Google Doodle celebrates the 140th anniversary of Wimbledon

Today`s Doodle marks the 140th year of the Wimbledon championships. Taking place at the All England Club in South West London since 1877, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. This year the tennis tournament takes place from July 3 - July 16 2017.

It all began with an announcement in the leisure magazine The Field on 9 June 1877 that "The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, propose to hold a lawn tennis meeting, open to all amateurs, on Monday July 9th and following days".

The All England Club had been founded solely for the purpose of croquet in 1869 on four acres of rented meadowland at Worple Road, Wimbledon but croquet was rapidly overtaken by the new pastime of tennis.

Wimbledon has drawn crowds since the dawn of professional tennis, way back when players were using handmade wooden rackets. The tournament is known for its grass courts, perfectly maintained to a neat 8mm - a sturdy height for fast-moving feet.

The 2017 Wimbledon championship gets under way at the All England Club today with Roger Federer the favourite for an eighth title while the women`s event has been blown wide open by the absence of defending champion Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Without Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in the fray, there`s an undeniable lack of star power but that provides the sport`s less heralded names to steal the limelight in the third Grand Slam of the year.

The tennis tournament attracts over 500,000 spectators for two weeks every year.

Source: NDTV