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From the archive: When Fred Perry and Virginia Wade won Wimbledon From the archive: When Fred Perry and Virginia Wade won Wimbledon
(2 months later)
No one reading the Guardian today could fail to notice that Andy Murray is the new Wimbledon men's champion. A full-page photograph adorns the front, pages two and three are entirely given over to the story and there's a leader and a comment piece, to say nothing of the separate Sports section.No one reading the Guardian today could fail to notice that Andy Murray is the new Wimbledon men's champion. A full-page photograph adorns the front, pages two and three are entirely given over to the story and there's a leader and a comment piece, to say nothing of the separate Sports section.
Was the Guardian's tennis coverage ever thus? As the press keeps reminding us, it's 77 years since a British man last won Wimbledon (Virginia Wade won the women's title a mere 36 years ago, but we'll get to that).Was the Guardian's tennis coverage ever thus? As the press keeps reminding us, it's 77 years since a British man last won Wimbledon (Virginia Wade won the women's title a mere 36 years ago, but we'll get to that).
When Fred Perry took his first Wimbledon title in 1934, the Manchester Guardian broke the news with a small column on page 13. A leader, a match report and a photograph on the sports pages followed. It had been 25 years since the last British male champion, AW Gore, in 1909.When Fred Perry took his first Wimbledon title in 1934, the Manchester Guardian broke the news with a small column on page 13. A leader, a match report and a photograph on the sports pages followed. It had been 25 years since the last British male champion, AW Gore, in 1909.
Perry went on to win two more successive Wimbledon titles (also claiming the mixed doubles in 1935 and 1936, with partner Dorothy Round Little), though by 1936 the novelty of a British Wimbledon winner had clearly worn off (the leader called it a 'disappointing victory').Perry went on to win two more successive Wimbledon titles (also claiming the mixed doubles in 1935 and 1936, with partner Dorothy Round Little), though by 1936 the novelty of a British Wimbledon winner had clearly worn off (the leader called it a 'disappointing victory').
In comparison to the newspaper splashes of Murray's win the Perry coverage seems muted, but the Manchester Guardian of the 1930s was a very different beast. The paper was only 24 pages long, with classified adverts across the first six pages (no three-page spread for Fred Perry).In comparison to the newspaper splashes of Murray's win the Perry coverage seems muted, but the Manchester Guardian of the 1930s was a very different beast. The paper was only 24 pages long, with classified adverts across the first six pages (no three-page spread for Fred Perry).
Despite that, two pages were given over entirely to sports coverage, and sports stories littered the news pages. The balance of sports however did differ from today, with less tennis and more on the regatta at Henley and the Test match cricket between England and Australia (perhaps because the third Test was played at Old Trafford, Manchester).Despite that, two pages were given over entirely to sports coverage, and sports stories littered the news pages. The balance of sports however did differ from today, with less tennis and more on the regatta at Henley and the Test match cricket between England and Australia (perhaps because the third Test was played at Old Trafford, Manchester).
By 1977, when Virginia Wade claimed the Wimbledon women's title for Britain, the Guardian had changed dramatically, dropping Manchester from the title and classified ads from the front page. Wade's victory, in Wimbledon's centenary year, was prominent front-page news.By 1977, when Virginia Wade claimed the Wimbledon women's title for Britain, the Guardian had changed dramatically, dropping Manchester from the title and classified ads from the front page. Wade's victory, in Wimbledon's centenary year, was prominent front-page news.
The match report on page 20 was accompanied by a Frank Keating gem on Wade's preparation before the match.The match report on page 20 was accompanied by a Frank Keating gem on Wade's preparation before the match.
The volume of coverage may have changed since then, but today's sports commentators may not be far removed from the 1970s approach to tennis reporting - Keating's front-page story described Virginia Wade's opponent, Betty Stove, as 'mountainous' and likened her to the iceberg that sank the Titanic.The volume of coverage may have changed since then, but today's sports commentators may not be far removed from the 1970s approach to tennis reporting - Keating's front-page story described Virginia Wade's opponent, Betty Stove, as 'mountainous' and likened her to the iceberg that sank the Titanic.
• From the archive, 9 July 1934: Great Britain's Wimbledon
• From the archive blog: Bunny Austin, the last man to reach a Wimbledon men's final in 1938		• From the archive, 9 July 1934: Great Britain's Wimbledon
• From the archive blog: Bunny Austin, the last man to reach a Wimbledon men's final in 1938
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