The First Champions

In 2027, Wimbledon will celebrate 150 years of one of the world's most celebrated sporting events. But the very first Wimbledon champions, who were as famous as Federer and the Williams sisters in their day, have faded into obscurity. Who were they? Why aren't they household names today? Their stories have never been told...until now.

Spencer Gore, Frank Hadow, John Hartley, the Renshaw twins, Maud Watson, Blanche Bingley, and Lottie Dod. Together, these first Wimbledon champions didn't just play tennis - they ensured that the game invented as a country house recreation turned into a sport which is now played and watched by millions. This book tells you how they did it.

But as these champions pushed boundaries to establish Wimbledon as one of Britain's most important inventions, they would come unstuck themselves. From deep rivalries with each other to turbulent personal lives to career-threatening secrets they tried to hide, this is not just a story about the the beginnings of Wimbledon, but of dramatic, fascinating lives, the pressures that come with success, and history that is ready to be brought into the light.