Wimbledon Tennis

李瑞

The Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon have developed from the garden party atmosphere of the first meeting in 1877， witnessed by a few hundred spectators， to a highly professional tournament① attracting an attendance of almost half a million people， and through press， radio and television a following of millions throughout the world.

Wimbledon is today certainly known as the premier tennis tournament in the world. The Championships at Wimbledon started in 1877 and the inaugural② tournament was a far cry from today’s two-week celebration of tennis. The competition was set up an effort to raise money for the repair of a roller （a type of lawn mower） and comprised of 22 entrants in the men’s singles.

It was the first organized tennis tournament in the world and 27 year-old W. Spencer Gore finished as champion—receiving 12 guineas③ for his efforts. The club also achieved its goal as 200 spectators paid 1 schilling a piece to view the match. Considered a huge success， the club managed to buy the roller and pocket a tidy profit as well. The success of the tournament ensured that it returned 12 months later and was going to become a constant on the sporting calendar.

By 1879 gentlemen’s doubles tennis was added and five years later in 1884， ladies’ singles was added. However， it was not until just before World War I， in 1913， that ladies doubles and mixed doubles were also added to the competition.

Since 1877， the Championships， as they are formally known， have only ever been disrupted by the World Wars， four years being lost during the First and six during the Second. In 1922 they moved to a new site on Church Road， the one that is familiar to tennis fans around the world today.

Tennis returned to Wimbledon after the Second World War in 1946 and it was immediately apparent a new era had begun. Post-war   Wimbledon   was   a   far   more

international event than it had been prior to the outbreak of war. Today tennis at Wimbledon is a far bigger event than anyone could have predicted.

Choose the best answer.

1. What was the purpose of the first Wimbledon tennis competition？

A. The organizers wanted to see if women could play tennis.

B. The organizers needed to earn money to build a new stadium.

C. The organizers wanted to make tennis a popular sport.

D. To raise money to buy maintenance equipment.

2. How many times were the Championships NOT held because of both World Wars？

A. Four times.         B. Six times.

C. Eight times.   D. Ten times.

3. Which statement best describes the article？

A. When Wimbledon began and why.

B. What Wimbledon has done for the sport of tennis.

C. How Wimbledon has grown since the first championships.

D. Where people go to watch tennis.

（Key ? p. 37）

注： ① tournament 锦标赛② inaugural 开幕的 ③ guineas （英国旧时的）基尼