Martina Navratilova is a nine time champion, which is most all-time amongst men or women, and the most in the Open Era at any slam event.
The Championships, Wimbledon is an annual tennis tournament created in 1877 and played on outdoor grass courts [a] [b] [ 1] at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) in the Wimbledon suburb of London, United Kingdom.[ 2] The Ladies' Singles was started in 1884 .[ 3] Wimbledon is played in the last week of June and the first week of July, and has been chronologically the third of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the tennis season since 1987.[ 2] The event was not held from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I and again from 1940 to 1945 because of World War II.[ 4]
The Ladies' Singles' rules have undergone several changes since the first edition. From 1884 until 1921 , the event started with a knockout phase, the All Comers' Singles, whose winner then faced the defending champion in a challenge round . The All Comers' winner was automatically awarded the title six times (1887 , 1891 , 1895 , 1907 , 1908 ) in the absence of the previous year's champion. The challenge round system was abolished with the 1922 edition.[ 5] Since the first championships, all matches have been played at the best-of-three sets . Between 1884 and 1883 , the winner of the next game at five games – all took the set in every match except the All Comers' final, and the challenge round, which were won with six games and a two games advantage. All sets were decided in this advantage format from 1884 to 1970 .[ 5] The lingering death best-of-12 points tie-break was introduced in 1971 for the first two sets, played at eight games – all until 1978 and at six games – all since 1979 .[ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish", or simply the "Rosewater Dish". The salver, which is 18.75 inches (about 48 cm) in diameter, is decorated with figures from mythology.[ 8] New singles champions are traditionally elected honorary members of the AELTC by the club's committee.[c] [ 9] In 2009, the Gentlemen's Singles winner received prize money of £ 850,000.[ 10] These records include the Amateur Era only, Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers (1903–1904, 1906, 1910–1911, 1913–1914) holds the record for most titles, with seven, and Lottie Dod (1891–1893) and Suzanne Lenglen (1919&ndash1921) holds the record for most consecutive wins in the Ladies' Singles during the challenge round era, with three victories each. The record for most consecutive and most wins post challenge round during the Amateur Era is Helen Wills Moody (1927–1930), with four straight wins, and Moody holds the record for most victories in this era with eight (1927–1930, 1932–1933, 1935, 1938).[ 4] These records only include the Open Era, Martina Navratilova (1978–1979, 1982–1987, 1990) holds the record in the Open-Era with nine victories. Navratilova holds the record in the Open-Era with six consecutive victories (1982–1987).[ 4]
Regular competition
All Comers' winner, Challenge round winner ‡
Defending champion, Challenge round winner †
All Comers' winner, no Challenge round ◊
Billie Jean King is a six-time champion overall and a four-time champion in the open era.
Year[d]
Country
Champion
#
Country
Runner-up
Score in the final [ 4]
1884
BRI [e]
Maud Watson †
BRI
Lillian Watson
6–8, 6–3, 6–3
1885
BRI
Maud Watson †
2
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–1, 7–5
1886
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard †
BRI
Maud Watson
6–3, 6–3
1887
BRI
Lottie Dod ◊
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–2, 6–0
1888
BRI
Lottie Dod ‡
2
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–3, 6–3
1889
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard ‡
2
BRI
Lena Rice
4–6, 8–6, 6–4
1890
BRI
Lena Rice ‡
BRI
May Jacks
6–4, 6–1
1891
BRI
Lottie Dod ◊
3
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–2, 6–1
1892
BRI
Lottie Dod †
4
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–1, 6–1
1893
BRI
Lottie Dod ‡
5
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–8, 6–1, 6–4
1894
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard †
3
BRI
Edith Austin
6–1, 6–1
1895
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry ◊
BRI
Helen Jackson
7–5, 8–6
1896
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry ‡
2
BRI
Alice Simpson-Pickering
6–2, 6–3
1897
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard ‡
4
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
5–7, 7–5, 6–2
1898
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry †
3
BRI
Louise Martin
6–4, 6–4
1899
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard †
5
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
6–2, 6–3
1900
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard †
6
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1901
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry ‡
4
BRI
Blanche Bingley Hillyard
6–2, 6–2
1902
BRI
Muriel Robb ‡
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
7–5, 6–1
1903
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers †
BRI
Ethel Thomson Larcombe
4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1904
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers †
2
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
6–0, 6–3
1905
USA
May Sutton Bundy †
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
6–3, 6–4
1906
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers †
3
USA
May Sutton Bundy
6–3, 9–7
1907
USA
May Sutton Bundy ◊
2
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
6–1, 6–4
1908
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry ◊
5
BRI
Agnes Morton
6–4, 6–4
1909
BRI
Dora Boothby †
BRI
Agnes Morton
6–4, 4–6, 8–6
1910
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers ‡
4
BRI
Dora Boothby
6–2, 6–2
1911
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers †
5
BRI
Dora Boothby
6–0, 6–0
1912
BRI
Ethel Thomson Larcombe †
BRI
Charlotte Cooper Sterry
6–3, 6–1
1913
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers †
6
BRI
Winifred McNair
6–0, 6–4
1914
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers ‡
7
BRI
Ethel Thomson Larcombe
7–5, 6–4
1915
no competition
World War I
1916
no competition
World War I
1917
no competition
World War I
1918
no competition
World War I
1919
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen ‡
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
10–8, 4–6, 9–7
1920
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen ‡
2
BRI
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
6–3, 6–0
1921
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen †
3
USA
Elizabeth Ryan
6–2, 6–0
1922
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen
4
USA
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
6–2, 6–0
1923
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen
5
GBR
Kitty McKane Godfree
6–2, 6–2
1924
GBR
Kitty McKane Godfree
USA
Helen Wills Moody
4–6, 6–4, 6–4
1925
FRA
Suzanne Lenglen
6
GBR
Joan Fry Lakeman
6–2, 6–0
1926
GBR
Kitty McKane Godfree
2
ESP
Lilí de Álvarez
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
1927
USA
Helen Wills Moody
ESP
Lilí de Álvarez
6–2, 6–4
1928
USA
Helen Wills Moody
2
ESP
Lilí de Álvarez
6–2, 6–3
1929
USA
Helen Wills Moody
3
USA
Helen Jacobs
6–1, 6–2
1930
USA
Helen Wills Moody
4
USA
Elizabeth Ryan
6–2, 6–2
1931
GER
Cilly Aussem
GER
Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling
6–2, 7–5
1932
USA
Helen Wills Moody
5
USA
Helen Jacobs
6–3, 6–1
1933
USA
Helen Wills Moody
6
GBR
Dorothy Round Little
6–4, 6–8, 6–3
1934
GBR
Doroth Round Little
USA
Helen Jacobs
6–2, 5–7, 6–3
1935
USA
Helen Wills Moody
7
USA
Helen Jacobs
6–3, 3–6, 7–5
1936
USA
Helen Jacobs
DEN
Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling
6–2, 4–6, 7–5
1937
GBR
Dorothy Round Little
2
POL
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska
6–2, 2–6, 7–5
1938
USA
Helen Wills Moody
8
USA
Helen Jacobs
6–4, 6–0
1939
USA
Alice Marble
GBR
Kay Stammers Bullitt
6–2, 6–0
1940
no competition
World War II
1941
no competition
World War II
1942
no competition
World War II
1943
no competition
World War II
1944
no competition
World War II
1945
no competition
World War II
1946
USA
Pauline Betz Addie
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
6–2, 6–4
1947
USA
Margaret Osborne duPont
USA
Doris Hart
6–2, 6–4
1948
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
USA
Doris Hart
6–3, 8–6
1949
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
2
USA
Margaret Osborne duPont
10–8, 1–6, 10–8
1950
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
3
USA
Margaret Osborne duPont
6–1, 3–6, 6–1
1951
USA
Doris Hart
USA
Shirley Fry Irvin
6–1, 6–0
1952
USA
Maureen Connolly Brinker
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
6–4, 6–3
1953
USA
Maureen Connolly Brinker
2
USA
Doris Hart
8–6, 7–5
1954
USA
Maureen Connolly Brinker
3
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
6–2, 7–5
1955
USA
Louise Brough Clapp
4
USA
Beverly Baker Fleitz
7–5, 8–6
1956
USA
Shirley Fry Irvin
GBR
Angela Buxton
6–3, 6–1
1957
USA
Althea Gibson
USA
Darlene Hard
6–3, 6–2
1958
USA
Althea Gibson
2
GBR
Angela Mortimer
8–6, 6–2
1959
BRA
Maria Bueno
USA
Darlene Hard
6–4 6–3
1960
BRA
Maria Bueno
2
ZAF
Sandra Reynolds Price
8–6, 6–0
1961
GBR
Angela Mortimer Barrett
GBR
Christine Truman Janes
4–6, 6–4, 7–5
1962
USA
Karen Hantze Susman
CZE
Věra SGBRová
6–4, 6–4
1963
AUS
Margaret Court
USA
Billie Jean King
6–3, 6–4
1964
BRA
Maria Bueno
3
AUS
Margaret Court
6–4, 7–9, 6–3
1965
AUS
Margaret Court
2
BRA
Maria Bueno
6–4, 7–5
1966
USA
Billie Jean King
BRA
Maria Bueno
6–3, 3–6, 6–1
1967
USA
Billie Jean King
2
GBR
Ann Haydon Jones
6–3, 6–4
Steffi Graf is a seven-time champion over a nine year period.
Venus Williams is a five time champion.
A blonde-haired female tennis player with white skirt and a white shirt, with a white writstband, swings a right-handed backhand American Chris Evert won three titles.
Serena Williams is a three time champion.
Year[d]
Country
Champion
#
Country
Runner-up
Score in the final [ 4]
1968
USA
Billie Jean King
(3)
AUS
Judy Tegart Dalton
9–7, 7–5
1969
GBR
Ann Haydon Jones
USA
Billie Jean King
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1970
AUS
Margaret Court
(3)
USA
Billie Jean King
14–12, 11–9
1971
AUS
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
AUS
Margaret Court
6–4, 6–1
1972
USA
Billie Jean King
2 (4)
AUS
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 6–3
1973
USA
Billie Jean King
3 (5)
USA
Chris Evert
6–0, 7–5
1974
USA
Chris Evert
Soviet Union
Olga Morozova
6–0, 6–4
1975
USA
Billie Jean King
4 (6)
AUS
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–0, 6–1
1976
USA
Chris Evert
2
AUS
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
6–3, 4–6, 8–6
1977
GBR
Virginia Wade
NED
Betty Stöve
4–6, 6–3, 6–1
1978
USA
Martina Navrátilová [ 11]
USA
Chris Evert
2–6, 6–4, 7–5
1979
USA
Martina Navrátilová
2
USA
Chris Evert
6–4, 6–4
1980
AUS
Evonne Goolagong Cawley
2
USA
Chris Evert
6–1, 7–6(7–4)
1981
USA
Chris Evert
3
TCH
Hana Mandlíková
6–2, 6–2
1982
USA
Martina Navrátilová
3
USA
Chris Evert
6–1, 3–6, 6–2
1983
USA
Martina Navrátilová
4
USA
Andrea Jaeger
6–0, 6–3
1984
USA
Martina Navrátilová
5
USA
Chris Evert
7–6(7–5), 6–2
1985
USA
Martina Navrátilová
6
USA
Chris Evert
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1986
USA
Martina Navrátilová
7
TCH
Hana Mandlíková
7–6(7–1), 6–3
1987
USA
Martina Navrátilová
8
FRG
Steffi Graf
7–5, 6–3
1988
FRG
Steffi Graf
USA
Martina Navrátilová
5–7, 6–2, 6–1
1989
FRG
Steffi Graf
2
USA
Martina Navrátilová
6–2, 6–7(1–7), 6–1
1990
USA
Martina Navrátilová
9
USA
Zina Garrison
6–4, 6–1
1991
GER
Steffi Graf
3
ARG
Gabriela Sabatini
6–4, 3–6, 8–6
1992
GER
Steffi Graf
4
YUG
Monica Seles
6–2, 6–1
1993
GER
Steffi Graf
5
CZE
Jana Novotná
7–6(7–6), 1–6, 6–4
1994
ESP
Conchita Martínez
USA
Martina Navrátilová
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
1995
GER
Steffi Graf
6
ESP
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
4–6, 6–1, 7–5
1996
GER
Steffi Graf
7
ESP
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–3, 7–5
1997
SUI
Martina Hingis
CZE
Jana Novotná
2–6, 6–3, 6–3
1998
CZE
Jana Novotná
FRA
Nathalie Tauziat
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
1999
USA
Lindsay Davenport
GER
Steffi Graf
6–4, 7–5
2000
USA
Venus Williams
USA
Lindsay Davenport
6–3, 7–6(7–3)
2001
USA
Venus Williams
2
BEL
Justine Henin
6–2, 3–6, 6–0
2002
USA
Serena Williams
USA
Venus Williams
7–6(7–4), 6–3
2003
USA
Serena Williams
2
USA
Venus Williams
4–6, 6–4, 6–2
2004
RUS
Maria Sharapova
USA
Serena Williams
6–1, 6–4
2005
USA
Venus Williams
3
USA
Lindsay Davenport
4–6, 7–6(7–4), 9–7
2006
FRA
Amélie Mauresmo
BEL
Justin Henin
2–6, 6–3, 6–4
2007
USA
Venus Williams
4
FRA
Marion Bartoli
6–4, 6–1
2008
USA
Venus Williams
5
USA
Serena Williams
7–5, 6–4
2009
USA
Serena Williams
3
USA
Venus Williams
7–6(7–3), 6–2
Title defended in the challenge round
Competed in 2009 +
Player
Amateur Era
Open Era
All-time
Years
Martina Navratilova (USA )
0
9
9
1978 , 1979 , 1982 , 1983 , 1984 , 1985 , 1986 , 1987 , 1990
Helen Wills Moody (USA )
8
0
8
1927 , 1928 , 1929 , 1930 , 1932 , 1933 , 1935 , 1938
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers (UK )
7
0
7
1903 , 1904 , 1906 , 1910 , 1911 , 1913 , 1914
Steffi Graf (GER )
0
7
7
1988 , 1989 , 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1995 , 1996
Blanche Bingley (UK )
6
0
6
1886 , 1889 , 1894 , 1897 , 1899 , 1900
Billie Jean King (USA )
2
4
6
1966 , 1967 , 1968 , 1972 , 1973 , 1975
Suzanne Lenglen (FRA )
6
0
6
1919 , 1920 , 1921 , 1922 , 1923 , 1925
Charlotte Cooper Sterry (UK )
5
0
5
1895 , 1896 , 1898 , 1901 , 1908
Lottie Dod (UK )
5
0
5
1887 , 1888 , 1891 , 1892 , 1893
Venus Williams (USA ) +
0
5
5
2000 , 2001 , 2005 , 2007 , 2008
Louise Brough Clapp (USA )
4
0
4
1948 , 1949 , 1950 , 1954
Maureen Connolly Brinker (USA )
3
0
3
1952 , 1953 , 1954
Maria Bueno (BRA )
3
0
3
1959 , 1960 , 1964
Chris Evert (USA )
0
3
3
1974 , 1976 , 1981
Margaret Court (AUS )
2
1
3
1963 , 1965 , 1970
Serena Williams (USA ) +
0
3
3
2002 , 2003 , 2009
Althea Gibson (USA )
2
0
2
1957 , 1958
Kitty McKane Godfree (UK )
2
0
2
1924 , 1926
May Sutton Bundy (USA )
2
0
2
1905 , 1907
Maud Watson (UK )
2
0
2
1884 , 1885
Champions by country [ edit ]
^ "FAQ - Grass Courts" (PDF) . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ a b "Tournament profile - Wimbledon" . atpworldtour.com . ATP Tour, Inc. Retrieved 2009-07-05 .
^ a b "About Wimbledon - History: History" . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ a b c d e f "Women's Singles Finals" . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ a b c Barrett, John (1986). 100 Wimbledon Championships: A Celebration . Collins Willow. ISBN 978-0-00218-220-1 .
^ Roberts, John (1998-08-05). "Tennis: Fast, fan friendly - but full of faults" . The Independent . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ "Breaking with tradition" . The Age . The Age Company Ltd. 2004-01-25. Retrieved 2009-07-27 .
^ "About Wimbledon - History: The trophies" . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ "About Wimbledon - Behind the scenes: The All England Lawn Tennis Club" . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ "2009 Prize Money" (PDF) . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-06-24 .
^ http://aeltc.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/history/rolls/ladiesroll.html
^ Harman, Neil (2009-04-22). "No more soaked strawberries - Centre Court, Wimbledon, gets a roof" . The Times . Times Newspapers Ltd . Retrieved 2009-07-19 .
^ "Jolly snub for McEnroe; he's refused All-England" . St. Petersburg Times . United Press International . 1981-07-10. Retrieved 2009-07-27 .
^ Zenilman, Avi (2009-06-24). "Back Issues: McEnroe vs. Thatcher" . The New Yorker . Condé Nast Publications . Retrieved 2009-07-27 .
^ "History - Rolls of Honour: Country abbreviations" . wimbledon.org . IBM , All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club . Retrieved 2009-07-17 .