Wimbledon now and them
ON THE genteel lawns of Victorian Britain, and many of its imperial outposts, a new sound was competing with the click of croquet balls - the altogether more satisfying thwack of the newfangled tennis racquet.
Croquet, though capable of engendering ruthless competitiveness, was too pedestrian for younger members of the garden party set and tennis provided the outlet for physical competition.
“That first championship in 1877 would resonate with modern fans. It was planned to last five days but rain caused a four-day delay with no Cliff Richard to entertain the spectators”
But not tennis as we now know it. The racquets looked more like snow shoes and the balls were made of rubber. The court in some versions was wider at the service lines and narrower at the net, described as hourglass shape but with straight lines. However, this