The Championships, Wimbledon 10,000 litres of cream. The tournament is also notable for the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts. In 2009, Wimbledon's Centre Court was fitted with a retractable roof to lessen the loss of playing time due to rain. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is a private club founded on 23 July 1868, originally as "The All England Croquet Club". Its first ground was at Nursery Road off Worple Road, Wimbledon. In 1876, lawn tennis, a game devised by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield a year or so earlier as an outdoor version of court tennis and originally
1897 Wimbledon Championships 1897 Wimbledon Championships The 1897 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament ran from 21 June until 1 July. It was the 21st staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the first Grand Slam tennis event of 1897. No matches were played on the first Tuesday to mark Queen Victoria's jubilee. Reginald Doherty defeated Harold Mahony in the Challenge Round, and successfully defended his title for the next three years. Reginald Doherty defeated Harold Mahony, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 Blanche Hillyard