Henry V was the first monarch who played tennis regularly. In 1414, he allegedly received some tennis balls from France’s Dauphin, an act which he chose to interpret as a grave insult following the breakdown of recent negotiations. Shakespeare even wrote about the event, stating that the balls were sent to signify the king’s wild youth. After this ‘provocation’ Henry V sailed to France to meet with them in battle. Recent historians have questioned whether any balls were actually sent; nevertheless, the story certainly legitimised Henry’s decision to embark on the Agincourt campaign. Did you know that King James I of Scotland met a grizzly end due to his love of tennis?

In 1437 at the Blackfriars in Perth, the drain outlet through which the King hoped to escape when the building was invaded by dissident Scottish nobles had been blocked, to prevent the loss of tennis balls when the King was playing in the courtyard. James was trapped and killed. Developments in game play/equipment: By the second half of the 15th century wooden battoirs, covered with parchment, were starting to be used. This soon developed into the use of strung rackets, usually made with sheep gut or silk stringing. By the 16th century, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had stabilized and thus Real Tennis was born. The game was particularly popular amongst European royalty and was referred to solely as ‘tennis’. 20 March 1413 Henry IV dies and is succeeded by his son, Henry V. 25 October 1415 Henry V defeats the French at the Battle of Agincourt. 21 May 1420 Charles VI cedes France to Henry V in the Treaty of Troyes. 1424 James I crowned King of Scotland in 1424 at Scone in Perthshire.

22 May 1455 - 22 August 1485 Wars of the Roses. 16TH CENTURY Did you know that Anne Boleyn was watching tennis when she was arrested on the 2nd May 1536? Real tennis received growing popularity under Henry the VIII and throughout his reign he doubled the number of courts he owned by building tennis-courts at Beaulieu, Bridewell, St James’s, Greenwich, Calais, Whitehall and Hampton Court, the last of which is still used today. Henry was even reportedly playing tennis when Anne was beheaded. Failed peace treaty with Scotland. 1509 1534 –1539 The Reformation: The Church of England is created. 800 monasteries are closed down and their wealth transferred to the crown. 1553 Mary 1st is crowned Queen. 1558 Elizabeth I is crowned 17th CENTURY 1601 Provisions for the poor provided for the first time since the dissolution of the monasteries. The Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 requires each parish to provide for the 'lame, impotent, old and blind'.

1603 King John VI of Scotland becomes King of England. 1603 – 1714: Civil War, revolution and settlement in the Americas. 18TH CENTURY Developments in game play/equipment By the 18th century tennis balls had evolved to become hard and heavy with relatively little bounce, weighing around 70g. Racket manufacturing came to be constructed from ash, with their heads tilting towards the left. Did you know that Frederick, Prince of Wales is thought to have been killed by a tennis ball? Yet another person to meet their end because of tennis, the prince was said to have died from an internal infection arising from being hit in the stomach by a ball in 1751. Did you know that the French Revolution kick-started the production of tennis rackets in England? French produced rackets were said to be the best quality rackets in the 18th century but the revolution caused racket supplies to cease. Consequently, British makers started racket production in order to keep the game going, but they were considered heavy and basic in comparison. After the revolution, French manufacturers dominated the market once more. 1707 The Act of Union between England and Scotland.

Great Britain is formed, Parliament formed. 1756 Seven years War starts between Britain and France over American colonies. 1772 The storming of the Bastille begins the French Revolution 19TH CENTURY Developments in game play/ equipment The invention of the lawnmower and vulcanisation of rubber were crucial to the development of lawn tennis. Suddenly it was possible to manufacture a ball with a high bounce and the Victorians began to experiment with new games and a new use for the croquet lawn; in 1872 the world's first lawn tennis club was set up at Leamington Spa. Did you know that in the late 19th century women wore the same clothes they would wear to a garden party to play tennis in! The constraints of Victorian society stopped practical changes from being made to women’s attire, meaning that tennis clothes sacrificed comfort for ‘prettiness’. Women wore ground-length dresses with long sleeves, high necklines and cinched corseted waists, petticoats, stockings, straw hats and initially even heels!

Developments in game play/ equipment – Sphairistikè; In February 1874 Major Clopton Wingfield introduced his version of lawn tennis, which was similar to other versions of the game that emerged at the time. Wingfield’s version was called called Sphairistikè, which took its name from the Greek word for ball, ‘sphairos’, and was played on an hour-glass shaped court. It was adapted by the Marylebone Cricket Club who issued the Laws of Lawn Tennis in 1875; the first unified rules for lawn tennis. Developments in game play/ equipment The tilt head racket design, imported from real tennis, began to die out in the 1870s as it caused too much stress on the thinner ‘lop’ sided part of the head, causing rackets to break. By 1890 most manufacturers were producing oval-shaped tennis rackets which spread the stress on the strings more evenly. Did you know that the first Wimbledon Championships were held to raise money to repair the AELTC’s pony roller? The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club had been founded in July 1868, as the All England Croquet Club.

Lawn tennis was introduced in February 1875 to compensate for the waning interest in croquet and in June 1877 the Club decided to organise an amateur tennis tournament to pay for the repair of its pony roller, needed to maintain the lawns. 22 players took part in the Gentlemen's Singles competition, paying one guinea each to participate. Spencer Gore, a rackets player, became the first Wimbledon champion and fortunately for The Club (and the entire sport of lawn tennis) the tournament was a success, making a profit of £10, allowing the pony roller to remain in use! Did you know that Lawn Tennis was one of the original sports chosen for the Olympic Games? Despite the sport not being particularly popular at the time, lawn tennis was one of the nine sports chosen for the games in 1896. It consisted of Men’s Singles and Doubles events, with 13 players from six nations taking part. An unknown Irishman, John Boland, won both titles. 1st January 1801 Act of Union creates United Kingdom. Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Ireland were formally joined to create the United Kingdom.

18 June 1815 The Battle of Waterloo 1830s The nineteenth century was a century of innovation and developments in manufacturing. Edwin Budding invented the lawn mower enabling grass to be cut short and even in 1830. Nine years later American inventor Charles Goodyear discovered how to vulcanise rubber. 20 June 1837 Victoria comes to the throne after the death of William IV. 28 March 1854 Britain and France declare war on Russia and the Crimean War begins. 1860-1890 Women’s fashion: Restrictive corsets and the era of the skirt Large skirts became fashionable in the 1860s and as the skirt developed, the back emphasis saw the creation of the first bustle, which had appeared by 1868. The 1880s were a decade of severely tight corsetry that was worn under dresses with long boned bodices, tight sleeves and high necks. 13 July 1878 Congress of Berlin aims to settle European problems.

Britain signed a European treaty which attempted to settle problems between states in the Balkans and, in particular, to reduce perceived threats to European stability from Russian expansion. 1896 20TH CENTURY Did you know that World War One affected The All England Lawn Tennis Club? The Championships were suspended and 17 Club members were killed serving in the war. 1914 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Champion, Norman Brookes, was commissioner of the Australian branch of the British Red Cross in Egypt during the war and four- time Wimbledon Champion Anthony Wilding died whilst serving on the Western front. New Zealand born Wilding joined the British Royal Marines when war broke out, rising to the rank of captain in the Armoured Car Division. He was killed, aged 31, during the Battle of Aubers Ridge at Neuve Chapelle, 9 May 1915. Did you know that the All England Lawn Tennis Club moved from Worple Road to Church Road in 1922? By 1920 The Club had outgrown the 4 acres of land at Worple Road.

They bought 13 ¼ acres on land at Wimbledon Park Road (later Church Road) for £7,870 and on 26th June 1922, King George V and Queen Mary opened the new grounds. Did you know that tennis heavily influenced 1920s fashion? In line with the emancipation of women in the time period, French player Suzanne Lenglen introduced short skirts, no corset and bandeaus to the Wimbledon courts, causing shocked reactions. However, the trends quickly took off on and off-court and can still be seen today, even in men’s attire – think of Rafael Nadal’s bandana! Another French player, Rene Lacoste, invented a fabric called jersey petit piqué, which still nowadays features the polo shirt with the crocodile. The fabric was lighter and more transpiring than the cotton that had been used to that day, and the short sleeves and the comfortable collar aimed at making the tennis players’ movements easier. Developments in game play/ equipment During World War II developments in the use of synthetic glue and resins in aircraft construction were adapted by racket makers.

Whereas previous rackets had been made by a single piece of ash wood, rackets from the 1940s onwards tended to be made by thin strips of different kinds of wood bonded together by strong synthetic glues, making them stronger, lighter and more flexible. Did you know that World War Two had a significant impact on The AELTC? During the war The Championships were suspended and the premises were used for civil defence and military functions, along with growing crops and keeping farm animals! Wimbledon was not spared from The Blitz and on Friday 11th October 1940 the AELTC grounds were hit, including Centre Court. The damage to the court resulted in the loss of approximately 1,200 seats. Seats, however, were not the only thing that The AELTC lost. Five club members gave their lives to the war effort, and a plaque is located in the current Clubhouse which commemorates them. Did you know that the liberal landscape of the 1960s affected tennis? The legalisation of homosexuality in Britain and the USA in the 1960s allowed sportsmen and women to come out in public as gay.

Tennis player turned fashion designer Ted Tinling was one figure in British tennis who announced his sexual orientation in the time period. Since the 1960s individual sports such as tennis have had more openly gay athletes than team sports. However, former tennis star Martina Navratilova, who has campaigned against homophobia in sports since 1981, has stated that gay players, particularly men, still face barriers and public discrimination due to their sexuality. Did you know that The Championships at Wimbledon opened to all categories of players for the first time in 1968? In 1968 the open era began, where amateurs and professionals were allowed to compete side by side at Wimbledon for the first time. This ushered in a period of rapid changes in the tennis world as new tournaments sprang up, with large prize money. Development to game play/equipment - Did you know that we have NASA to thank for graphite tennis rackets? In the 1950s and 60s NASA’s research on low-weight carbon fibre made the material more popular and widely available.

Racket makers started to use graphite (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) in the 1970s and 80s to make tennis rackets lighter, although wood and steel frames remained popular until the 1980s. Nowadays, the main material in most rackets is graphite. 1990: The ATP tour begins In 1990, the Association of Tennis Professionals became the governing body of men's professional tennis, and the ATP Tour was born. The 2012 Olympic tennis event was held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. From 28th July to 5th of August, the traditional green and purple colour scheme of The Championships was replaced by the magenta colours of London 2012 as the world’s best tennis players battled it out on the lawns of The AELTC. The United States won three gold medals whilst Andy Murray brought home the gold for the United Kingdom in the men’s singles. Did you know that on Sunday 7 July 2013 Andy Murray was the first British man to the win Wimbledon in 77 years?

Murray converted his fourth championship point in a dramatic final game to win 6-4 7-5 6-4, claiming his second major title. 1900 Victoria dies and is succeeded by Edward VII 4 August 1914 Britain declares war on Germany in response to the invasion of Belgium 6th February 1918 The Representation of the People Act. This enfranchised all men over the age of 21, and propertied women over 30. 11th November 1918 World War One ends when Germany signs an armistice.

1st January 1927 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is created 7th May 1928 All women over the age of 21 get the vote 10 December 1936 Edward VIII abdicates in order to marry Wallace Simpson 12 May 1937 George VI is crowned king 3 September 1939 Britain declares war on Germany in response to the invasion of Poland 8 May 1945 Britain celebrates the end of war on Victory in Europe Day 5 July 1948 National Health Service is established 22 June 1948 Post-war immigration from the Commonwealth begins. 2nd June 1953 Elizabeth II is crowned Queen. 12 July 1965 Comprehensive education system is initiated 1967 Homosexuality is legalised under the 1967 Sexual Offences Act 1969 American Neil Armstrong is the first man on the Moon. 3 May 1979 Conservative Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister.

02 April 1982 All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club | OpenBuildings All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Basic Our community will benefit from your effort. Ontotext edited this building last References Wikipedia , licensed under the GFDL Suggestions View original size Report The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), also known as the All-England Club, based at Aorangi Park, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass. Initially an amateur event that occupied club members and their friends for a few days each summer, the championships have become far more prominent than the club itself. However, it still operates as a members tennis club, with many courts in use all year round. The Club has 375 full members, about 100 temporary playing members, and a number of honorary members, including past Wimbledon singles champions and people who have rendered distinguished service to the game. In order to become a full or temporary member, an applicant must obtain letters of support from four existing full members, two of whom must have known the applicant for at least three years.

The name is then added to the Candidates' List. Honorary Members are elected from time to time by the club's Committee. Membership carries with it the right to purchase two tickets for each day of the Wimbledon Championships. The patron of the club is Queen Elizabeth II, and the President is H.R.H. The Duke of Kent. History The club was founded in 1868 at the height of a croquet craze as the All England Croquet Club, and held its first croquet competition in 1870. Its original ground was situated off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Croquet was very popular there until the then-infant sport of lawn tennis (a game introduced by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield a year or so prior, and originally called "Sphairistike") was introduced in 1875, when one lawn was set aside for this purpose. The first tennis Championships in men's singles were held in 1877, to raise money for a pony-drawn roller for its croquet lawns, when it changed its name to The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. That year at Wimbledon serves were made underarm.

The champion, Spencer Gore, opined that "Lawn tennis will never rank among our great games." In 1878 the nets were lowered from 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) at the posts, to 3 feet 6 inches. In 1882, croquet was dropped from the name, as tennis had become the main activity of the club. But in 1889 it was restored to the club's name for sentimental reasons, and the club's name became The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. In 1884, the club added Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles, and then in 1913 Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles. For the 1908 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the tennis events. The early club colours of blue, yellow, red, and green were found to be almost identical to those of the Royal Marines, so they were changed in 1909 to the present Club colours of dark green and purple.

The popularity of Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen was largely responsible for forcing the club to move to larger grounds at its present site in Church Road, Wimbledon, in 1922, where its first Championship was "plagued by rain each day". The current Centre Court dates from that year. It has been improved and extended on several occasions. Most recently a sliding roof was added in time for the 2009 Championships. In 1928 the old No. 1 Court opened on the west side of Centre Court. During World War II the club remained open with a much smaller staff, and was used for fire and ambulance services, British Home Guard, and a decontamination unit, and troops stationed nearby drilled on the main concourse. In October 1940 five 500 pound bombs struck Centre Court, demolishing 1,200 seats. The old No. 1 Court was replaced with the current No. 1 Court in 1997, and the Broadcast Centre was built at the same time. Shortly afterwards, the Millennium Building, which houses facilities for players, press, officials and members, was built on the site of the old No. 1 Court.

The Church Road site initially extended only as far north as Centre Court. In 1967 the All England Club purchased 11 acres (45,000 m 2) to the north. This was leased to the New Zealand Sports and Social Club and became known as Aorangi Park (Aorangi means "Cloud Piercer", and is the MÄori part of Aoraki/Mount Cook; "Aorangi" is the standard MÄori spelling and "Aoraki" is used in the MÄori dialect in the vicinity of the mountain).It is most commonly known as 'Henman Hill' because of the popularity of former British tennis player, Tim Henman. Initially the only use that the All England Club itself made of this new land was for car parking during the championships, but in 1981 the New Zealander's lease was terminated, and the club has developed most of the area for its own purposes. The All England Club, through its subsidiary The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plc, issues debentures to tennis fans every five years to raise funds for capital expenditure. The original debentures were issued in 1920.

Each debenture provides a pair of tickets for each day of the tournament for five years. Only debenture holders are legally permitted to sell on their tickets to third parties. Angela Barrett, née Mortimer, who won the Ladies title at Wimbledon in 1961 and became a member of the club, described it in the 1980s by saying: "We do stick with tradition here; we haven't ever lowered our standards. For instance, this isn't a place you bring children. But should you, they're always quite well-behaved. The message gets through." The issue of children arose again in 1999, when the Duchess of Kent, whose husband the Duke of Kent had been president of the club for 30 years, was refused permission to bring the 12-year-old son of a friend into the Royal Box, and then received what The Daily Telegraph reported in a front-page story was a "curt letter" from club chairman John Curry, informing her that children were unwelcome in the Royal Box. In an editorial, the paper said: "The Club has been accused of snobbery and arrogance before.

Even by its own standards, however, managing to offend its principal Royal supporter must surely count as a grievous double fault." The club's "exclusivity" included its not allowing any black tennis player to play there prior to 1951, and no Jewish tennis player being able to claim it as their home until 1952. According to Angela Buxton, the Jewish former British Wimbledon doubles champion, it also has led to her exclusion. Buxton said in 2004, reflecting on the fact that the All England Club, almost 50 years after Buxton's 1956 Wimbledon triumph with Althea Gibson and, had still not invited Buxton to join: "I think the anti-Semitism is still there. The mere fact that I'm not a member is a full sentence that speaks for itself." Buxton told New York Post reporter Marc Berman that she had been on the "waiting list" since she applied in the 1950s. The Chairman of the Club appeared on television, and when asked about it said that he would have to look into it, and couldn't comment without more information.

"I wish it still wasn't such an elite sport," Buxton told Berman. "I wish we could bring it down to a common baseline. It's going that way. It's still not there." After Gibson and Buxton won the doubles at Wimbledon, one British national newspaper reported their success under the headline, "Minorities Win". "It was in very small type," said Buxton, "lest anyone should see it". The club will be the venue for the tennis competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Facilities The club currently has 19 tournament courts, 16 other grass courts, which serve as competitors' practice courts during the championship, as well as five red shale courts, three Continental clay courts, one American clay court, and five indoor courts, which are hidden under temporary stands and marquees during the tournament. An experimental SoftB hard court has been laid down. The grass courts can be used from May until September.

The grass has been cut to 8 mm since 1995, and 100% perennial rye grass has been used since for its strength since 2001 (prior to that, it was 70% perennial rye and 30% creeping red fescue). The largest court is Centre Court, which usually hosts the finals of the main singles and doubles events at the championships. The quotation above the players' entrance to Centre Court is an extract from the poem " If", by Rudyard Kipling, which reads: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." In the month before the 1985 championships, men with rifles took to Centre Court to eliminate the pigeons that had roosted there. Blood spilled onto the seats but it was wiped clean in plenty of time for the Championships. This court will serve as the main venue for the tennis events at the London Olympics. Initially, the courts were arranged in such a way that the principal court was situated in the middle with the others arranged around it; hence the title "Centre Court".

The present Centre Court, built in 1922 upon the move of the club, wasn't actually in the centre at the time it was built, but as new courts were added in later years it became a more accurate description. It currently seats 15,000 ”“ expanded from 14,000 following redevelopment in 2007”“08 (spatially the expansion is greater than those numbers imply, as seats have been widened), and is the fourth-largest tennis stadium in the world through 2009. The club installed a retractable roof on Centre Court which was completed in May 2009. It is a "folding concertina" made of 5,200 square metres of a translucent waterproof fabric that allow natural light to reach the grass, and opens/closes in under 10 minutes. Redevelopment work commenced in 2006 and Centre Court had no roof at all in place for the duration of the 2007 Championships. The other 'show court' is No.

1 Court, built in 1997, which holds around 11,500 people and occasionally plays host to Davis Cup matches (Centre Court being preserved for the Wimbledon Championship). A new No. 2 Court with 4,000 seats was first used at the 2009 Championships. The old No.2 Court was renamed No.3 Court in 2009, and will be rebuilt after the 2009 championships. The club also houses the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, and it still has a croquet lawn, but it is too small for top-level competitions. The Championships Among the features that differentiate The Championships from the other Grand Slams are that they are played on grass courts, they require the players to wear white, and they schedule a day off on the middle Sunday of the tournament. The winner of the men's singles at The Championships receives a gold trophy inscribed with the words: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World". The Championships attract attendance of 450,000 people.

Ninety per cent of the financial surplus that the club generates from running The Championships are used to develop tennis in Great Britain; from 1998”“2008 the surplus ranged from £25”“33 million per year. The Championships are run by a Committee of Management that consists of 12 club members and seven nominees of The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The 2009 Committee included the following club members: Timothy Dewe Phillips CBE (Chairman), P.G.H. Brook, J.S. Dunningham, R.M. Gradon, I.L. Hewitt, Miss. D.A. Jevans, Mrs. A.S. Jones MBE, Mr. M.A. King, Mr. T.H. Henman OBE, G.M. Newton, J.C. Tatum, and K.F. Weatherley. Phillips indicated in November 2008 that The Championships would weather the then-current economic crisis better than other sporting events, because of long-term contracts and its popularity.

In 2003 a long-standing tradition of Centre Court players bowing or curtseying to the Royal Box was scrapped by order of the Duke of Kent, President of the club since 1969, who deemed it an anachronism in modern times. The only exception would be if the Queen or the Prince of Wales were to attend. Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen elected to bow when the Queen visited The Championships for their 2010 2nd Round match. In 2006 Phillips said that paying men and women equal prize money at The Championships was something they "fundamentally don’t think would be fair on the men." But the following year Phillips announced that The Championships would pay men and women equal prize money in 2007 for the first time. The decision overturned more than a century of inequality in pay, and brought the tournament more into line with the other three annual grand slam tennis events, which all pay men and women champions the same amount. Philipps insisted that the club had not caved in to pressure from politicians, female tennis players, and women’s rights campaigners.

Tennis Sport Online Video Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club, Pictures, go were raffa bjorn and andy play - YouTube Tennis Sport Online Video Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club, Pictures, go were raffa bjorn and andy play Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Sep 16, 2014 London 2014: Wimbledon, virtual tour the history and look inside the famous Building and all these Players have played here:Andre Agassi Arthur Ashe,Boris Becker Björn Borg Pat Cash Jimmy Connors Jim Courier Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Lleyton Hewitt Goran Ivanišević Gustavo Kuerten Ivan Lendl John McEnroe Andy Murray Rafael Nada Fred Perry Pete Sampras The Championships, Wimbledon, The Wimbledon Championships or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and widely considered the most prestigious.[2][3][4][5][6] It has been held at the All England Club in London since 1877.

It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments (Majors), the others being the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland Garros) and the US Open. Since the Australian Open shifted to hard court in 1988, Wimbledon is the only Major still played on grass, the game's original surface, which gave the game its original name of "lawn tennis". The tournament takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, culminating with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Final, scheduled for the second Saturday and Sunday respectively. Five major, junior, and invitational events are held each year. The hard court (Plexicushion) Australian Open and clay court French Open precede Wimbledon in the year, and the hard court (DecoTurf) US Open follows. For men, the grass court Queen's Club Championships, in London, England, and the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, serve as warm-up events; for women, the Aegon Classic in Birmingham and two joint events, the Topshelf Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands and the Eastbourne International.

Wimbledon traditions include a strict dress code for competitors, the eating of strawberries and cream by the spectators, and Royal patronage. The tournament is also notable for the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts. In 2009, Wimbledon's Centre Court was fitted with a retractable roof to lessen the loss of playing time due to rain. The Club was founded on 23 July 1868 at the height of a croquet craze[4] as the All England Croquet Club, and held its first croquet competition in 1870. Its original ground was situated off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Croquet was very popular there until the then-infant sport of lawn tennis (a game introduced by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield a year or so prior, and originally called "Sphairistike") was introduced in 1875,[5] when one lawn was set aside for this purpose.[6] The first tennis Gentlemen's Championship in Singles was held in 1877,when the Club changed its name to The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. That year at Wimbledon service was underarm.

The champion, Spencer Gore, opined that "Lawn tennis will never rank among our great games."[7] In 1878 the height of the net was altered to 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) at the posts and 3 feet (0.91 m) at the centre.[8] In 1882, croquet was dropped from the name, as tennis had become the main activity of the Club. But in 1899 it was restored to the Club's name for sentimental reasons, and the Club's name became The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

In 1884, the Club added Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles, and then in 1913 Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles.[9] For the 1908 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the Grass Courts tennis events.[10] The early Club colours were found to be almost identical to those of the Royal Marines, so they were changed in 1909 to the present Club colours of dark green and purple.[11] The popularity of Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen was largely responsible for forcing the Club to move to larger grounds at its present site in Church Road, Wimbledon, in 1922,[12] where its first Championship was "plagued by rain each day".[13] The current Centre Court dates from that year. It has been improved and extended on several occasions. Most recently a sliding roof was added in time for the 2009 Championships. In 1924 the old No. 1 Court opened on the west side of Centre Court.

During World War II The Championships were suspended but the Club remained open with a much smaller staff, and was used for fire and ambulance services, British Home Guard, and a decontamination unit, and troops stationed nearby drilled on the main concourse. At 5:20 p.m. on October 11, 1940, five 500 pound German bombs struck the grounds, demolishing 1,200 seats in Centre Court.[14] The old No. 1 Court was replaced with the current No. 1 Court in 1997, and the Broadcast Centre was built at the same time. Shortly afterwards, the Millennium Building, which houses facilities for players, press, officials and members, was built on the site of the old No. 1 Court. All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club - Wimbledon, UK - Satellite Imagery Oddities on Waymarking.com you are not logged in. [log in] All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club - Wimbledon, UK - Satellite Imagery Oddities on Waymarking.com Welcome to Waymarking.com! We hope you've been able to find what you are looking for.

We would also like to encourage you to take some time to browse some of the other aspects of our site. We recommend viewing our featured waymarks , or perhaps the newest waymarks . You can also create a free membership to track your progress online and share your locations with others. Click here to view the complete waymark directory N 51° 26.033 W 000° 12.759 30U E 693740 N 5701762 Quick Description: The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is located in south west London and is more commonly known as "Wimbledon" where an annual grand-slam tennis tournament occurs. Location: London, United Kingdom Date Posted: 1/2/2016 3:37:40 AM Waymark Code: WMQ743 Long Description: Wikipedia has an article about the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club that tells us: The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, also known as the All-England Club, based at Church Road, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members' club.

It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass. Initially an amateur event that occupied club members and their friends for a few days each summer, the championships have become far more prominent than the club itself. However, it still operates as a members' tennis club, with many courts in use all year round. The club has 375 full members, about 100 temporary playing members, and a number of honorary members, including past Wimbledon singles champions and people who have rendered distinguished service to the game. To become a full or temporary member, an applicant must obtain letters of support from four existing full members, two of whom must have known the applicant for at least three years. The name is then added to the Candidates' List. Honorary Members are elected from time to time by the club's Committee. Membership carries with it the right to purchase two tickets for each day of the Wimbledon Championships. The patron of the club is Queen Elizabeth II, and the President is The Duke of Kent.

The Club was founded by six gentlemen at the offices of The Field on 23 July 1868 at the height of a croquet craze as the All England Croquet Club, and held its first croquet competition in 1870. Its original ground was situated off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Croquet was very popular there until the then-infant sport of lawn tennis (a game introduced by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield a year or so prior, and originally called Sphairistikè) was introduced in 1875, when one lawn was set aside for this purpose. The first tennis Gentlemen's Championship in Singles was held in July 1877, when the Club changed its name to The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. That year at Wimbledon service was underarm. The champion, Spencer Gore, opined that "Lawn tennis will never rank among our great games." In 1878 the height of the net was altered to 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) at the posts and 3 feet (0.91 m) at the centre.

In 1882, croquet was dropped from the name, as tennis had become the main activity of the Club. But in 1899 it was restored to the Club's name for sentimental reasons, and the Club's name became The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. In 1884, the Club added Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles, and then in 1913 Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles. For the 1908 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the Grass Courts tennis events. The early Club colours were found to be almost identical to those of the Royal Marines, so they were changed in 1909 to the present Club colours of dark green and purple. The popularity of Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen was largely responsible for forcing the Club to move to larger grounds at its present site in Church Road, Wimbledon, in 1922, where its first Championship was "plagued by rain each day". The current Centre Court dates from that year. It has been improved and extended on several occasions. Most recently a sliding roof was added in time for the 2009 Championships. In 1924 the old No.

1 Court opened on the west side of Centre Court. During World War II The Championships were suspended but the Club remained open with a much smaller staff, and was used for fire and ambulance services, British Home Guard, and a decontamination unit, and troops stationed nearby drilled on the main concourse. At 5:20 p.m. on October 11, 1940, five 500 pound German bombs struck the grounds, demolishing 1,200 seats in Centre Court. The old No. 1 Court was replaced with the current No. 1 Court in 1997, and the Broadcast Centre was built at the same time. Shortly afterwards, the Millennium Building, which houses facilities for players, press, officials and members, was built on the site of the old No. 1 Court. The Church Road site initially extended only as far north as Centre Court. In 1967 the All England Club purchased 11 acres (4.5 ha) to the north.

This was leased to the New Zealand Sports and Social Club and became known as Aorangi Park (Aorangi means "Cloud Piercer", and is the Maori part of Aoraki/Mount Cook; "Aorangi" is the standard Maori spelling and "Aoraki" is used in the Maori dialect in the vicinity of the mountain). It is most commonly known as 'Henman Hill' because of the popularity of former British tennis player, Tim Henman. Initially the only use that the All England Club itself made of this new land was for car parking during The Championships, but in 1981 the New Zealanders' lease was terminated, and the Club has developed most of the area for its own purposes. The All England Club, through its subsidiary The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plc, issues debentures to tennis fans every five years to raise funds for capital expenditure. The original debentures were issued in 1920. Each debenture provides a pair of tickets for each day of the tournament for five years. Only debenture holders are legally permitted to sell on their tickets to third parties. The Club was the venue for the tennis event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The Club currently has 19 tournament grass courts, eight American clay courts, two acrylic courts and five indoor courts. There are also 22 Aorangi Park grass courts, which serve as competitors' practice courts before and during The Championships. The grass courts can be used from May until September. The grass has been cut to 8 mm since 1995, and 100% perennial rye grass has been used for its strength since 2001 (prior to that, it was 70% perennial rye and 30% creeping red fescue).[19][20] The courts are renovated in September, using nine tons of grass seed annually. The largest court is Centre Court, which usually hosts the finals of the main singles and doubles events at The Championships. The quotation above the players' entrance to Centre Court is an extract from the poem "If", by Rudyard Kipling, which reads: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." This court also served as the main venue for the tennis events at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Initially, the courts were arranged in such a way that the principal court was situated in the middle with the others arranged around it; hence the title "Centre Court". The present Centre Court, built in 1922 upon the move of the Club, was not actually in the centre at the time it was built, but as new courts were added in later years it became a more accurate description. It currently seats 15,000 – expanded from 14,000 following redevelopment in 2007–08 (spatially, the expansion is greater than those numbers imply, as seats have been widened), and (as of 2009) is the fourth-largest tennis stadium in the world. The Club installed a retractable roof on Centre Court which was completed in May 2009. It is a 'folding concertina' made of 5,200 square metres of a translucent waterproof fabric that allows natural light to reach the grass, and opens/closes in under 10 minutes. Redevelopment work commenced in 2006 and Centre Court had no roof at all in place for the duration of the 2007 Championships.

The other 'show court' is No. 1 Court, built in 1997, which holds around 11,500 people and occasionally plays host to Davis Cup matches (Centre Court usually being reserved for the Wimbledon Championships). This is to be fitted with a retractable roof similar to Centre Court in time for the 2019 Championships. A new No. 2 Court with 4,000 seats was first used at the 2009 Championships. The old No. 2 Court was renamed No. 3 Court in 2009, and was rebuilt after the 2009 Championships. The grounds are set to undergo major renovation in the coming years. The Club also houses the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Among the features that differentiate The Championships from the other Grand Slams are that they are played on grass courts, they require the players to wear white, and they schedule a day off on the middle Sunday of the tournament. The winner of the Gentlemen's singles at The Championships receives a gold trophy inscribed with the words: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World". The Championships attract attendance of around 450,000 people.

Ninety per cent of the financial surplus that the Club generates from running The Championships is used to develop tennis in Great Britain; between 1998–2008 the surplus ranged from £25–33 million per year. The Championships are run by a Committee of Management that consists of 12 club members and seven nominees of The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The 2009 Committee included the following Club members: Timothy Dewe Phillips CBE (Chairman), PGH Brook, JS Dunningham, RM Gradon, IL Hewitt, DA Jevans, AS Jones MBE, MA King, TH Henman OBE, GM Newton, JC Tatum, and KF Weatherley. In 2003, a long-standing tradition of Centre Court players bowing or curtseying to the Royal Box was discontinued by order of the Duke of Kent, President of the Club since 1969, who deemed it an anachronism in modern times. The only exception would be if the Queen or the Prince of Wales were to attend.

Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen elected to bow when the Queen visited The Championships for their 2010 2nd Round match, as did Roger Federer and Fabio Fognini at their 2nd round match, watched by the Prince of Wales, in 2012. Best of Wimbledon Best of Wimbledon Photo Gallery Wimbledon, one of the liveliest and most beautiful London areas, is home of the All England Lawn Tennis Club but it is famous for more than this sport. This city can provide you everything you want for your everyday needs: fashionable shops in Centre Court Shopping Centre; coffee shops, bars and restaurants; cinema and theatre; discos, sports, health, fitness club among others. Wimbledon Village is one of the loveliest London areas which provide a good collection of bistros, restaurants and pubs. Especially during the fortnight of the tennis championship the streets are crowded with visitors enjoying the facilities of this area. In addition to designer shops and high-class restaurants, you will find traditional country pubs and typical English houses and cottages. Wimbledon Common An oasis of tranquillity in the urban sprawl, Wimbledon Common is a large natural area with grassland, woods and lakes.

For many years this vast labyrinth has been designated as an area of special scientific interest due to the unusual plants and wildlife founded there. Wimbledon is a perfect location whether you want to probe London delights. Most of the Common is easily accessible to the public. Non doubt an ideal place for horse riding, jogging, sharing a walk with friends, taking a golf public course or relaxing in this part of the city. Morden Library Morden Library is located in the centre of the Morden area of south London, is a great local which holds a large collection of range written material from fiction and non-fiction to dedicated reference materials. The library carries a good selection of local history documents as well as music and video. Also it hosts talks and exhibitions from time to time. Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is a dog racing track located in southwest London, England. It also hosts speed way, stock car and other racing events. For many years has been host to Greyhound racing, it is arguably the most famous stadium on this category in the United Kingdom along with Walthamstow and it annually hosts the English Greyhound Derby.

The stadium is surrounded by a large open-air car park and the facilities include a glass fronted air conditioned grandstand with 8,000 seating, and several bars and catering facilities including a waiter-service restaurant. Usually racing takes place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; the Stadium open doors at 6:30 pm and the first race start at 7:30pm. The admission for children less than 6 years is free of charge. The All England Lawn Tennis Responsible for staging the world's leading tennis tournament, The All England Lawn Tennis is a private club founded in 1868 originally as The All England Croquet Club, and its first ground was situated off Worple Road, Wimbledon. In 1877 was the first meeting of The Lawn Tennis Championships which enjoyed a garden party atmosphere, and attracted a few hundred spectators. Since 1922 it situated at Church Road, The Wimbledon Tennis Championships is the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass. As a highly professional tournament, it attracts an attendance of nearly 500,000 people, in addition through press, radio and television a following of hundreds millions throughout the world.

Question: The tennis club which hosts the Wimbledon Championships was founded originally in 1868 for playing which sport?
Answer: Croquet