History - 1900s

1905: May Sutton

By the turn of the century Wimbledon had assumed an international character and in 1905 May Sutton of the United States (main picture, against Dorothea Lambert-Chambers) became the first Champion from overseas when she won the Ladies' Singles. She repeated her success in 1907, the year when Norman Brookes of Australia became the first Gentlemen's Singles champion from overseas.

Since that year, only three players from Great Britain, Arthur Gore, Fred Perry and Andy Murray have managed to win the Men's Singles while there have been five British Ladies' Champions since Wimbledon moved to Church Road — Kitty McKane Godfree, Dorothy Round, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones and Virginia Wade.

1908: The Olympics at Wimbledon

The successful London Olympic bid for the 2012 Games meant that in 2012 the Olympic tennis tournament was held at Wimbledon. London has hosted the Olympics twice before, in 1908 and 1948, with tennis being played at Wimbledon at the 1908 games. Tennis made its return as a full Olympic sport at the Seoul Games of 1988.

Unlike modern Olympiads, the 1908 Games were held over six months with two tennis events (indoor and outdoor) split either side of Wimbledon.

The 1908 outdoor event – at the old Worple Road ground - attracted entrants from more nations than there had been contesting The Championships the few weeks before.

Britain's Major Ritchie won the gold medal that year after defeating Germany's Otto Froitzheim in the final, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, while the ladies' event was rather unsuccessful amid so many withdrawals. Britain’s Dorothea Lambert Chambers was at her best in beating countrywoman Dora Boothby 6-1, 7-5 to claim the gold.