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A Brief History of the Wimbledon Championships
June 28, 2022 at 08:23 PM EDT
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Dan Rupp
The 135th tennis Wimbledon Championships has begun and will continue through the 10th of July with a few weather problems. Luckily, past rain events paved the way to a retractable roof installation in 2009. Fans of the championship are excited for another year of pro tennis this June and July after the cancellation from the Covid pandemic in 2020 which was the first cancellation since World War II.
The Wimbledon is quite possibly the most famous of the tennis tournaments out there and has made quite a name for itself with people calling it the ‘Grand Slams’. The club that hosts the tournaments was originally called the All England Croquet Club but added ‘Lawn Tennis’ to their name after the offshoot of the original racquet ball became more popular. What’s possibly most unique with this court is that it is made entirely of grass which allows the tennis balls to move faster after contacting the ground when you compare it to clay or hard courts. The first tournament was held in 1877 with only the Gentlemen's Single compared to the five contests we have today. Spencer William Gore was named the first Wimbledon champion after playing a delayed game due to rainy weather. In 1884, a women's championship was introduced before mixed men's and doubles was allowed in 1913.
Did you know tennis balls used to be white? Yellow tennis balls came into play in 1986 so they could be spotted easier on TV. Now over 54,000 yellow tennis balls are used during the Championships since temperatures affect the ball's dynamics. The tennis balls are kept in a refrigerator before use to maintain a temperature of 68 degrees which is considered pristine condition for competitions.
Today’s weather is expected to be mostly sunny to partly cloudy with slightly warmer than normal temperatures in the low 70s. On Wednesday, clouds will begin to increase as a broad low pressure system approaches London from the west. While it will probably remain dry for most of the day, a few showers could sneak in later in the evening. Temperatures will remain comfortable in the low 70s. The center of the low pressure will track over the northern United Kingdom and usher in scattered shower activity throughout the day Thursday. With clouds covering the sun and rain expected, temperatures will cool down into the mid-60s.
The Wimbledon is quite possibly the most famous of the tennis tournaments out there and has made quite a name for itself with people calling it the ‘Grand Slams’. The club that hosts the tournaments was originally called the All England Croquet Club but added ‘Lawn Tennis’ to their name after the offshoot of the original racquet ball became more popular. What’s possibly most unique with this court is that it is made entirely of grass which allows the tennis balls to move faster after contacting the ground when you compare it to clay or hard courts. The first tournament was held in 1877 with only the Gentlemen's Single compared to the five contests we have today. Spencer William Gore was named the first Wimbledon champion after playing a delayed game due to rainy weather. In 1884, a women's championship was introduced before mixed men's and doubles was allowed in 1913.
Did you know tennis balls used to be white? Yellow tennis balls came into play in 1986 so they could be spotted easier on TV. Now over 54,000 yellow tennis balls are used during the Championships since temperatures affect the ball's dynamics. The tennis balls are kept in a refrigerator before use to maintain a temperature of 68 degrees which is considered pristine condition for competitions.
Today’s weather is expected to be mostly sunny to partly cloudy with slightly warmer than normal temperatures in the low 70s. On Wednesday, clouds will begin to increase as a broad low pressure system approaches London from the west. While it will probably remain dry for most of the day, a few showers could sneak in later in the evening. Temperatures will remain comfortable in the low 70s. The center of the low pressure will track over the northern United Kingdom and usher in scattered shower activity throughout the day Thursday. With clouds covering the sun and rain expected, temperatures will cool down into the mid-60s.