The short answer is: 29 British tennis players have won titles at Wimbledon.
Murray Creates Controversy
In 2013, the UK media received backlash after erroneously claiming Andy Murray was the first British tennis player to win Wimbledon in over three-quarters of a century.
It wasn’t entirely true that Murray was the first British player to win the tournament in 77 years. Murray was the first male player to win the Wimbledon tennis tournament in nearly eight decades.
Murray may be the most recent British Wimbledon champion, but he isn’t the only one to lift the tournament’s famous trophy. The tennis superstar won the tournament in 2013 and 2016, and Murray was the 14th British male player to win the event and the first since Fred Perry claimed the top prize in 1936.
Murray was the first male player to win Wimbledon during the British Open Era; the remaining winners on the men’s side claimed the top prize during the amateur era.
14 Female British Wimbledon Winners
On the women’s side of the tournament, 14 different female British players won Wimbledon. Just two of those players were victorious in the British Open Era.
The majority of Britain’s successes came during the amateur era. The professional era began in 1968.
With only professionals allowed to compete at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Britons have struggled to keep up with players from other parts of the globe.
British Open Era
Here is a look at the British tennis players that have won Wimbledon in the British Open Era:
Andy Murray – 2013 & 2016
Murray is the most recent Briton to win Wimbledon. In 2013, Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets to claim his first title. Three years later, he defeated Canada’s Milos Raonic in three sets. Since winning the 2016 edition of Wimbledon, Murray has not won a Grand Slam.
Virginia Wade – 1977
Virginia Wade won three Grand Slams during her career. She claimed the 1968 US Open, 1972 Australia Open, and the 1977 Wimbledon trophy when Wade defeated the Netherlands’ Betty Stove. Wade came back after losing the first set 4-6. She won 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Ann Haydon-Jones – 1969
Jones won three Grand Slam titles claiming two French Opens (1961, 1966) and a Wimbledon championship. Haydon-Jones reached nine Grand Slam finals, with the 1969 Wimbledon being her last. Haydon-Jones defeated American tennis legend star Billie Jean King 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
British Amateur Era
Here is a look at the British tennis players that have won Wimbledon in the British Amateur Era:
William Renshaw
William Renshaw is the British co-holder of the most Wimbledon titles, winning the event seven times from 1881 to 1889. The British tennis star died at 43, just five years after winning his final Wimbledon tournament. Renshaw won every Wimbledon final he played in except one. In 1890, he lost to Willoughby Hamilton 8–6, 2–6, 6–3, 1–6, 1–6.
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
Not to be outdone, women’s player Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers claimed seven titles between 1903 and 1914. Chambers played in 11 Wimbledon finals. After winning her last Wimbledon tournament in 1914, Chambers reached the final round again in 1919 and 1920; she lost on both occasions to Suzanne Lenglen of France. Chambers also won gold at the 1908 Olympics in London.
Male Wimbledon British Amateur Era Winners
Wimbledon Winner | Winning Years | No. of Titles |
---|---|---|
William Renshaw | 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889 | 7 |
Laurence Doherty | 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 | 5 |
Reginald Doherty | 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900 | 4 |
Fred Perry | 1934, 1935, 1936 | 3 |
Arthur Gore | 1901, 1908, 1909 | 3 |
Wilfred Baddeley | 1891, 1892, 1895 | 3 |
Joshua Pim | 1893, 1894 | 2 |
John Hartley | 1879, 1880 | 2 |
Harold Mahony | 1896 | 1 |
Willoughby Hamilton | 1890 | 1 |
Ernest Renshaw | 1888 | 1 |
Herbert Lawford | 1887 | 1 |
Frank Hadow | 1878 | 1 |
Spencer Gore | 1877 | 1 |
Female Wimbledon British Amateur Era Winners
Wimbledon Winner | Winning Years | No. of Titles |
---|---|---|
Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers | 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889 | 7 |
Blanche Bingley Hillyard | 1886, 1889, 1894, 1897, 1899, 1900 | 6 |
Charlotte Cooper Sterry | 1895, 1896, 1898, 1901, 1908 | 5 |
Lottie Dod | 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893 | 5 |
Dorothy Round | 1934, 1937 | 2 |
Kathleen McKane Godfree | 1924, 1926 | 2 |
Maud Watson | 1884, 1885 | 2 |
Angela Mortimer | 1961 | 1 |
Ethel Thomson Larcombe | 1912 | 1 |
Dora Boothby | 1909 | 1 |
Muriel Robb | 1902 | 1 |
Lena Rice | 1890 | 1 |
Who was the first Briton to win Wimbledon?
Spencer Gore was the first Briton to win Wimbledon in 1877, winning the tennis tournament once. Gore reached the Wimbledon final the following year but lost to Frank Hadow – his last Grand Slam tournament.
A native of Wimbledon, Gore was an avid sportsman of the time. He wasn’t just a tennis player. Gore competed in other sports, most notably cricket – he was known to be a “first-class” cricket player at Surrey County Cricket Club.
Gore became the first tennis player to volley a ball back to his opponent. Many tennis experts credit Gore as the creator of the tennis volley.
Times Have Changed
Compared to today’s Wimbledon tournament, the 1877 edition of the competition didn’t have many players on the men’s side. Just 22 players were involved in the inaugural event. Each player paid a guinea to compete.
The tournament was just four days, and Gore lost a mere two sets during the four-round event.
Gore’s 1877 Wimbledon title allowed him to enter the competition the following year at the challenge round. The previous season’s winner didn’t have to play through the tournament. Instead, Gore played in the final without playing a previous match.
Hadow won the match 7-5, 6-1, 9-7, and Gore never played in the Wimbledon tournament again.
End Of An Era
Gore was the first-ever Briton to win Wimbledon and died in 1906. The sportsman was just 56 years old when he passed away.
The era of Gore and the other amateurs winning Wimbledon seem like an incredibly long time ago. The sport has evolved from wooden rackets and ill-fitting clothing to carbon fibre rackets and sweat-wicking shirts.
So How Many British Wimbledon Winners?
Britain has produced 29 Wimbledon winners dating back to the first-ever tournament in 1877. Murray was the most recent in 2016, and it may stay that way for some time.
Novak Djokovic’s recent dominance has kept the tournament’s trophy out of British hands!