The First Wimbledon Championships Are Held

Setting the scene

The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club needed a draw to keep members engaged after croquet's popularity faded, and lawn tennis—still codifying its rules—offered a summer spectacle.

What happened

The first Wimbledon tennis championship was held in July 1877, with Spencer Gore winning the inaugural gentlemen's singles title before a small crowd at the club's grounds in Wimbledon.

Why it still matters

That tournament became the oldest tennis championship in the world and set traditions—from grass courts to strawberries—that still define the sport's prestige event. Memorable detail: Gore predicted lawn tennis would never catch on.

Background

Spencer Gore won the inaugural singles title.