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Modern Tennis Invented
Major Walter Wingfield invented the game called "Sphairistikè" (Greek for "playing ball") and first introduced it to Wales. But the game soon became known as "tennis", thought to come from the French word "tenir" ("hold this"), "tendere" ("to hold"), or "tenez" ("to take"). The precise origins are unknown. It was played on hour-glass shaped courts on manor house lawns by wealthy English people, the beginning of modern tennis. -
Changes Are Made
Henry Cavendish Jones convinced the All England Croquet Club to replace a croquet court with a lawn tennis court. Marylebone Cricket Club followed suit. Marylebone Cricket Club made significant changes to the game. They added Deuce, Advantage, and 2 chances per serve. The hourglass-shaped court also changed to a rectangular court, identical to the measurements we use today. -
The First Championships
The United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) is founded, and the first U.S. Championships are played. -
Wimbledon Open to Women
The Wimbledon Championships are open to women for the first time. There are only 13 participants. Mens doubles was also introduced for the first time. -
Youngest Player in History to Win A Singles Event
Lottie Dod of England wins the Wimbledon Ladies Singles title for the first of 5 times between 1887 and 1893. She is the youngest player to win a singles event at the age of only 15 years. -
Don Budge
The first tennis player to complete the Grand Slam of all 4 Championships in the same year was the American Don Budge. -
The Tie-break
The Tie-break was invented by Jimmy van Allen in the late 1960s, and was then introduced at the US Open following a successful trial period at Newport, R.I. The winner of the tie-break was the first person to reach five points. -
The Longest Tie-break
The longest Tie-break at Wimbledon was in the 1980 Mens Singles Final between John McEnroe (USA) and Björn Borg (Sweden), with a score of 18-16 in favor of Björn Borg. -
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova became the Wimbledon Ladies Singles champion for a record ninth -
Navratilova Retires
Martina Navratilova retires from singles tennis, having won a record 167 singles titles, a record 1438 matches won, and an amazing 9 Wimbledon titles! -
The Williams Sisters
Venus and Serena Williams become the first sisters in history to be ranked #1 and #2 in the WTA world rankings list respectively -
Andre Agassi Retires
The greatest showman in tennis history - Andre Agassi - retires on 3 September 2006 following a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 defeat to Benjamin Becker (GER) in the third round of the US Open.
