Game Set and Match

If you're a fan of tennis I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Wimbledon, the most famous tennis courts in the world. My U3a group arranged our tour of the museum and grounds. 

   

Fred Perry

 After arrival and a bite to eat in the very nice cafe we started our tour in the excellent museum which showcases the very beginning of the game of tennis, and the history and traditions of the championships. The interactive galleries include original objects from Wimbledon and clothing and equipment donated by top tennis stars.

Major Rufus Wingfield, founder of modern lawn tennis patented the game in Great Britain in 1874. His idea was to create a portable court for playing the “ancient game of tennis.” He envisioned the game being constructed on croquet courts, providing people with healthy exercise and social amusement.

Lawn tennis rapidly became a popular pastime. It gave young men and women the opportunity to meet and flirt! All over the country tennis clubs sprang up and started their own tournaments.

And all over the country Victorian homes embraced this new craze

parlours, dining rooms and kitchens were festooned with all things tennis

The game of squash is a descendant of Rackets, which was played with long handled rackets and hard balls. It started as an outdoor game in debtors' prisons in London, and at Harrow school and is still played in some public schools.

Tennis Across the British Empire

In the 1870's and 1880's army officers and officials formed sports clubs as reminders of home, building a little England abroad. 

The little dress in the centre image is a badminton fancy dress costume for the children's ball in Simla, India in 1893.

Men's locker room, I can't remember the date

Look at that girdle! In 1881 Walter Wingfield had his tennis clothes, and those of the lady he had just defeated, weighed. Had she been handicapped by her long heavy costume? Most definitely. His clothes weighed 2.4 kg, hers were 4.9 kg! The weights are there to sample how heavy the costumes were.

Wimbledon at War

On the 31st August 1939, nursing sisters, the Red Cross and the St John Ambulance Brigade moved in. The Fire Service, ARP squads, and Civil Defence took up residence. Outside the Clubhouse, the London Irish and the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Guards used the main concourse as a parade ground. The car parks were ploughed up for vegetables and a farmyard was established. There were pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks and geese, and even a donkey.

Andre Agassi

"This is so great to touch the trophy. If I never win another match I don't care. Whatever I do, wherever I go, I'm going to be a Wimbledon Champion"

Goran Ivanisevic, 2001

Trainers worn by Venus Williams at the 2001 Championships. Her fans were not only enthralled by her unparalleled power and serving-to-win strategy, but also her original ensembles that challenged traditional dress codes. She used her creativity and DIY skills to adapt several of her outfits, including these trainers which she embellished with rhinestones. She wore them all the way to the final, winning her third career Grand Slam and her second title at the Championships.

"Tennis whites are boring unless it's Wimbledon, where it's classy"

Serena Williams

Women's and Men's Trophies

I still enjoy Wimbledon but my favourite era was the 80's - Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe "You cannot be serious" He was a bit of a brat, but he rebelled against the stuffy English way of the game.

The museum collection is huge, much more than I've shown here.

It's well worth a visit.

Up next - the grounds

🎾  Be safe and well 🎾 

Polly x