Wimbledon 2017 coverage
June 26, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Three weeks after the victories of Jelena Ostapenko and Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, all players have their eyes turned to the grass courts of Wimbledon. With the absences of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, the women's draw is once again wide open, while Roger Federer is the big favorite for the title in the men's draw.
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Fan's guide:
How to get Wimbledon tickets
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How to get last minute Wimbledon tickets
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Wimbledon Queue 101
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Tennis culture: Wimbledon victory climb
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A trip down memory lane:
Wimbledon memories: Mrs Blanche Bingley Hillyard
Wimbledon memories: Charlotte Cooper Sterry
Wimbledon memories: Dora Boothby
Portrait of Wimbledon champion Ann Jones
Wimbledon 1969: Laver's getting beat by an Indian
Rod Laver – John Newcombe Wimbledon 1969
Around the grounds at Wimbledon in 1971
Wimbledon 1975: Ashe vs Connors
1976: Bjorn Borg first Wimbledon title
Portrait of 5-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg
Wimbledon 1976: Chris Evert defeats Evonne Goolagong
Portrait of Virginia Wade, winner in 1977
Wimbledon 1978 in pictures
1978: First Wimbledon title for Martina Navratilova
1978: Bjorn Borg defeats Jimmy Connors
Wimbledon 1979: Passing on the record
1981: First Wimbledon title for McEnroe
1982: Jimmy Connors defeats John McEnroe
1984: John McEnroe defeats Jimmy Connors
1985: Boris Becker, the man on the moon
1986: Boris Becker defeats Ivan Lendl, wins second Wimbledon title
Portrait of 3-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker
Wimbledon 1987 SF Cash defeats Connors
Wimbledon 1987 Cash defeats Lendl
Wimbledon 1988: An era ends as Graf beats Navratilova
Wimbledon 1988: Edberg a deserving new champion
Portrait of 2-time Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg
Wimbledon 1990: Becker vs Edberg
1990: Martina Navratilova's historic 9th Wimbledon title
Wimbledon 1991: the first Middle Sunday
1991: Michael Stich defeats Boris Becker
1992: first Grand Slam for Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi: thanks to Wimbledon I realized my dreams
1993: Pete Sampras defeats Jim Courier
1994: Pete Sampras defeats Goran Ivanisevic
1995: Tim Henman disqualified!
Wimbledon 1996: singing in the rain
1996: Richard Krajicek upsets Pete Sampras
Wimbledon 1996: a winning streak
1997: Pete Sampras defeats Cédric Pioline
2000 Wimbledon SF: Pat Rafter defeats Andre Agassi
Wimbledon 2000: did dad call the shots?
2000 Wimbledon Final: Pete Sampras defeats Pat Rafter
2001 Wimbledon 4th round: Federer defeats Sampras
Wimbledon 2001 People's Final: Ivanisevic vs Rafter
Wimbledon 2010: Rafael Nadal defeats Tomas Berdych
Wimbledon 2012: Roger Federer defeats Andy Murray
Andy Murray's road to the Wimbledon 2013 final
Wimbledon 2013: Andy Murray, 77 years after Fred Perry
What if Edberg had coached Henman?
Fashion and gear:
Wimbledon 2017: Garbine Muguruza outfit
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Wimbledon 2017: Dominic Thiem and Sascha Zverev's outfits
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Wimbledon 2017: Kerber, Halep and Mladenovic outfits
Wimbledon 2017: Kei Nishikori Uniqlo outfit
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Nike celebrates Federer's 8th Wimbledon title
Who will win Wimbledon 2017?
Karolina Pliskova (19%, 4 Votes)
Venus Williams (19%, 4 Votes)
Angelique Kerber (14%, 3 Votes)
Simona Halep (14%, 3 Votes)
Johanna Konta (14%, 3 Votes)
Someone else (10%, 2 Votes)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (5%, 1 Votes)
Agnieszka Radwanska (5%, 1 Votes)
Elina Svitolina (0%, 0 Votes)
Dominika Cibulkova (0%, 0 Votes)
Caroline Wozniacki (0%, 0 Votes)
Filed under Books, Fashion, Gear, Slider, Wimbledon · Tagged with 1969, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, adidas, Alexander Zverev, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Ann Jones, Arthur Ashe, Bjorn Borg, Blanche Bingley Hillyard, Boris Becker, Cedric Pioline, Charlotte Cooper Sterry, Chris Evert, Dominic Thiem, Dora Boothby, Evonne Goolagong, Goran Ivanisevic, Ilie Nastase, Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, John Newcombe, Kei Nishikori, Malivai Washington, Martina Navratilova, Michael Stich, Novak Djokovic, Pat Cash, Pat Rafter, Pete Sampras, Premjit Lall, Rafael Nadal, Richard Krajicek, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Stefan Edberg, Steffi Graf, Tim Henman, Tomas Berdych, Uniqlo, Venus Williams, Virginia Wade, wb1969, wb1971, wb1975, wb1976, wb1977, wb1978, wb1981, wb1982, wb1984, wb1985, wb1986, wb1987, wb1988, wb1990, wb1991, wb1992, wb1993, wb1994, wb1995, wb1996, wb1997, wb2000, wb2001, wb2012, wb2013, wb2014, wb2015, wb2016, wb2017, Wimbledon Museum
Roland Garros 1978 in pictures
June 2, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Extract from Inside tennis – a season on the pro tour by Peter Bodo and June Harrison:
The French is the epicurean's tournament, where the kiosks feature crepes filled with apricot jam and dusted with powdered sugar, and ice cream bars favored with Grand Marnier; where hot dogs doze in light, crisp rolls that resemble sleeping bags; where these and other specialities evolved through centuries of respectful doting on the sensitive receptacle that for some peoples is a mere stomach.
The French tournament site, like those of Wimbledon and the US Open, is located just far enough outside the city to achieve a slumberous, almost pastoral quality. The Stade Roland Garros borders the Bois de Boulogne, the rambling park that contains the famed Longchamp Race Course and the Racing Club de France. The stadium and its grounds, named after a World War I aviator killed in action, were constructed in 1927 primarly for the defense of the Davis Cup.
Despite the French preoccupation with style, there is a monotonous, almost martial quality to Roland Garros. Yet this grim undertone strikes a symbolic note, for the French is the most grueling tournament in the world. The Italian assaults the nerves, Wimbledon tests the spirit, and the US Open challenges the will. The French attacks the body and often defeats a player through sheer exhaustion. Matches routinely last four hours on the slow clay, and despite the draw of 128, five-set matches are the rule from the start. Tennis at the French is trench warfare; lobs are lifted like deadly mortars, except they almost always come back. Battles that commence while the idle are still taking croissants and café au lait on the the Boulevard Saint-Germain last long into the dusk. As late as nine in the evening, there is still enough light to keep the contestants engaged.
The main walkway at Roland Garros:
Arthur Ashe, serving and selling his way deep into the Paris underground:
Filed under Books, French Open · Tagged with 1978, Ann Jones, Arthur Ashe, Billy Martin, Billy Scanlon, Bjorn Borg, Brian Gottfried, Corrado Barazzutti, Dick Stockton, Eddie Dibbs, Guillermo Vilas, Hans Gildemeister, Ion Tiriac, Jan Kodes, Jeff Borowiak, Lew Hoad, Manuel Orantes, Manuel Santana, Mima Jausovec, Raul Ramirez, Renata Tomanova, rg1978, Stan Smith, Virginia Ruzici, Wotjek Fibak, Yannick Noah
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club:
Wimbledon guided tour – part 1
Wimbledon Centre Court roof
Court 3 : a new Show Court at Wimbledon
Waiting in the Queue to Wimbledon
Wimbledon Museum: The Queue exhibition
The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum: Player Memorabilia
Wimbledon 's biggest upsets
1990: Martina Navatilova's historic 9th Wimbledon title
The Spirit of Wimbledon: a 4-part documentary by Rolex retracing Wimbledon history
Ralph Lauren unveils new Wimbledon uniforms
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Wimbledon 2016: Djokovic and Nishikori Uniqlo outfits
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Wimbledon 2016: Kerber, Berdych and Zverev outfits
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Wimbledon 2016: Serena, Federer and Kyrgios Nike outfits
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Novak Djokovic (53%, 50 Votes)
Roger Federer (21%, 20 Votes)
Andy Murray (17%, 16 Votes)
Dominic Thiem (5%, 5 Votes)
Stan Wawrinka (1%, 1 Votes)
Kei Nishikori (1%, 1 Votes)
Tomas Berdych (1%, 1 Votes)
Milos Raonic (1%, 1 Votes)
Richard Gasquet (0%, 0 Votes)
David Goffin (0%, 0 Votes)
Someone else (0%, 0 Votes)
Serena Williams (33%, 8 Votes)
Garbine Muguruza (33%, 8 Votes)
Victoria Azarenka (17%, 4 Votes)
Simona Halep (8%, 2 Votes)
Angelique Kerber (4%, 1 Votes)
Roberta Vinci (0%, 0 Votes)
Belinda Bencic (0%, 0 Votes)
Venus Williams (0%, 0 Votes)
Timea Bacsinszky (0%, 0 Votes)
Filed under Books, Fashion, Gear, Slider, Wimbledon · Tagged with 1969, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, adidas, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Ann Jones, Arthur Ashe, Bjorn Borg, Blanche Bingley Hillyard, Boris Becker, Cedric Pioline, Charlotte Cooper Sterry, Chris Evert, Dora Boothby, Evonne Goolagong, Goran Ivanisevic, H&M, Ilie Nastase, Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, John Newcombe, Kei Nishikori, Lacoste, Laura Robson, Malivai Washington, Martina Navratilova, Milos Raonic, New Balance, Nick Kyrgios, Nike, Novak Djokovic, Pat Rafter, Pete Sampras, Premjit Lall, Rafael Nadal, Richard Krajicek, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Stefan Edberg, Steffi Graf, Tim Henman, Tomas Berdych, Under Armour, Uniqlo, Virginia Wade, wb1969, wb1971, wb1975, wb1976, wb1977, wb1981, wb1982, wb1984, wb1985, wb1986, wb1988, wb1990, wb1992, wb1993, wb1994, wb1995, wb1996, wb1997, wb2000, wb2001, wb2012, wb2013, wb2014, wb2015, wb2016, Wimbledon Museum
Billie Jean King, the revolutionary
November 22, 2015 · Leave a Comment
From Love Thirty: Three Decades of Champions, by Rex Bellamy (published in 1990)
Like Ashe, Billie Jean King had a pioneering zeal that made her an inspiring leader of many causes. If there was no crusade available, she invented one. They included her campaign for parity of prize money and draw numbers between men and women; the introduction of professional 'team tennis' and the concept's expansion to other levels of the game; her famous 'Battle of the Sexes' with Bobby Riggs, an occasion that had implications and effects outweighing the showbiz razzmatazz; her role in forming the Women's Sports Foundation and re-enforcing the women's liberation movement; and a maze of associated business ventures. For all that, King will most obviously be remembered for her supreme tally of Wimbledon titles during a span of 23 years. She began that Wimbledon saga as 'Little Miss Moffitt' and ended it as a self-styled 'Old Lady' who seemed to be part of the furniture. By that time she had graduated to the same class of all-time Grand Slam champions as Helen Wills and Margaret Court. But neither of these (nor any other woman, for that matter) matched King's revolutionary status. consequently, because of her combined achievements on and off court, she became the most important figure in the history of women's tennis.
King's father, an engineer in the Long Beach fire department was an all-around athlete but had no interest in tennis. Her mother was a good swimmer and her brother Randy became a major-league baseball pitcher. When she first played tennis, at the age of 11, King used a racket borrowed from a friend. Then she popped spare nickels and dimes into a jar until she had $8, which was all she needed to buy a racket from the local sports shop. She made the most of the free lessons available in pubic parks at Long Beach and seized the chance to study celebrities in action at Los Angeles. King particularly liked the serve-and-volley style of Louise Brough and at 15 she spent three months receiving weekend tuition from another one-time US and Wimbledon champion, Alice Marble, who had a similarly aggressive game. Aspiring climbers are taught not to reduce the leverage of fingers and toes by getting too close to the rock. For different reasons, Marble warned King not to get too close to the ball.
Moffitt spent three years at Los Angeles State College, where she met a law student called Larry King. They were to marry in 1965. Meantime she was developing a liking for Wimbledon. In 1961, aged 17, the tomboyish Moffitt won the Wimbledon doubles with Karen Hantze, 18. King built rapidly on that early success and in 1963 she reached the Wimbledon singles final. But the road to full-time tennis was rather bump in those days and King as 21 before she could press the accelerator hard down and keep it there. Late in 1964 Bob Mitchell, the Melbourne businessman who had previously helped Margaret Court, offered to pay King's way to Australia, where Mervyn Rose improved her groundstrokes and service and put her through a sharpening programme of training and practice drills. With a remodeled game and a total commitment to the circuit, King brought increasing confidence and intensity to her 1965 campaign. Court stopped her in an Australian semi-final and US final. Bueno stopped her in a Wimbledon semi-final. But King had beaten both in previous years, before Rose brought a bloom to her tennis, and thee could no longer be any doubt that the Court-Bueno duopoly of grass was not going to last much longer.
Filed under Australian Open, Books, French Open, Players, US Open, Wimbledon, WTA · Tagged with 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, Alice Marble, Althea Gibson, Ann Jones, Astrodome, Battle of the sexes, Billie Jean King, Bob Mitchell, Bobby Riggs, Evonne Goolagong, Françoise Durr, George MacCall, Gladys Heldman, Helen Wills, Houston, Joe Cullman, Karen Hantze, Karol Fageros, Ken Fletcher, Larry King, Louise Brough, Love Thirty, Margaret Court, Maria Bueno, Mervyn Rose, National Tennis League, Owen Davidson, ozopen1965, Rex Bellamy, rg1972, Rosie Casals, usopen1965, usopen1967, usopen1974, Virginia Slims, wb1961, wb1963, wb1966, wb1970
1970 US Open: Margaret Court completes the Grand Slam
September 13, 2015 · Leave a Comment
45 years ago, Margaret Court completed the fifth calendar Grand Slam in history, after Donald Budge (1938), Maureen Connolly (1953) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969). Twice previously (in 1962 and 1969), Court had failed to win the coveted Grand Slam, falling both times at Wimbledon.
The powerful Australian was the most dominating player in the 60s, winning 13 Grand Slam tournaments.
Then she decided to retire after Wimbledon in 1966. But after getting married in 1967, she changed her mind and returned to tennis in 1968. Her goal: to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam. In 1969, she captured 3 majors, but lost to Ann Jones in Wimbledon semifinals.
In 1970, she had already won the Australian and French Championships when she met Billie Jean King in the Wimbledon final. This match is still considered as one of the greatest played on Center Court.
Court prevailed 14-12 11-9. 46 games, a record for the final, the tie-breaker not yet in use. But the result might have totally different: King broke Court's serve 4 times in the first set, she served for the second set at 5-4, 7-6, and 8-7, and saved four match points. It would be the third and last title for Margaret Court at Wimbledon.
She met doubles specialist Rosie Casals in the US Open final, cruising through the first set 6-2. Casals bounced back to take the second set 6-2, but Court overcame her nerves in the third and captured her fourth US Open title 6-2 2-6 6-1. She also won the women's doubles and mixed doubles.
Rosie Casals:
We called Margaret 'The Arm'. It was like her right arm was a mile long when you tried to pass her.
Court regards her U.S. Open win against Casals in 1970 as the best moment of her career.
I had won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments twice before but completing the full set in one year was very special. Maureen Connolly was the only player who had previously achieved the Slam in the women's game. In those days the US Open was played at Forest Hills, an old-fashioned club that was very different to the massive Flushing Meadows. Winning that final against Rosie Casals was special.
Court retired again to have children but came back in 1972, and won 3 of 4 Slams in 1973.
She retired permanently in 1977 when she learned she was expecting the last of her four children.
Margaret Court won 62 Grand Slam championships, more than any other woman, and in 1970 became the second woman (after Maureen Connolly in 1953) to win the grand slam of tennis singles: Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, and the French Open titles in the same year. She is the only player to achieve the Grand Slam in mixed doubles as well as singles, winning the four events with fellow Australian Kenneth Fletcher in 1963.
She's also the only person to have won all 12 Grand Slam events (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) at least twice.
Margaret Court 24 Singles titles:
– Australian Open: 11 (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973)
– French Open: 5 (1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973)
-Wimbledon: 3 (1963, 1965, 1970)
– US Open: 5 (1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1973)
In January 2003, Tennis Australia renamed Melbourne Park's Show Court One to the Margaret Court Arena. She was the recipient of the 2003 Australia Post Australian Legends Award, and featured on a special 50c stamp. In 2006 she was awarded the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award.
Apart from her wonderful on-court achievements, Court who found a ministry (the Margaret Court Ministries), is also known for her homophobia. She said in particular that Martina Navratilova and other lesbian and bisexual players were ruining the sport of tennis and setting a bad example for younger players.
More on this controversial champion.
Filed under Players, US Open · Tagged with 1970, Ann Jones, Australia, Billie Jean King, Donald Budge, Margaret Court, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, Rosie Casals, usopen1970