Wimbledon Championships

The British Open is an annual lawn tennis tournament also known as Wimbledon, or the Wimbledon Championships, named after its location in Wimbledon which is in South-West London, England. It is the oldest and most prestigious event in the sport of tennis and is the third tournament of the Grand Slam in tennis.

The first British Open was held in 1877. It was then called the Lawn Tennis Championships , hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. It had only male amateur participants. In 1884 separate women's singles and men's doubles tournaments were added. By the turn of the century the British Open had become an increasingly popular international tennis tournament.

In 1922 a new tennis complex was built at Church Road for 14,000 spectators, which helped enlarge the popularity and fame of the Championships. It is the only Grand Slam tournament played on grass. The traditional character of the British Open, like the rule for the players to be clothed in white, and for the public to eat strawberries and cream, give it extra flavour. Wimbledon has its own, often criticized, system for seeding players.

The tournament is held in June/July and normally lasts for three weeks. Four rounds precede the quarter finals, succeeded by the semi finals and final round. The British Open holds separate tournaments simultaneously for men (singles), women (singles), men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. There is also a Wimbledon youth tournament.

The main court is called Centre Court. Court 2 bears the nickname The Graveyard.

The Champions Cup (men) and Bowl (women) have been presented for many years by the Duchess of Kent in a never-changing ceremony. Green and purple are the traditional Wimbledon colours.

Wimbledon Champions since 1877:

Men's Singles

2003 Roger Federer' (Switzerland) vs. Mark Philippoussis

7:6 (7:5), 6:2, 7:6 (7:3)

2002 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) vs. David Nalbandian (Argentina)

6:1 6:3 6:2

2001 Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia) vs. Patrick Rafter (Australia)

6:3 3:6 6:3 2:6 9:7

2000 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Patrick Rafter (Australia)

6(10):7(12) 7(7):6(5) 6:4 6:2

1999 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Andre Agassi (United States)

6:3 6:4 7:5

1998 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)

6:7 7:6 6:4 3:6 6:2

1997 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Cédric Pioline (France)

6:4 6:2 6:4

1996 Richard Krajicek (Netherlands) vs. Malivai Washington (United States)

6:3 6:4 6:3

1995 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Boris Becker (Germany)

6:7 6:2 6:4 6:2

1994 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)

7:6 7:6 6:0

1993 Pete Sampras (United States) vs. Jim Courier (United States)

7:6 7:6 3:6 6:3

1992 Andre Agassi (United States) vs. Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)

6:7 6:4 6:4 1:6 6:4

1991 Michael Stich (Germany) vs. Boris Becker (Germany)

6:4 7:6 6:4

1990 Stefan Edberg (Sweden) vs. Boris Becker (Germany)

6:2 6:2 3:6 3:6 6:4

1989 Boris Becker (Germany) - Stefan Edberg (Sweden)

6:0 7:6 6:4

1988 Stefan Edberg (Sweden) - Boris Becker (Germany)

4:6 7:6 6:4 6:2

1987 Pat Cash (Australia) - Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia)

7:6 6:2 7:5

1986 Boris Becker (Germany) - Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia)

6:4 6:3 7:5

1985 Boris Becker (Germany) - Kevin Curren (United States)

6:3 6:7 7:6 6:4

1984 John McEnroe (United States) - Jimmy Connors (United States)

6:1 6:1 6:2

1983 John McEnroe (United States) - Chris J. Lewis (New Zealand)

6:2 6:2 6:2

1982 Jimmy Connors (United States) - John McEnroe (United States)

3:6 6:3 6:7 7:6 6:4

1981 John McEnroe (United States) - Björn Borg (Sweden)

4:6 7:6 7:6 6:4

1980 Björn Borg (Sweden) - John McEnroe (United States)

1:6 7:5 6:3 6:7 8:6

1979 Björn Borg (Sweden) - Roscoe Tanner (United States)

6:7 6:1 3:6 6:3 6:4

1978 Björn Borg (Sweden) - Jimmy Connors (United States)

6:2 6:2 6:3

1977 Björn Borg (Sweden) - Jimmy Connors (United States)

3:6 6:2 6:1 5:7 6:4

1976 Björn Borg (Sweden) - Ilye Nastase (Romania)

6:4 6:2 9:7

1975 Arthur Ashe (United States) - Jimmy Connors (United States)

6:1 6:1 5:7 6:4

1974 Jimmy Connors (United States) - Ken Rosewall (Australia)

6:1 6:1 6:4

1973 Jan Kodes (Czechoslovakia) - A. Metreveli (USSR)

6:1 9:8 6:3

1972 Stan Smith (United States) - Ilye Nastase (Romania

4:6 6:3 6:3 4:6 7:5

1971 John Newcombe (Australia) - Stan Smith (United States)

6:3 5:7 2:6 6:4 6:4

1970 John Newcombe (Australia) - Ken Rosewall (Australia)

5:7 6:3 6:3 3:6 6:1

1969 Rod Laver (Australia) - John Newcombe (Australia)

6:4 5:7 6:4 6:4

1968 Rod Laver (Australia) - Tony Roche (Australia)

6:3 6:4 6:2

1967 John Newcombe (Australia) - W.P. Bungert

6:3 6:1 6:1

1966 Manuel Santana - Dennis Ralston

6:4 11:9 6:4

1965 Roy Emerson - Fred Stolle

6:2 6:4 6:4

1964 Roy Emerson - Fred Stolle

6:4 12:10 4:6 6:3

1963 C.R. McKinley - Fred Stolle

9:7 6:1 6:4

1962 Rod Laver - M.F. Mulligan

6:2 6:2 6:1

1961 Rod Laver - C.R. McKinley

6:3 6:1 6:4

1960 Neale Fraser - Rod Laver

6:4 3:6 9:7 7:5

1959 A.R. Olmedo - Rod Laver

6:4 6:3 6:4

1958 A.J. Cooper - N.A. Fraser

3:6 6:3 6:4 13:11

1957 Lew Hoad - A.J. Cooper

6:2 6:1 6:2

1956 Lew Hoad - Ken Rosewall (Australia)

6:2 4:6 7:5 6:4

1955 Tony Trabert - K. Nielsen

6:3 7:5 6:1

1954 Jaroslav Drobny - Ken Rosewall (Australia)

13:11 4:6 6:2 9:7

1953 E.V. Seixas - K. Nielsen

9:7 6:3 6:4

1952 Frank Sedgman - J. Drobny

4:6 6:2 6:3 6:2

1951 R. Savitt - K. McGregor

6:4 6:4 6:4

1950 J.E. Patty - F.A. Sedgman

6:1 8:10 6:2 6:3

1949 F.R. Schroeder - J. Drobny

3:6 6:0 6:3 4:6 6:4

1948 R. Falkenburg - J.E. Bromwich

7:5 0:6 6:2 3:6 7:5

1947 Jack Kramer - T. Brown

6:1 6:3 6:2

1946 Y.F.M. Petra - G.E. Brown

6:2 6:4 7:9 5:7 6:4

1939 Bobby Riggs bt. E.T. Cooke
1938 Don Budge bt. H.W. Austin
1937 Don Budge bt. Gottfried von Cramm
1936 Fred Perry bt. Gottfried von Cramm
1935 Fred Perry bt. Gottfried von Cramm
1934 Fred Perry bt. J.H. Crawford
1933 J.H. Crawford bt. H.E. Vines
1932 H.E.Vines bt. H.W. Austin
1931 S.B. Wood bt. F.X. Shields
1930 Ted Tilden bt. W. Allison
1929 Henri Cochet bt. J. Borotra
1928 Rene Lacoste bt. H. Cochet
1927 Henri Cochet bt. J. Borotra
1926 Jean Borotra bt. H. Kinsey
1925 Rene Lacoste bt. J. Borotra
1924 Jean Borotra bt.R. Lacoste
1923 Bill Johnston bt. F.T. Hunter
1922 Gerald Patterson bt. R. Lycett
1921 Bill Tilden bt. B.I.C. Norton
1920 Bill Tilden bt. G.L. Patterson
1919 Gerald Patterson bt. N.E. Brookes

1914 N.E. Brookes bt. A.F. Wilding
1913 Tony Wilding bt. M.E. McLoughlin
1912 A.F. Wilding bt. A.W. Gore
1911 A.F. Wilding bt. H. Roper Barrett
1910 A.F. Wilding bt. A.W. Gore
1909 Arthur Gore bt. M.J.G. Ritchie
1908 Arthur Gore bt. H. Roper Barrett
1907 Norman Brookes bt. A.W. Gore
1906 Laurie Doherty bt. F.L. Riseley
1905 H.L. Doherty bt. N.E. Brookes
1904 H.L. Doherty bt. F.L. Riseley
1903 H.L. Doherty bt. F.L. Riseley
1902 H.L. Doherty bt. A.W. Gore
1901 Arthur Gore bt. R.F. Doherty
1900 Reggie Doherty bt. S.H. Smith
1899 R.F. Doherty bt. A.W. Gore
1898 R.F. Doherty bt. H.L. Doherty
1897 R.F. Doherty bt. H.S. Mahoney
1896 Harold Mahoney bt. W. Baddeley
1895 Wilfred Baddeley bt. W.V. Eaves
1894 Joshua Pim bt. W. Baddeley
1893 Joshua Pim bt. W. Baddeley
1892 Wilfred Baddeley bt. J. Pim
1891 Wilfred Baddeley bt. J. Pim
1890 William Hamilton bt. W. Renshaw
1889 Willie Renshaw bt. E. Renshaw
1888 Ernest Renshaw bt. H.F. Lawford
1887 Herbert Lawford bt. E. Renshaw
1886 Willie Renshaw bt. H.F. Lawford
1885 Willie Renshaw bt. H.F. Lawford
1884 Willie Renshaw bt. H.F. Lawford
1883 Willie Renshaw bt. E. Renshaw
1882 Willie Renshaw bt. E. Renshaw
1881 Willie Renshaw bt. J.T. Hartley
1880 John Hartley bt. H.F. Lawford
1879 John Hartley bt. V. St. L. Goold
1878 Frank Hadow bt. S.W. Gore
1877 Spencer Gore bt. W.C. Marshall