Wimbledon Players History

Here is an overview of the Wimbledon Players history. Since 1877, Wimbledon tennis players have been some of the top champions in the history of the sport. From its first champion in gentlemen's singles, Spencer Gore, to current champs Roger Federer and Serena Williams, tennis players at Wimbledon are a who's who among tennis players.

In the 1880s and 1890s, Wimbledon was dominated by two sets of brothers. Twins Ernest and William Renshaw of Great Britain won thirteen titles between them from 1881 to 1889, separately and as doubles partners. From 1897 into the early 1900s, British brothers Reggie and Laurie Doherty together won eight gentlemen's doubles titles, and added nine gentlemen's singles titles between them.

In the early 1920s on the ladies's side, Suzanne Lenglen of France won six ladies' singles titles at Wimbledon, from 1919 to 1923 and again in 1925. American Helen Wills was the next dominant ladies' player at Wimbledon, winning eight singles titles between 1927 and 1938. From 1914 to 1934, the doubles' titles at Wimbledon were dominated by another American, Elizabeth Ryan, who won twelve ladies' doubles titles and seven mixed doubles titles.

After a few decades of parity, where many players from the United States, Australia and Great Britain were winning, the 1960s and 1970s saw American Billie Jean King dominate the Wimbledon singles and doubles events. King won six ladies' singles championships, ten ladies' doubles championships, and four mixed doubles championships.

The late 1970s and early 1980s saw Bjorn Borg win five consecutive Wimbledon gentlemen's singles titles (1976 to 1980), while in 1985, Boris Becker became the youngest player to win the gentlemen's single title at age seventeen.

Martina Navratilova was the next woman to dominate the ladies' and doubles' events, winning nine ladies' singles titles, seven ladies' doubles titles, and four mixed doubles titles between 1976 and 2003.

In the 1990s and 2000s on the gentlemen's side, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have been the players to beat at Wimbledon, with Sampras winning seven singles titles before his retirement and Federer winning six. On the ladies' side, sisters Serena and Venus Williams have combined for four ladies' doubles titles and eight ladies' singles titles between them (three for Serena and five for Venus).

Resource:

History of the Championships