On 9 July 1877, the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, south-west London, held the first lawn tennis championship, with 22 players, all men, competing for a silver challenge cup, in front of about 200 spectators who paid a shilling. Spencer Gore, an old Harrovian and rackets player, won the final on 19 July. The sport had been invented in 1873 by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. The ladies' singles was added in 1884. Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and has been played on grass throughout, with the exception of years of the two world wars and of 2020.
Before and after
- from 24 April 1877 to 3 March 1878Tenth Russo-Turkish War
- from 24 April 1877 to 3 March 1878Romanian War of Independence
- 28 April 1877Construction of Stamford Bridge
- 2 July 1877Birth of Hermann Hesse
- from 9 July 1877 to 19 July 1877The first Wimbledon Championship
- from 20 July 1877 to 10 December 1877Siege of Plevna
- 12 August 1877Discovery of Deimos
- 17 August 1877Discovery of Phobos
- 9 November 1877Birth of Muhammad Iqbal
More in Society, economy & sport
- 12 May 1792Founding of New York Stock Exchange
- c. 1800sRise of nationalism
- 17 February 1863Founding of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- from 6 April 1896 to 15 April 1896The first modern Olympic Games open in Athens
- 1 January 1901Founding of Australia
- 21 May 1904Founding of FIFA
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.