1.
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
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The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, also known as the All-England Club, based at Church Road, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, initially an amateur event that occupied club members and their friends for a few days each summer, the championships have become far more prominent than the club itself. However, it operates as a members tennis club, with many courts in use all year round. To become a full or temporary member, an applicant must obtain letters of support from four existing full members, the name is then added to the Candidates List. Honorary Members are elected from time to time by the clubs Committee, membership carries with it the right to purchase two tickets for each day of the Wimbledon Championships. The patron of the club is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and the President is The Duke of Kent. The Club was founded by six gentlemen at the offices of The Field on 23 July 1868 at the height of a croquet craze as the All England Croquet Club and its original ground was situated off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Croquet was very popular there until the then-infant sport of lawn tennis was introduced in 1875, the first tennis Gentlemens Championship in Singles was held in July 1877, when the Club changed its name to The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. That year at Wimbledon service was underarm, the champion, Spencer Gore, opined that Lawn tennis will never rank among our great games. In 1878 the height of the net was altered to 4 feet 9 inches at the posts and 3 feet at the centre, in 1882, croquet was dropped from the name, as tennis had become the main activity of the Club. But in 1899 it was restored to the Clubs name for reasons. In 1884, the Club added Ladies Singles and Gentlemens Doubles, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the Grass Courts tennis events. The early Club colours were found to be almost identical to those of the Royal Marines, so they were changed in 1909 to the present Club colours of dark green, the current Centre Court dates from that year. It has been improved and extended on several occasions, most recently a sliding roof was added in time for the 2009 Championships. In 1924 the old No.1 Court opened on the west side of Centre Court, at 5,20 p. m. on October 11,1940, five 500 pound German bombs struck the grounds, demolishing 1,200 seats in Centre Court. The old No.1 Court was replaced with the current No.1 Court in 1997, shortly afterwards, the Millennium Building, which houses facilities for players, press, officials and members, was built on the site of the old No.1 Court. The Church Road site initially extended only as far north as Centre Court, in 1967 the All England Club purchased 11 acres to the north. This was leased to the New Zealand Sports and Social Club and it is most commonly known as Henman Hill because of the popularity of former British tennis player, Tim Henman
2.
Wimbledon, London
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Wimbledon had a population of 68,187 in 2011 which includes the electoral wards of Abbey, Dundonald, Hillside, Trinity, Village, Raynes Park and Wimbledon Park. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age when the hill fort on Wimbledon Common is thought to have been constructed. In 1087 when the Domesday Book was compiled, Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake, the village developed with a stable rural population coexisting alongside nobility and wealthy merchants from the city. The location of the station shifted the focus of the subsequent growth away from the original village centre. Since 2005, the north and west of the Borough has been represented in Westminster by Stephen Hammond, the eastern and southern of the Borough are represented by Siobhain McDonagh, a Labour MP. It has established minority groups, among the most prominent are British Asians, British Ghanaians, Wimbledon has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age when the hill fort on Wimbledon Common, the second-largest in London, is thought to have been constructed. The original nucleus of Wimbledon was at the top of the close to the common – the area now known locally as the village. The village is referred to as Wimbedounyng in a signed by King Edgar the Peaceful in 967. The name Wimbledon means Wynnmans hill, with the element of the name being the Old English dun. At the time the Domesday Book was compiled, Wimbledon was part of the manor of Mortlake, the ownership of the manor of Wimbledon changed hands many times during its history. The manor was held by the church until 1398 when Thomas Arundel, the manor was confiscated and became crown property. The manor remained crown property until the reign of Henry VIII when it was granted briefly to Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, until Cromwell was executed in 1540 and the land was again confiscated. The manor was held by Henry VIIIs last wife and widow Catherine Parr until her death in 1548 when it again reverted to the monarch. In the 1550s, Henrys daughter, Mary I, granted the manor to Cardinal Reginald Pole who held it until his death in 1558 when it again become royal property. Marys sister, Elizabeth I held the property until 1574 when she gave the house to Christopher Hatton who sold it in the same year to Sir Thomas Cecil. The lands of the manor were given to the Cecil family in 1588, the Cecil family retained the manor for fifty years before it was bought by Charles I in 1638 for his Queen, Henrietta Maria. On his death in 1677 the manor was sold on again to the Lord High Treasurer, Thomas Osborne, the Osborne family sold the manor to Sir Theodore Janssen in 1712. Janssen, a director of the South Sea Company, began a new house to replace the Cecil-built manor house but, due to the collapse of the company
3.
London Underground
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The London Underground is a public rapid transit system serving London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. The network has expanded to 11 lines, and in 2015–16 carried 1.34 billion passengers, the 11 lines collectively handle approximately 4.8 million passengers a day. The system has 270 stations and 250 miles of track, despite its name, only 45% of the system is actually underground in tunnels, with much of the network in the outer environs of London being on the surface. In addition, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of Greater London, the current operator, London Underground Limited, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London, the statutory corporation responsible for the transport network in Greater London. As of 2015, 92% of operational expenditure is covered by passenger fares, the Travelcard ticket was introduced in 1983 and Oyster, a contactless ticketing system, in 2003. Contactless card payments were introduced in 2014, the LPTB was a prominent patron of art and design, commissioning many new station buildings, posters and public artworks in a modernist style. Other famous London Underground branding includes the roundel and Johnston typeface, to prepare construction, a short test tunnel was built in 1855 in Kibblesworth, a small town with geological properties similar to London. This test tunnel was used for two years in the development of the first underground train, and was later, in 1861, the worlds first underground railway, it opened in January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. It was hailed as a success, carrying 38,000 passengers on the opening day, the Metropolitan District Railway opened in December 1868 from South Kensington to Westminster as part of a plan for an underground inner circle connecting Londons main-line termini. The Metropolitan and District railways completed the Circle line in 1884, built using the cut and this opened in 1890 with electric locomotives that hauled carriages with small opaque windows, nicknamed padded cells. The Waterloo and City Railway opened in 1898, followed by the Central London Railway in 1900, the Metropolitan Railway protested about the change of plan, but after arbitration by the Board of Trade, the DC system was adopted. When the Bakerloo was so named in July 1906, The Railway Magazine called it an undignified gutter title, by 1907 the District and Metropolitan Railways had electrified the underground sections of their lines. In January 1913, the UERL acquired the Central London Railway, the Bakerloo line was extended north to Queens Park to join a new electric line from Euston to Watford, but World War I delayed construction and trains reached Watford Junction in 1917. During air raids in 1915 people used the stations as shelters. An extension of the Central line west to Ealing was also delayed by the war, the Metropolitan promoted housing estates near the railway with the Metro-land brand and nine housing estates were built near stations on the line. Electrification was extended north from Harrow to Rickmansworth, and branches opened from Rickmansworth to Watford in 1925, the Piccadilly line was extended north to Cockfosters and took over District line branches to Harrow and Hounslow. In 1933, most of Londons underground railways, tramway and bus services were merged to form the London Passenger Transport Board, the Waterloo & City Railway, which was by then in the ownership of the main line Southern Railway, remained with its existing owners. In the same year that the London Passenger Transport Board was formed, in the following years, the outlying lines of the former Metropolitan Railway closed, the Brill Tramway in 1935, and the line from Quainton Road to Verney Junction in 1936
4.
Southfields tube station
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Southfields is a London Underground station in Southfields in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The station is on the District line between East Putney and Wimbledon Park stations, the station is located on Wimbledon Park Road at the junction with Augustus Road and Replingham Road. It is in Travelcard Zone 3, the station was opened by the District Railway on 3 June 1889 on an extension from Putney Bridge station to Wimbledon. The section of the District line from Putney Bridge to Wimbledon was the last part of the line to be converted from steam operation to electric, electric trains began running on 27 August 1905. Until the transfer, the station was branded as a British Rail station, there are very infrequent movements of Network Rail engineering trains and light engine movements through the station as well. Overall refurbishment and extension works to the station started in March 2009, the shops formerly located on the eastern side of the street-level building were demolished and the site used for a new ticket office, relocated from the western side of the booking hall. A new standard Underground ticket gateline has been installed, the Chelsea-Hackney line route would have called here which would seen it go through Southfields Station and supplement or replace the existing District line service. Southfields Station and Wimbledon Park station are of almost identical design, although a mirror image of one another. Southfields Station has changed the most due to passenger traffic during Wimbledon Tennis. The left side of the staircase at Southfields was widened the pillar in the side of the staircase was originally an external feature. A second doorway was opened up to the west of the doorway into the ticket office area. The southern end of the room on the platform has been converted into a kiosk. There is therefore no enclosed public waiting facility on the platform, the station platform undergoes a makeover each year to coincide with the tournament, funded by a particular company for advertising purposes. For instance, in 2006, the platform was covered in red flooring, as were the benches. In 2005, Televisions were installed and played non-stop adverts, also for American Express, in 2009, the makeover was funded by HSBC. In 2010 it was funded by Asda and advertised their strawberries, London Buses routes 39,493,156 and 639 and night route N87 serve the station. During the two weeks of Wimbledon Tennis a shuttle bus runs from Southfields Station to the tennis courts, travelcards and bus passes are not accepted on this bus. London Transport Museum Photographic Archive Southfields station,1933 Southfields station,2001
5.
Seating capacity
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Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats hundreds of thousands of people. The International Fire Code, portions of which have adopted by many jurisdictions, is directed more towards the use of a facility than the construction. It specifies, For areas having fixed seating without dividing arms and it also requires that every public venue submit a detailed site plan to the local fire code official, including details of the means of egress, seating capacity, arrangement of the seating. Once safety considerations have been satisfied, determinations of seating capacity turn on the size of the venue. For sports venues, the decision on maximum seating capacity is determined by several factors, chief among these are the primary sports program and the size of the market area. Seating capacity of venues also plays a role in what media they are able to provide, in contracting to permit performers to use a theatre or other performing space, the seating capacity of the performance facility must be disclosed. Seating capacity may influence the kind of contract to be used, the seating capacity must also be disclosed to the copyright owner in seeking a license for the copyrighted work to be performed in that venue. Venues that may be leased for private functions such as ballrooms and auditoriums generally advertise their seating capacity, seating capacity is also an important consideration in the construction and use of sports venues such as stadiums and arenas. The seating capacity for restaurants is reported as covers, a restaurant that can seat 99 is said to have 99 covers, seating capacity differs from total capacity, which describes the total number of people who can fit in a venue or in a vehicle either sitting or standing. Use of the term public capacity indicates that a venue is allowed to more people than it can actually seat. Again, the total number of people can refer to either the physical space available or limitations set by law
6.
Grass court
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A grass court is one of the four different types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as lawn tennis, is played. Grass courts are made of grasses in different compositions depending on the tournament, although grass courts are more traditional than other types of tennis courts, maintenance costs of grass courts are higher than those of hard courts and clay courts. Grass courts must be left for the day if rain appears, Grass courts are most common in Britain, although the Northeastern United States also has some private grass courts. Because grass courts tend to be slippery, the ball often skids and bounces low while retaining most of its speed, in addition, there are often bad bounces. As a result, players must reach the ball relative to other surfaces. A grass-court favours a serve and volley style of play, all have won at least five grand slam singles titles on grass, Navratilova won twelve, Court won eight, while King, Sampras, Graf, Serena Williams and Federer each won seven. Sampras is lauded by many analysts as one of the greatest grass-court players of all time. He won seven Wimbledon singles titles in eight years from 1993 through 2000, the most successful male player currently is Roger Federer, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion. His variety in the shots, speed, footwork, and slices, are his biggest weapons, before being beaten in 2008 at Wimbledon by Rafael Nadal, Federer had a 65-match winning streak on grass, and 40 consecutive wins at Wimbledon alone. The most successful female players currently playing are Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams, with seven, Venus has won five out of her eight Wimbledon finals appearances and achieving five titles in the ladies doubles with her sister. The professional grass court season is comparatively short, in 2015 it was extended, with an extra week between the French Open and Wimbledon. In the ATP Tour, the Stuttgart Open became a court tournament in 2015, and in 2017 a new ATP250 tournament is being hosted in Antalya. In the WTA Tour Mallorca will host a grass court tournament beginning in 2016, clay court hardcourt carpet court LTA – Grass Court Guidance
7.
Pound sterling
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It is subdivided into 100 pence. A number of nations that do not use sterling also have called the pound. At various times, the sterling was commodity money or bank notes backed by silver or gold. The pound sterling is the worlds oldest currency still in use, the British Crown dependencies of Guernsey and Jersey produce their own local issues of sterling, the Guernsey pound and the Jersey pound. The pound sterling is also used in the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, the Bank of England is the central bank for the pound sterling, issuing its own coins and banknotes, and regulating issuance of banknotes by private banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sterling is the fourth most-traded currency in the exchange market, after the United States dollar, the euro. Together with those three currencies it forms the basket of currencies which calculate the value of IMF special drawing rights, Sterling is also the third most-held reserve currency in global reserves. The full, official name, pound sterling, is used mainly in formal contexts, otherwise the term pound is normally used. The abbreviations ster. or stg. are sometimes used, the term British pound is commonly used in less formal contexts, although it is not an official name of the currency. The pound sterling is also referred to as cable amongst forex traders, the origins of this term are attributed to the fact that in the 1800s, the dollar/pound sterling exchange rate was transmitted via transatlantic cable. Forex brokers are sometimes referred to as cable dealers, as another established source notes, the compound expression was then derived, silver coins known as sterlings were issued in the Saxon kingdoms,240 of them being minted from a pound of silver. Hence, large payments came to be reckoned in pounds of sterlings, in 1260, Henry III granted them a charter of protection. And because the Leagues money was not frequently debased like that of England, English traders stipulated to be paid in pounds of the Easterlings, and land for their Kontor, the Steelyard of London, which by the 1340s was also called Easterlings Hall, or Esterlingeshalle. For further discussion of the etymology of sterling, see sterling silver, the currency sign for the pound sign is £, which is usually written with a single cross-bar, though a version with a double cross-bar is also sometimes seen. The ISO4217 currency code is GBP, occasionally, the abbreviation UKP is used but this is non-standard because the ISO3166 country code for the United Kingdom is GB. The Crown dependencies use their own codes, GGP, JEP, stocks are often traded in pence, so traders may refer to pence sterling, GBX, when listing stock prices. A common slang term for the pound sterling or pound is quid, since decimalisation in 1971, the pound has been divided into 100 pence. The symbol for the penny is p, hence an amount such as 50p properly pronounced fifty pence is more colloquially, quite often, pronounced fifty pee /fɪfti, pi and this also helped to distinguish between new and old pence amounts during the changeover to the decimal system
8.
Populous (company)
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Populous is a global architectural firm specializing in the design of sports facilities, arenas and convention centers, as well as the planning of major special events. Populous formerly operated as HOK Sport Venue Event, which was part of the HOK Group, in January 2009, Populous was created through a management buyout, becoming independently owned and operated. It is reported to be one of the largest architecture firms in the world, in 1983, HOK under Jerry Sincoff created a sports group. The firm initially consisted of eight architects in Kansas City, on several projects, HOK Sport had teamed with international design practice LOBB Partnership, which maintained offices in London, England, and Brisbane, Australia. On HOK Sports 15th anniversary in November 1998, the merged with LOBB. The new practice retained headquarters in all three cities, the Kansas City, Missouri, office was first based in the citys Garment District in the Lucas Place office building. It was the first major company to relocate to the neighborhood in several decades, in March 2009, HOK Sport Venue Event changed its name to Populous after a managers’ buyout by HOK Group. In October 2015, Populous relocated to its new headquarters at the newly renovated Board of Trade building at 4800 Main street near the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Other firms with sports design presence in Kansas City that trace their roots to Kivett include Ellerbe Becket Inc. Populous is credited for spearheading a new era of baseball park design in the 1990s, beginning with Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Starting with the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati in 2003, subsequent stadium exteriors featuring this motif opened in Washington and Minnesota. And because the stadiums were designed for baseball instead of several sports, Camden Yards was not only hugely popular with baseball fans. The success of a new ballpark in downtown Baltimore convinced many cities to invest public funds in their own new ballparks to help revitalize struggling urban neighborhoods, from 1992 to 2012, HOK Sport/Populous were the lead architects on 14 Major League Baseball stadiums and helped renovate four existing stadiums. One sportswriter said the attempt to emulate the old parks in this way is contrived. S, Louis, Missouri – St. Louis Cardinals Nationals Park, Washington, D. C. Sir Bobby Robson Stand at Portman Road – Ipswich, England, UK – Ipswich Town Football Club Estádio da Luz – Lisbon, benfica Estádio Algarve – Loulé, Portugal – S. C. Monterrey Stade des Lumières – Décines, France – Olympique Lyonnais City of Manchester Stadium expansion – Manchester, UK – Manchester City F. C. C. Petersburg, Florida (joint project with Lescher & Mahoney Sports & Criswell, Blizzard & Blouin Architects Ervin J. Paul, Minnesota, USA2015 – Final Four - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Official website
9.
The Championships, Wimbledon
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The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly known simply as Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and is widely considered the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the others being the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open. Since the Australian Open shifted to hardcourt in 1988, Wimbledon is the only major still played on grass. The tournament takes place two weeks in late June and early July, culminating with the Ladies and Gentlemens Singles Final. Five major, junior, and invitational events are each year. Wimbledon traditions include a dress code for competitors and Royal patronage. The tournament is notable for the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts. In 2009, Wimbledons Centre Court was fitted with a roof to lessen the loss of playing time due to rain. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is a club founded on 23 July 1868. Its first ground was off Worple Road, Wimbledon, in 1876, lawn tennis, a game devised by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield a year or so earlier and originally given the name Sphairistikè, was added to the activities of the club. In spring 1877, the club was renamed The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, a new code of laws, replacing the code administered by the Marylebone Cricket Club, was drawn up for the event. Todays rules are similar except for such as the height of the net and posts. The inaugural 1877 Wimbledon Championship started on 9 July 1877 and the Gentlemens Singles was the event held. It was won by Spencer Gore, an old Harrovian rackets player, about 200 spectators paid one shilling each to watch the final. The lawns at the ground were arranged so that the court was in the middle with the others arranged around it. The name was retained when the Club moved in 1922 to the present site in Church Road, however, in 1980 four new courts were brought into commission on the north side of the ground, which meant the Centre Court was once more correctly defined. The opening of the new No.1 Court in 1997 emphasised the description, by 1882, activity at the club was almost exclusively confined to lawn tennis and that year the word croquet was dropped from the title. However, for reasons it was restored in 1899
10.
Summer Olympic Games
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The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad, first held in 1896, is an international multi-sport event that is hosted by a different city every four years. The most recent Olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the International Olympic Committee organizes the games and oversees the host citys preparations. In each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals are awarded for second place, and bronze medals are awarded for third, the Winter Olympic Games were created due to the success of the Summer Olympics. The Olympics have increased in scope from a 42-event competition with fewer than 250 male competitors from 14 nations in 1896 to 302 events with 10,768 competitors from 204 nations in 2012, eighteen countries have hosted the Summer Olympics. The United States has hosted four Summer Olympics, more than any other nation, four cities have hosted two Summer Olympics, Athens, Paris, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Tokyo is the first city outside of the Western world to host the Summer Olympics multiple times, asia has hosted the Summer Olympics four times in Japan, South Korea, and China. The only Summer Olympics held in the Southern Hemisphere have been in Australia, the 2016 Games are the first Summer Olympics to be held in South America and the first to be held during the local winter season. Africa has yet to host a Summer Olympics, only five countries—Greece, Australia, France, Great Britain, and Switzerland—have been represented at every Summer Olympic Games. The only country to have won at least one medal at every Summer Olympic Games is Great Britain. The United States leads the medal table. Qualification rules for each of the Olympic sports are set by the International Sports Federations that governs that sports international competition, for individual sports, competitors typically qualify through attaining a certain place in a major international event or on the IFs ranking list. There is a rule that maximum three individual athletes may represent each nation per competition. Nations most often qualify teams for team sports through continental qualifying tournaments, each nation may be represented by no more than one team per competition a team is two people in some sports. The United States has hosted four Summer Olympic Games, more than any other nation, the United Kingdom hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, its third Summer Olympic Games, in its capital London, making London the first city to host the Summer Olympic Games three times. Australia, France, Germany, Greece, and Japan have all hosted the Summer Olympic Games twice. Other countries that have hosted the Summer Olympics are Belgium, Brazil, China, Canada, Finland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the Soviet Union, asia has hosted the Summer Olympics three times and will host again in 2020. In 2016, Rio de Janeiro hosted the first Summer Olympics in South America, three cities have hosted two Summer Olympic Games, Los Angeles, Paris, and Athens. Stockholm has hosted events at two Summer Olympic Games, having hosted the games in 1912 and the events at the 1956 Summer Olympics—which they are usually listed as jointly hosting
11.
2012 Summer Olympics
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It took place in London and to a lesser extent across the United Kingdom from 25 July to 12 August 2012. The first event, the stage in womens football began on 25 July at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. 10,768 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees participated, London is the first and only city thus far to host the modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948. Construction for the Games involved considerable redevelopment, with an emphasis on sustainability, the main focus was a new 200-hectare Olympic Park, constructed on a former industrial site at Stratford, East London. The Games also made use of venues that already existed before the bid, the Games received widespread acclaim for their organisation, with the volunteers, the British military and public enthusiasm praised particularly highly. During the Games, Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Brunei entered female athletes for the first time, so that every currently eligible country has sent a female competitor to at least one Olympic Games. Womens boxing was included for the first time, thus the Games became the first at which every sport had female competitors and these were the final Olympic Games under the IOC presidency of Jacques Rogge. The final medal tally was led by the United States, followed by China, several world and Olympic records were set at the games. Furthermore, the focus on sporting legacy and post-games venue sustainability was seen as a blueprint for future Olympics. On 18 May 2004, as a result of a technical evaluation. All five submitted their candidate files by 19 November 2004 and were visited by the IOC inspection team during February, throughout the process, Paris was widely seen as the favourite, particularly as this was its third bid in recent years. London was initially seen as lagging behind Paris by a considerable margin and its position began to improve after the appointment of Lord Coe as the new head of London 2012 on 19 May 2004. In late August 2004, reports predicted a tie between London and Paris, on 6 June 2005, the IOC released its evaluation reports for the five candidate cities. They did not contain any scores or rankings, but the report for Paris was considered the most positive, London was close behind, having closed most of the gap observed by the initial evaluation in 2004. New York and Madrid also received positive evaluations. On 1 July 2005, when asked who would win, Jacques Rogge said, but my gut feeling tells me that it will be very close. Perhaps it will come down to a difference of say ten votes, on 6 July 2005, the final selection was announced at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. Moscow was the first city to be eliminated, followed by New York, the final two contenders were London and Paris
12.
Tennis court
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A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. It is a rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play doubles and singles matches. A variety of surfaces can be used to create a tennis court, Tennis is played on a rectangular flat surface, usually of grass, clay or hard material. The dimensions of a court are defined and regulated by the International Tennis Federation governing body and are written down in the annual Rules of Tennis document. The court is 78 feet long and its width is 27 feet for singles matches and 36 feet for doubles matches. The service line is 21 feet from the net, additional clear space around the court is needed in order for players to reach overrun balls for a total of 60 feet wide and 120 feet long. A net is stretched across the width of the court, parallel with the baselines. The net is 3 feet 6 inches high at the posts, the net posts are 3 feet outside the doubles court on each side or, for a singles net,3 feet outside the singles court on each side. Tennis is played on a variety of surfaces and each surface has its own characteristics which affect the style of the game. There are four types of courts depending on the materials used for the court surface, clay courts, hard courts, grass courts. The Australian Open switched to hard courts in 1988 and in its years the French championship alternated between clay and sand/rubble courts. ITF uses the classification for tennis court surface types, Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone. The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament to use clay courts, Clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce in comparison to grass courts or hard courts. For this reason, the court takes away many of the advantages of big serves. Clay courts are cheaper to construct than other types of tennis courts, Clay courts need to be rolled to preserve flatness. The clays water content must be balanced, green courts generally require the courts to be sloped to allow water run-off, Clay courts are more common in Europe and Latin America than in North America and tend to heavily favour baseline players. Grass courts are the fastest type of courts in common use and they consist of grass grown on very hard-packed soil, which adds additional variables, bounces depend on how healthy the grass is, how recently it has been mown, and the wear and tear of recent play
13.
Grand Slam (tennis)
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The Grand Slam tournaments, also called majors, are the four most important annual tennis events. They offer the most ranking points, prize money, public and media attention, the greatest strength and size of field, and greater number of best of sets for men. The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January, the French Open in May and June, Wimbledon in June and July, each tournament is played over a period of two weeks. The Australian and United States tournaments are played on courts, the French on clay. Wimbledon is the oldest, founded in 1877, followed by the US in 1881, the French in 1891, however, of these four, only Wimbledon was a major before 1924/25, the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments. In doubles, one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners, the term Grand Slam without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year. Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one year is known as a Golden Grand Slam or more commonly the Golden Slam. Also, winning the Year-End Championship in the period is known as a Super Slam. Together, all four Majors in all three disciplines are called a set of Grand Slam titles. No male or female player has won all events in one calendar year. The term slam for winning all of the tricks in the whist family card games is attested early in the 17th century. Grand slam for all of the tricks, in contrast to small slam or little slam for all but one and this use was inherited by contract bridge, a modern development of whist defined in 1925 that became very popular in Britain and America by 1930. Grand slam has been used in golf since 1930, when Bobby Jones won the four major championships, before that time only three events, Wimbledon, the World Hard Court Championships and the World Covered Court Championships were considered the premier international tennis events by the ILTF. Tony Wilding of New Zealand won all three of those majors in one year –1913. It has been possible to complete a Grand Slam in most years, phil Dent has pointed out that skipping Grand Slam tournaments—especially the Australian Open—was not unusual then, before counting Grand Slam titles became the norm. Nevertheless, except for the 1969 and 1971 tournaments, many of the best players missed this championship until 1982, because of the remoteness, the inconvenient dates, the tournament was won by Arthur Ashe. The first definitive Grand Slam, of the current four majors, was accomplished when Don Budge won all four mens singles Majors in 1938, to date,17 players have completed a Grand Slam, though only six in the most prestigious singles titles. The four Junior disciplines, boys and girls singles and doubles, Players are only eligible from age 13 to 18, with 18-year-olds likely to hold a physical advantage
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British royal family
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The British royal family comprises the monarch of the United Kingdom and her close relations. There is no legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member of the British royal family. Different terms may be applied to the same or similar group of relatives of the monarch in his or her role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, for example, in Canada, the family is known as the Canadian royal family. Some members of the family have official residences named as the places from which announcements are made in the Court Circular about official engagements they have carried out. The state duties and staff of some members of the family are funded from a parliamentary annuity. Since 1917, when King George V changed the name of the house from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, members of the royal family belong, either by birth or by marriage. In 2014, the family were regarded as British cultural icons. Today, they often perform ceremonial and social duties throughout the United Kingdom, in the other countries of the Commonwealth royalty do not serve as Counsellors of State, although they may perform ceremonial and social duties on behalf of individual states or the organisation. Wives of the said enjoy their husbands precedence, and husbands of princesses are unofficially but habitually placed with their wives as well and she did not alter the relative precedence of other born-princesses, such as the daughters of her younger sons. The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy and they Serve the Queen, A New and Authoritative Account of the Royal Household. The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England, symbol and Privilege, The Ritual Context of British Royalty. Britains Royal Families, The Complete Genealogy, Royal Family is a celebrated and reverential BBC documentary made by Richard Cawston to accompany the investiture of the current Prince of Wales. The documentary is frequently responsible for the greater press intrusion into the royal familys private life since its first broadcast. Official website of the royal family Official YouTube Channel House of Windsor Family Tree, archived from the original on 2010-12-02
15.
No. 1 Court (Wimbledon)
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The No.1 Court is a tennis court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London. With a spectator capacity of 11,360 it replaced the now-demolished former No.1 Court which had stood at the west side of Centre Court since 1924 with a capacity of 7,328. The old court was replaced by the Millennium Building, the centre and facilities for players, members. The original No.1 Court was built in 1924 and was attached to the west side of Centre Court. The Wightman Cup, a team tennis competition for women contested between teams from the United States and Great Britain was held on Court No 1 from 1946 to 1972. The old court was replaced in 1997 by the current No.1 Court situated to the north of Centre Court in Aorangi Park, the old No.1 Court was demolished because its capacity for spectators was too low. The site of the old court is now occupied by the Millennium Building, the centre, and facilities for players, members. The current No.1 Court in Aorangi Park was built in 1997, in April 2013, the All England Club confirmed its intention to build a retractable roof over No.1 Court. The roof is expected to be in place for the 2019 Championships, list of tennis stadiums by capacity Sources Little, Alan. London, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, No.1 Court tour and information Photo of the pre-1997 No.1 Court
16.
No. 2 Court (Wimbledon)
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No.2 Court is a tennis court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London. Unlike the other three Grand Slam events, Wimbledon does not name its main courts after famous players, choosing instead to use numbers, with the exception of Centre Court. The original number 2 Court had a capacity of 2,192 +770 standing and was referred to as the Graveyard of Champions until it was renumbered as the No.3 Court from the 2009 Championships. The Court itself was demolished to make way for a new No.3 court. The Graveyard of Champions tag was coined as many former champions fell to ignominious defeats on the No.13 court and this new court was renamed as No.2 court and the capacity is 4,000. This meant that the Graveyard of Champions court became No.3 Court, list of tennis stadiums by capacity Wimbledon No.2 Court virtual tour
17.
Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics
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The tennis tournaments at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London were staged at the All England Club in Wimbledon, from 28 July to 5 August. This was the first Olympic grass court tournament since tennis was reintroduced as an Olympic sport, a total of 190 players competed in five events, singles and doubles for both men and women and, for the first time since 1924, mixed doubles were officially included. Elena Dementieva and Rafael Nadal were the champions, neither of whom defended their titles. Dementieva had retired from tennis in 2010, while Nadal withdrew due to tendinitis. She also defended her womens doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams. In doing so, he denied Federer the chance to become the man to win a career singles Golden Grand Slam after Nadal at the 2010 US Open. He also became the first British man to win singles tennis gold since Josiah Ritchie in 1908, also, the Belorussian top seeds of Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi took the mixed doubles gold after overcoming Murray and Laura Robson mere hours after Murray had defeated Federer. The 2012 Olympic tournament was the edition of tennis at the Olympics, and the seventh since 1988. The 2012 tournaments were played on grass courts at the All England Club, sessions ran from 11 a. m. until 10 p. m. as established by the All England Club policy. Twelve courts were used for the matches including Centre Court, No.1, No.3 Court was used for warm ups. The Olympic tennis events were organised jointly by the ITF, the IOC, both the mens and womens singles and doubles events counted as a part of the 2012 ATP World Tour and the 2012 WTA Tour. The points distribution for the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Womens Tennis Association tours and these points can be added to a players world ranking for the 2012 season. For the singles competitions, the top 56 players in the rankings on 11 June 2012 of the WTA. However, entry was limited to four players from a country, in the doubles competitions, twenty four teams automatically qualified as per the rankings on 11 June 2012, subject to a maximum of two teams per nation. Players in the top ten of the rankings could reserve a place. The remaining eight teams were decided by the ITFs Olympic Committee, entries for the mixed doubles were confirmed at the Games. The Tripartite Commission later decided only to places in the womens singles leaving eight wildcards to be chosen by the ITF Olympic Committee for the mens singles competition. The tennis competition at the Olympic Games consists of an elimination tournament
18.
1877 Wimbledon Championship
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The 1877 Wimbledon Championship was a mens tennis tournament held at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London. It was the worlds first official lawn tennis tournament, and was recognised as the first Grand Slam tournament or Major. The AEC & LTC had been founded in July 1868, as the All England Croquet Club, in June 1877 the club decided to organise a tennis tournament to pay for the repair of its pony roller, needed to maintain the lawns. A set of rules was drawn up for the tournament, derived from the first standardised rules of tennis issued by the Marylebone Cricket Club in May 1875. The Gentlemens Singles competition, the event of the championship, was contested on grass courts by 22 players who each paid one guinea to participate. The tournament started on 9 July 1877, and the final – delayed for three days by rain – was played on 19 July in front of a crowd of about 200 people who paid an entry fee of one shilling. The winner received 12 guineas in prize money and a challenge cup, valued at 25 guineas. The tournament made a profit of £10 and the pony roller remained in use, an analysis made after the tournament led to some modifications of the rules regarding the court dimensions. The origin of tennis lies in the cloisters in 12th-century France. Rackets were introduced to the game in the early 16th century, the prominence of the game declined in the 17th and 18th centuries, although there are sporadic mentions of a long tennis or field tennis version in the second half of the 18th century. Between 1858 and 1873 several people in Victorian England experimented with a version of tennis. Major Harry Gem and Augurio Perera demonstrated their game of Pelota, Wingfield is widely credited with popularising the new game through his energetic promotional efforts. The Sphairistikè court was hourglass-shaped, wider at the baseline than at the net, the service was made from a single side in a lozenge shaped box situated in the middle of the court and it had to bounce beyond the service line. In November 1874 Wingfield published a second, expanded edition of The Book of the Game, which had 12 rules and featured a larger court and a slightly lower net. The All England Croquet Club was founded on 23 July 1868 by six gentlemen at the offices of The Field, a weekly country and sports magazine. After a yearlong search a suitable ground of four acres of meadowland was located between the London and South Western Railway and Worple Road in Wimbledon, then a suburb of London. The clubs committee decided on 24 September 1869 to lease the ground and paid £50 rental for the first year, the increasing rent, coupled with a waning interest in the sedate sport of croquet, was causing the club financial difficulties. In February 1875 it decided to introduce lawn tennis at its grounds to capitalise on the growing interest in this new sport and generate additional revenue
19.
2007 Wimbledon Championships
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The 2007 Wimbledon Championships were held between 25 June and 8 July 2007. For the first time there was prize money for the mens and womens singles champions. Reconstruction work on Centre Court was in progress and thus it had no roof and it was also the first year that Hawk-eye was used at Wimbledon. The Gentlemens final was won by Roger Federer for the consecutive time. It was the third longest mens final of all time at 3 hours and 45 minutes. Venus Williams claimed the Ladies Title by defeating Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, for the first time in twenty years, the Championships saw a home player win a senior title as Jamie Murray won the mixed doubles with Serbian partner Jelena Janković. Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal 7–6, 4–6, 7–6, 2–6, 6–2Federer won his fifth consecutive title and it was also the first time that Federer had played five sets in the final of a Grand Slam. Arnaud Clément / Michaël Llodra defeated Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 6–7, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 • It was Cléments 1st, • It was Llodras 3rd career Grand Slam doubles title and his 1st at Wimbledon. Cara Black / Liezel Huber defeated Katarina Srebotnik / Ai Sugiyama 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 It was Blacks 4th career Grand Slam doubles title and it was Hubers 3rd career Grand Slam doubles title and her 2nd at Wimbledon. Jelena Janković / Jamie Murray defeated Alicia Molik / Jonas Björkman 6–4, 3–6, vladimir Ignatic 7-5, 6-1 Urszula Radwańska def. Madison Brengle 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 Daniel Lopez / Matteo Trevisan def. Roman Jebavý / Martin Kližan 7-6, 4-6, misaki Doi / Kurumi Nara 6-4, 2-6, - Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis def. Mark Petchey / Chris Wilkinson 6-2, 6-2 Jeremy Bates / Anders Järryd def, kevin Curren / Johan Kriek 6-3, 6-3 Jana Novotná / Helena Suková def. Ilana Kloss / Rosalyn Nideffer 6-3, 6-3 Robin Ammerlaan / Ronald Vink def, shingo Kunieda / Satoshi Saida 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 1Daily previews and reviews films will be added as soon as possible. Note that only certain Windows computers can accommodate the requirement to watch highlights films, Martina Hingis had to save two match points against British wildcard Naomi Cavaday on Day 1, almost repeating her first-round exit from the 2001 championships. Hingis eventually went on to win the match 6-7, 7-5, janko Tipsarević beat Fernando González 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6 to advance to the fourth round. Tipsarević was ranked 64 and González was seeded 5 but ranked 6, tim Henman defeated Carlos Moyà in round 1 after going down two sets to one in a match that lasted two days with a 5th set scoreline of 13-11. Henman failed to convert 6 match points before capitalizing from a fault by Moya on the 7th match point. Juan Carlos Ferrero also came back, this time from two sets to none down in a match suspended for 2 days, 7-5 in the 5th set against Jan Hájek
20.
Retractable roof
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A retractable roof is a roof system designed to roll back the roof on tracks so that the interior of the facility is open to the outdoors. Retractable roofs are sometimes referred to as operable roofs or retractable skylights, the term operable skylight, while quite similar, refers to a skylight that opens on a hinge, rather than on a track. Retractable roofs are used in residences, restaurants and bars, swim centres, as Rollamatic was founded five years earlier, the first installation of a motorized retractable roof must be between 1958 and 1963. While any shape is possible, common shapes are flat, ridge, hip-ridge, barrel, a residence might incorporate one or more 3 by 5 retractables, a bar or restaurant a retractable roof measuring 20 by 30, and a meeting hall a 50 by 100 bi-parting-over-stationary. Installations throughout the world employ a variety of different configurations and styles, the first retractable roof sports venue was the now-demolished Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec was slated to be the first outdoor retractable roof stadium at its debut for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, however, plagued by construction problems, the roof was not installed until 1987, and was not retractable until 1988. Even then, movement of the roof was impossible in high wind conditions, a permanent, fixed roof was installed in 1998. By contrast, the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario had a functional retractable roof at its debut in 1989. Architecturally speaking, retractable roofs vary greatly from stadium to stadium in shape, material, for example, Miller Park has a fan style roof, while Toyota Stadium in Japan has an accordion-like roof. Most retractable roofs are made of metal, while some, such as the roof of University of Phoenix Stadium, are made of water-resistant fabric, in North American major sports leagues, specific rules exist governing the movement of retractable roofs before and during gameplay. These rules vary between the NFL and MLB, as well as from stadium to stadium, depending on the stadium, weather or gameplay conditions, and the judgment of the officials, play may or may not continue until the roof is fully closed. If the game begins with the closed, it may be opened under some circumstances depending on the venue. If it is closed after the game begins, typically it must remain closed for the duration of the game, some modern athletic facilities are using affordable, less complex roof systems that resemble retractable roofs in appearance and effect. These roof systems, commonly referred to as open roofs, are constructed with similar materials as retractable roofs, most open roof companies offer polycarbonate or tempered glass roofs for safer sports play and durability. Hinged at the structures gutters, open roofs fully close and open by the mechanics of a rack, comparable to the benefits of retractable roofs, open roof systems offer players year-long usage, protection from inclement weather when needed, and the feeling of an outdoor environment. Open roofs are seen at smaller athletic venues such as country clubs. Both retractable roof and open roof systems are used in the construction of commercial greenhouses. CBC archives The architect explains the system for the Rogers Centre in Toronto
21.
2009 Wimbledon Championships
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The 2009 Wimbledon Championships took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, from Monday 22 June through to Sunday 5 July 2009. It was the 123rd staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the third Grand Slam tennis event of the year, rafael Nadal did not defend his title after withdrawing from the tournament due to knee tendinitis. Roger Federer won his 6th Wimbledon title defeating rival Andy Roddick in the final in five sets, Federers victory marked his fifteenth Grand Slam title which broke the mens all-time record. Venus Williams was unsuccessful in her defence, being defeated in the final by her sister Serena. Andy Roddick, 5–7, 7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 16–14 It was Federers 3rd title of the year, Federers victory gave him his 15th career Grand Slam title, to make him the most successful male player in Grand Slam history. The match set a record for most games in a final, the most games won by the losing player. Venus Williams, 7–6, 6–2 It was Serenas 2nd title of the year and it was her 11th career Grand Slam title, and her 3rd Wimbledon title. Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjić def, bob Bryan / Mike Bryan, 7–6, 6–7, 7–6, 6–3 Serena Williams / Venus Williams def. Samantha Stosur / Rennae Stubbs, 7–6, 6–4 Mark Knowles / Anna-Lena Grönefeld def, leander Paes / Cara Black, 7–5, 6–3 Andrey Kuznetsov def. Jordan Cox, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 Noppawan Lertcheewakarn def. Kristina Mladenovic, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1 Pierre-Hugues Herbert / Kevin Krawietz def, julien Obry / Adrien Puget, 6–7, 6–2, 12–10 Noppawan Lertcheewakarn / Sally Peers def. Kristina Mladenovic / Silvia Njirić, 6–1, 6–1 Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis def, donald Johnson / Jared Palmer, 7–6, 6–4 Jeremy Bates / Anders Järryd def. Mansour Bahrami / Henri Leconte, 6–4, 7–6 Martina Navratilova / Helena Suková def, ilana Kloss / Rosalyn Nideffer, 6–3, 6–2 Stéphane Houdet / Michaël Jeremiasz def. Robin Ammerlaan / Shingo Kunieda, 1–6, 6–4, 7–6 Korie Homan / Esther Vergeer def, Daniela Di Toro / Lucy Shuker, 6–1, 6–3 Swiss Roger Federer established a number of records at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships. By defeating Ivo Karlović in the quarterfinals, Federer reached his 21st consecutive Grand Slam semi-final and he then defeated Tommy Haas in the semi-final to reach his 7th consecutive Wimbledon final and his 20th Grand Slam final, both all-time records. Finally, by defeating Andy Roddick in the final, Federer won his 15th Grand Slam title, the 2009 Championships coincided with an extended period of hot, dry weather in south-east England. Murray won the match 6–3 in the fifth set and these were the only two matches in which the roof was used. The record for latest finish has since surpassed by Andy Murray in his 4 set match against Baghdatis in 2012 which ended at 23,02. The Tennis Integrity Unit planned to observe matches played by up to 12 players throughout the tournament, the TIU has existed since January 2008
22.
Andre Agassi
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Andre Kirk Agassi is an American retired professional tennis player and former World No.1 who was one of the sports most dominant players from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, as a result, he is credited for helping to revive the popularity of tennis during the 1990s. In singles tennis, Agassi is an eight-time Grand Slam champion, Agassi was the first male player to win all four Grand Slam tournaments on three different surfaces, and the last American male to win both the French Open and the Australian Open. He also won 17 ATP Masters Series titles and was part of the winning Davis Cup teams in 1990,1992 and 1995, Agassi returned to World No.1 in 1999 and enjoyed the most successful run of his career over the next four years. During his 20-plus year tour career, Agassi was known by the nickname The Punisher and he is the founder of the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, which has raised over $60 million for at-risk children in Southern Nevada. In 2001, the Foundation opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas and he has been married to fellow tennis player Steffi Graf since 2001. Andre Agassi was born in Las Vegas, Nevada to Emmanuel Mike Agassi and his father stated he is from a mixed, mostly Armenian, heritage. He later elaborated that his grandfather was Assyrian who married an Armenian woman, Andre Agassis mother, Betty, is a breast cancer survivor. He has three older siblings – Rita, Philip and Tami, one of his ancestors changed his surname from Agassian to Agassi to avoid persecution. In a passage from the book Open, Agassi details how his father made him play a match for money with football legend Jim Brown, in 1979, Brown was at a Vegas tennis club complaining to the owner about a money match that was canceled. Agassis father stepped in and told Brown that he could play his son, Brown lost those sets, 3–6, 3–6, declined the 10K wager, and offered to play the third set for $500. At age 13, Andre was sent to Nick Bollettieris Tennis Academy in Florida and he was meant to stay for only 3 months because that was all his father could afford. After thirty minutes of watching Agassi play, Bollettieri called Mike and said, hes here for free, claiming that Agassi had more natural talent than anyone else he had seen. Agassi dropped out of school in the ninth grade, Agassi turned professional at the age of 16 and competed in his first tournament at La Quinta, California. He won his first match against John Austin, but then lost his match to Mats Wilander. By the end of the year, Agassi was ranked world no.91 and he won his first top-level singles title in 1987 at the Sul American Open in Itaparica and ended the year ranked world no.25. During the year, he set the record for most consecutive victories by a male teenager. His year-end ranking was world no,3, behind second-ranked Ivan Lendl and top-ranked Mats Wilander
23.
Steffi Graf
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Stefanie Maria Steffi Graf is a German former tennis player, who was ranked world No.1 during her career. Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles and her 22 singles titles puts her second on the list of Major wins by a tennis player since the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 and is third all-time behind Margaret Court and Serena Williams. In 1988, she became the first and only player to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles. Furthermore, she is the tennis player to have won each Grand Slam event at least four times. She won 107 singles titles, which ranks her third on the WTAs all-time list after Martina Navratilova and she and Margaret Court are the only players, male or female, to win three grand slams in a calendar year five times. Notable features of Grafs game were her versatility across all playing surfaces, footwork, Graf won six French Open singles titles, seven Wimbledon singles titles, four Australian Open titles, and five U. S. Open singles titles. She is the singles player to have achieved a Grand Slam since hard court was introduced as a surface at the US Open in 1978. Consequently, Grafs Grand Slam was achieved on grass, clay, Graf reached thirteen consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, from the 1987 French Open through to the 1990 French Open, winning nine of them. She won 5 consecutive Majors, and seven Majors out of eight and she reached a total of 31 Grand Slam singles finals. Graf is regarded by some to be the greatest female player of all time. Navratilova included Graf on her list of great players, in 1999 Billie Jean King said Steffi is definitely the greatest womens tennis player of all time. In December 1999, Graf was named the greatest female player of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press. Tennis writer Steve Flink, in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century, in March 2012, Tennis Channel picked Graf as the greatest female tennis player ever in their list of 100 greatest tennis players of all time. Graf retired in 1999 while she was ranked World No.3 and she married former World No.1 mens tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001. The couple have two children – Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle, Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. Stefanie Graf was born on 14 June 1969, in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany, to Heidi Schalk and Peter Graf, when she was nine years old her family moved to the neighbouring town of Bruhl. She has a younger brother Michael, Graf was introduced to tennis by her father, an aspiring tennis coach, who taught his three-year-old daughter how to swing a wooden racket in the familys living room. She began practicing on a court at the age of four and she soon began winning junior tournaments with regularity, and in 1982 she won the European Championships 12s and 18s
24.
Tim Henman
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Timothy Henry Tim Henman OBE is a retired English professional tennis player. Henman played a style of tennis. He was the first male player from the United Kingdom since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Mens Singles Championship. Henman never reached the finals of any Grand Slam but reached six Grand Slam semifinals and won 15 career ATP titles, also, he scored 40 wins and 14 losses with the Great Britain Davis Cup team. Henman was ranked British number 1 in 1996 and again from 1999 to 2005 and he reached a career high ranking of World No.4 during three different periods between July 2002 and October 2004. He is one of Britains most successful open era male tennis players, in the 2004 New Year Honours, he was appointed an OBE. Henman started playing tennis before the age of three, and began training in the Slater Squad at eleven. After suffering a injury which affected him for the better part of two years, he began touring internationally as a junior and achieved some successes. He rose quickly up the ATP rankings, and by 1996 had reached the quarter-finals of the Wimbledon Championships, the year 2005 began a decline for Henman, and from that year onwards he never managed to pass through the third round in a Grand Slam tournament. Henman retired from tennis in late 2007, but he remains active in the ATP Champions Tour. Henman was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, as the youngest of a family of three boys, Henmans father Tony, a solicitor, was accomplished at various sports, including tennis, hockey and squash. His mother Jane, a designer, played Junior Wimbledon and introduced Tim and his elder brothers Michael. His great grandfather played at Wimbledon and his maternal grandfather, Henry Billington, played at Wimbledon between 1948 and 1951, and he represented Britain in the Davis Cup in 1948,1950 and 1951. In 1901 his maternal great-grandmother, Ellen Stanwell-Brown, was reputedly the first woman to serve overarm at Wimbledon, Henman grew up in Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, a village between Oxford and Bicester with a population of around 500. At home, the owned a grass tennis court in their back garden. Henman began playing tennis before the age of three with a shortened squash racket, at this stage, he was already teaching himself how to serve and volley. At an early stage in his life, Henman decided if he did not succeed in tennis, Henman attended the Longbridge School for boys between the ages of five and seven, and was enrolled in the private Dragon School in Oxford from seven to 11. He excelled in all sports but was always best at tennis, but Henman was small for his age, a factor which would bode against him in the future
25.
Kim Clijsters
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Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters is a Belgian former professional tennis player. Clijsters is a former world No.1 in both singles and doubles, Clijsters won 41 WTA singles titles and 11 WTA doubles titles. She won four Grand Slam singles titles, three at the US Open, in 2005,2009, and 2010 and one at the Australian Open in 2011. She was also runner-up in four Grand Slam singles tournaments and won the WTA Tour Championships singles title in 2002,2003, in doubles, she won the French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2003. She was also runner-up in two Grand Slam doubles tournaments, one WTA Championships doubles tournament, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles tournament, in 2001, Clijsters was part of the Belgium Fed Cup winning team. In June 2011, TIME magazine named her one of the 30 Legends of Womens Tennis, Past, Present, according to Forbes in August 2011, she became the fifth highest-paid female athlete over the previous year. On 20 May 2012, Clijsters, who had announced that 2012 would be her last season. On 29 August 2012, Clijsters played her last singles match of her career at the 2012 US Open where she lost in the round to Laura Robson. Clijsters has a powerful physique that combines naturally with a baseline game. The Belgian is equipped with an array of powerful and deep forehand and backhand shots and her forehand, although at times erratic, is her main weapon. She is easily able to play with her forehand and she is capable of hitting winners from any position on the court. An accomplished doubles player, Clijsters has a net game. She often mixes up her aggressive-style play with drop shots and backhand slices to draw her opponents into the net and she also has a very solid over-head and is noted for her quick transition from the baseline to the net to finish points. Clijsters first serve is not overwhelmingly powerful, but is placed well, when timed correctly, her serve can be considered a major weapon. Clijsters is also recognised for her all-court defence, characterized by her speed and athleticism. Clijsters is one of few players on the WTA tour who can slide on all surfaces, Maria Sharapova, interviewed after losing to Clijsters in the 2005 Nasdaq-100 Open, said, You just have to expect that shes going to get every ball back. Clijsters was born on 8 June 1983, in Bilzen, Limburg and she is the daughter of Lei Clijsters, a former international footballer, and Els Vandecaetsbeek, a former national gymnastics champion. Lei Clijsters died of cancer on 4 January 2009
26.
Dinara Safina
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Dinara Mubinovna Safina is a former World No.1 Russian professional tennis player. Safina was runner-up in singles at the 2008 French Open,2009 Australian Open, and the 2009 French Open, falling to Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams and she has had success at Grand Slam events in womens doubles by winning the 2007 US Open with Nathalie Dechy. She also won the Olympic silver medal in singles at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Safina retired in 2014 after an absence from the tour since 2011 due to an ongoing back injury. Safina is the sister of former World No.1 mens player Marat Safin. The brother–sister pair are the first to both achieve No.1 rankings, Safina was born in Moscow, Russia to Tatar parents. Her mother, Rauza Islanova, was her trainer when she was younger and her brother Marat is a former world No.1 on the ATP Tour. Speaking of growing up in such a successful family, Safina stated. Maybe thats why it took me longer to develop and my father is very competitive, but my parents didnt put pressure on me. I wanted to find my identity, I wanted to be something by myself, like being a big player by myself. So at the beginning I was putting too much pressure on myself, but then gradually I found myself, and I learned how to do better with that situation. At age 8, Safina and her family moved to Valencia, Spain, previously, Safina was coached by Glen Schaap, former coach of Anna Chakvetadze and Nadia Petrova, and Željko Krajan, who worked with her during her rise to No.1 in 2009. From May 2010, she began working with Gastón Etlis and their partnership ended after several months and since February 2011 she has been working with Davide Sanguinetti. Safinas idols growing up were Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport, more recently, she has stated that she idolises Rafael Nadal. Safina is a baseliner who likes to take the ball on the rise with full power on every shot. Her sharp angled forehand can force a return that she can hit with a big and her backhand can be flat, heavy, and devastating. She boasts a powerful first serve that sometimes lacks consistency in tight moments and her primary weakness is her mental toughness, particularly in Grand Slam finals, although it has improved. Her emotions on court can hurt her game, a tenacous fighter, Safina made several notable comebacks, including at the 2008 French Open, down 6–7, 2–5 against Maria Sharapova, she fought off match point and won 6–7, 7–6, 6–2
27.
Andy Murray
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Sir Andrew Barron Murray, OBE is a British professional tennis player from Scotland currently ranked world No.1 in mens singles. He was first ranked as British No.1 on 27 February 2006, following his run to winning the 2016 Paris Masters, Murray became world No.1 on 7 November 2016. He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 2017 New Year Honours list, and has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award a record three times. At the 2012 US Open, Murray became the first British player since 1977, and the first British man since 1936, to win a Grand Slam singles tournament, when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final. In 2016, he won his second Wimbledon title to become the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Perry in 1935. Murray is the mens singles 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medallist, making him the only player, male or female. He featured in Great Britains Davis Cup-winning team in 2015, going 11–0 in his matches as they secured their first Davis Cup title since 1936, Murray was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Judy Murray and William Murray. His maternal grandfather, Roy Erskine, was a footballer in the late 1950s. Murray is a supporter of Hibernian Football Club, the team his grandfather represented, Murrays elder brother, Jamie, is also a professional tennis player, playing on the doubles circuit. Murray was born with a bipartite patella, where the remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together in early childhood, but was not diagnosed until the age of 16. He is seen to hold his knee due to the pain caused by the condition and has pulled out of events because of it, Murray began playing tennis at the age of three when his mother Judy took him to play on the local courts. He played in his first competitive tournament at age five and by the time he was eight he was competing with adults in the Central District Tennis League, Murray grew up in Dunblane and attended Dunblane Primary School. He and his brother were present during the 1996 Dunblane school massacre, when Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children, Murray later attended Dunblane High School. Murrays parents split up when he was only 10 and he believes the impact this had on him could be the reason behind his competitive spirit. At 15, he was asked to train with Rangers Football Club at their School of Excellence and he then decided to move to Barcelona, Spain. There he studied at the Schiller International School and trained on the courts of the Sánchez-Casal Academy. Murray described this time as a big sacrifice and his parents had to find £40,000 to pay for his 18-month stay there. While in Spain, he trained with Emilio Sánchez, formerly the world No.1 doubles player, in February 2013, Murray bought Cromlix House for £1.8 million which opened as a 15-room five-star hotel in April 2014
28.
Stan Wawrinka
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Stanislas Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss professional tennis player. He reached a career-high Association of Tennis Professionals world No.3 singles ranking for the first time on January 27,2014. His career highlights include three Grand Slam titles at the 2014 Australian Open,2015 French Open and 2016 US Open, Wawrinka considers clay his best and favorite surface and his serve and backhand his best shots. John McEnroe once said that Wawrinka has one of the most powerful backhands ever and he has been described by The Economist as Tennis’s great latecomer, due to finding success later in his career. Wawrinka started playing tennis at the age of eight, he played once a week until he was 11 years old when he started practice three times a week. Wawrinka stopped attending regular schooling at age 15 to focus full-time on tennis, however, he continued his schooling by distance education with the French organization CNED, which offered him greater flexibility. Wawrinka turned professional in 2002 at the age of 17 and he was coached from age eight until June 2010 by Dimitri Zavialoff. Wawrinka is a three-time Grand Slam tournament winner, Olympic champion and Davis Cup champion for his country. He achieved a Top-10 ranking by the ATP for the first time on 12 May 2008, and first reached a career peak of world No.3 on 27 January 2014, at the same time as he became the Swiss No.1. In doubles and team tennis for Switzerland, he has won a medal in the mens doubles event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, partnering with Roger Federer. He played in the longest doubles match in history at the 2013 Davis Cup, in a tie against the Czech Republic, Wawrinka started playing international junior events at age 14 and entered the satellite circuit the following year. He compiled an outstanding career, winning the Junior French Open in 2003. In 2003 he had his first steps on the tour and ended the year as the world No.169, in 11 July 2004, in Gstaad, Stan progressed into his first ever career final, in doubles, with Marc Rosset as his partner. The Swiss pair lost in the final to Leander Paes and David Rikl and that year Wawrinka had his Davis Cup debut with the Swiss National Team. Wawrinka lost his first match, in the first round, against Victor Hanescu in a dead rubber, swizterland won the tie 3-2 against Romania and progressed into the World Group quarterfinals. He finished the year as the No.162 in the world rankings, Wawrinka had his Grand Slam debut at the 2005 French Open. He won the No.22 seeded and Olympic Gold Medalist Nicolas Massu in the first round, in the second round, Wawrinka came from 2 sets down to defeat James Blake. His run ended in the third round losing in four sets, after the French Open, Wawrinka had his first Wimbledon experience but lost in the first round to Fabrice Santoro, in four sets
29.
London Borough of Merton
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The London Borough of Merton /ˈmɜːrtən/ is a borough in south-west London, England. The main commercial centres in Merton are Mitcham, Morden and Wimbledon, other smaller centres include Raynes Park, Colliers Wood, South Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park and Pollards Hill. The borough is the host of the Wimbledon tournament, one of tenniss Grand Slam competitions, the borough derives its name from the historic parish of Merton which was centred on the area now known as South Wimbledon. Merton was chosen as a compromise, following a dispute between Wimbledon and Mitcham over the new boroughs name. The local authority is Merton London Borough Council, Colliers Wood Lower Morden Merton Park Mitcham Mitcham Common Morden Morden Park Motspur Park New Malden Norbury Pollards Hill Raynes Park St. This followed four years as a minority administration, at the same time, it elects a deputy mayor to serve alongside the mayor. Since 1978, each Mayor must also be an elected councillor, a lot of filming for former ITV police drama The Bill took place in Merton, particularly in the districts of Mitcham and Colliers Wood. The set of Sun Hill police station was located in the Borough. The main local newspaper in Merton is the Wimbledon Guardian with two editions, Wimbledon along with Mitcham and Morden, the main difference between the papers is the front page. The Wimbledon Post is another newspaper published weekly. Both newspapers are available free, though there is a charge if bought from a newsagent, Square Enix Europe has its head office in Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon. Eidos Interactive, a subsidiary of Square Enix, also shares the same head office, Merton is served by a wide range of National Rail stations across the borough, as well as the southern tip of London Undergrounds Northern line and the District line on the Wimbledon branch. The borough is served by several London Tramlink stops from Wimbledon. In 2001, the census recorded that 25% of the population of the borough was from an ethnic minority, the highest ethnic populations were recorded in wards in the east of the borough. The percentage of population from ethnic minorities is predicted to rise across the borough within the next decade, the most affluent wards were in the north and west of the borough. Comparative crime rates appear to be unrelated to the ranking of wards. Merton currently operates a Police Cadet scheme under the Metropolitan Police Service, the borough gained a football team in 1889 when Wimbledon Old Centrals were founded, and were soon a member of the local football leagues. The club later adopted the title Wimbledon FC and moved into a new stadium at Plough Lane in 1912, as the 20th century wore on, the club enjoyed considerable success in non league football
30.
Novak Djokovic
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Novak Djokovic, often referred to by the hypocorism Nole, is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No.2 in mens singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals. He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time and he is coached by former Slovak tennis player Marián Vajda. Djokovic holds the best match winning rate in Open Era, as of March 2017, Djokovic has won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, the fourth most in history, and held the No.1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 223 weeks. In majors, Djokovic has won six Australian Open titles, three Wimbledon titles, two US Open titles and one French Open title, Djokovic stands alone with an all-time record of 30 Masters 1000 series titles. Among other titles, he has won the ATP World Tour Finals five times and was on the Serbian team which won the 2010 Davis Cup and he also won the Bronze medal in mens singles at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Djokovic is the first Serbian player to be ranked No.1 by the ATP and he is a recipient of the Order of St. Sava, the Order of Karađorđes Star and the Order of the Republika Srpska. Djokovic was born on 22 May 1987 in Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia, to parents Srđan, novaks father is Montenegrin in origin and his mother is Croatian by background, with Novak considering himself to be Serbian. His two younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, are also tennis players with professional aspirations, a resident in Monte Carlo, Djokovic was coached by former Slovak tennis player Marián Vajda from 2006 until Boris Becker took over the role of head coach in December 2013. Djokovic is a fan of languages, speaking Serbian, English, French, German. He met his wife, Jelena Ristić, in high school. On 24 April 2014, Djokovic announced that he and Ristić were expecting their first child and his son Stefan was born in October 2014. Djokovic began playing tennis at the age of four, in the summer of 1993, the six-year-old was spotted by Yugoslav tennis player Jelena Genčić at Mount Kopaonik, where Djokovics parents ran a fast-food parlour. Upon seeing Djokovic play tennis, she stated, This is the greatest talent I have seen since Monica Seles, to that end, she contacted Nikola Pilić and in September 1999 the 12-year-old moved to the Pilić tennis academy in Oberschleißheim, Germany, spending four years there. At the age of 14, he began his career, winning European championships in singles, doubles. Djokovic is known for his often humorous off-court impersonations of his fellow players and this became evident to the tennis world after his 2007 US Open quarterfinal win over Carlos Moyá, where he entertained the audience with impersonations of Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. His impersonations have become popular on YouTube. Djokovic did an impression of John McEnroe after his fourth round victory at the 2009 US Open, before playing a brief game with McEnroe. Djokovic is a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church and he is a keen fan of Serbian football club Red Star Belgrade, Italian club A. C. Milan and Portuguese club S. L
31.
Olivier Rochus
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Olivier Rochus is a retired Belgian tennis player. He has won two titles in his career and in 2004 won the French Open doubles title partnering fellow Belgian Xavier Malisse. Rochus career-high singles ranking is World No.24, at 1.65 metres tall, he was the shortest player on the ATP World Tour. He is the brother of Christophe Rochus, also a former top-40 tennis player. Rochus was a partner of Roger Federer on the junior circuit, as a junior, he compiled a singles win/loss record of 81–30, reaching as high as No.11 in the world in 1997. Rochus reached at least the quarterfinals of all four junior slams and he won his first title in Palermo in 2000, defeating his brother in the semifinals and Diego Nargiso in the final. In 2003, he achieved his greatest Master Series result, reaching the quarter-finals of the Hamburg Masters and he has represented Belgium at two Olympic Games in both the singles and the doubles competitions at Athens and Beijing. In May 2006, he reached the final of the ATP tournament in Munich and he won that final in straight sets. In June, Rochus faced World No.1 Roger Federer in the quarter-finals of the tournament in Halle, Rochus held four match points in the second set at 5–6 and in the tie-break. He could not close out the match and eventually lost in three tiebreaks and he reached the final of the 2009 If Stockholm Open, after winning to Swede Andreas Vinciguerra in the first round, eighth seed Feliciano López, and Jarkko Nieminen. In the semi-finals, he beat best Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, in the final, he met former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, but lost in two sets. One week later at the 2009 Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon and he faced World No.8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but lost in two short sets. His next tournament was the Davidoff Swiss Indoors, where he first won his three qualifying matches, in the first round of the tournament, he lost to his former double partner and World No.1 Roger Federer. The last tournament of his tennis season was the AXA Belgian Masters, at the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open he defeated Richard Gasquet and the 2007 titlist and second seed Novak Djokovic. In the Nice tournament, one prior to Roland Garros, he pulled off another upset. He defeated Raven Klaasen of South Africa at the Hall of Fame Campbells Tennis Championship, in March, Rochus lost in the fourth round in Miami to Roger Federer, after defeating Blaž Kavčič, Marcos Baghdatis, and Mikhail Youzhny in the first three rounds. In July, he made it to the final in Newport, Rochus had his best success earlier in 2012, reaching the final in Auckland. He lost to Nicolás Almagro in the first round of Wimbledon 2012, in 2013, he played mostly on the Challenger circuit, never advancing beyond the second round of an ATP event
32.
Dot matrix
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A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional patterned array, used to represent characters, symbols and images. Every type of modern technology uses dot matrices for display of information, including phones, televisions. They are also used in textiles with sewing, knitting, in printers, the dots are usually the darkened areas of the paper. In displays, the dots may light up, as in an LED, CRT, or plasma display, or darken, as in an LCD. As an impact printer, the term refers to low-resolution impact printers, with a column of 8,9 or 24 pins hitting an ink-impregnated fabric ribbon, like a typewriter ribbon. It was originally contrasted with both daisy wheel printers and line printers that used fixed-shape embossed metal or plastic stamps to mark paper. Impact printers survive where multi-part forms are needed, as the pins can impress dots through multiple layers of paper to make a carbonless copy, all types of electronic printers typically generate image data as a two-step process. External raster image processing was possible such as to print a graphical image, depending on the printer technology the dot size or grid shape may not be uniform. Some printers are capable of producing smaller dots and will intermesh the small dots within the larger ones for antialiasing. A dot matrix is useful for marking materials other than paper, in manufacturing industry, many product marking applications use dot matrix inkjet or impact methods. This can also be used to print 2D matrix codes, e. g. Datamatrix. Although the output of modern computers is generally all in the form of dot matrices, vector data encoding requires less memory and less data storage, in situations where the shapes may need to be resized, as with font typefaces. For maximum image quality using only dot matrix fonts, it would be necessary to store a separate dot matrix pattern for the different potential point sizes that might be used. Instead, a group of vector shapes is used to render all the specific dot matrix patterns needed for the current display or printing task. An LED matrix or LED display is a large, low-resolution form of dot-matrix display and it consists of a 2-D diode matrix with their cathodes joined in rows and their anodes joined in columns. By controlling the flow of electricity through each row and column pair it is possible to control each LED individually, by multiplexing, scanning across rows, quickly flashing the LEDs on and off, it is possible to create characters or pictures to display information to the user. By varying the rate per LED, the display can approximate levels of brightness. Multi-colored LEDs or RGB-colored LEDs permit use as an image display
33.
Light-emitting diode
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A light-emitting diode is a two-lead semiconductor light source. It is a p–n junction diode, which emits light when activated, when a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence, and the color of the light is determined by the band gap of the semiconductor. LEDs are typically small and integrated optical components may be used to shape the radiation pattern, appearing as practical electronic components in 1962, the earliest LEDs emitted low-intensity infrared light. Infrared LEDs are still used as transmitting elements in remote-control circuits. The first visible-light LEDs were also of low intensity and limited to red, modern LEDs are available across the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared wavelengths, with very high brightness. Early LEDs were often used as indicator lamps for electronic devices and they were soon packaged into numeric readouts in the form of seven-segment displays and were commonly seen in digital clocks. Recent developments in LEDs permit them to be used in environmental, LEDs have allowed new displays and sensors to be developed, while their high switching rates are also used in advanced communications technology. LEDs have many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching. Light-emitting diodes are now used in applications as diverse as aviation lighting, automotive headlamps, advertising, general lighting, traffic signals, camera flashes, as of 2017, LED lights home room lighting are as cheap or cheaper than compact fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output. They are also more energy efficient and, arguably, have fewer environmental concerns linked to their disposal. Electroluminescence as a phenomenon was discovered in 1907 by the British experimenter H. J. Round of Marconi Labs, using a crystal of silicon carbide, russian inventor Oleg Losev reported creation of the first LED in 1927. His research was distributed in Soviet, German and British scientific journals, rubin Braunstein of the Radio Corporation of America reported on infrared emission from gallium arsenide and other semiconductor alloys in 1955. Braunstein observed infrared emission generated by simple diode structures using gallium antimonide, GaAs, indium phosphide, in 1957, Braunstein further demonstrated that the rudimentary devices could be used for non-radio communication across a short distance. As noted by Kroemer Braunstein …had set up a simple optical communications link, the emitted light was detected by a PbS diode some distance away. This signal was fed into an amplifier and played back by a loudspeaker. Intercepting the beam stopped the music and we had a great deal of fun playing with this setup. This setup presaged the use of LEDs for optical communication applications, by October 1961, they had demonstrated efficient light emission and signal coupling between a GaAs p-n junction light emitter and an electrically-isolated semiconductor photodetector
34.
Hawk-Eye
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Hawk-Eye was developed in the United Kingdom by Paul Hawkins. The system was implemented in 2001 for television purposes in cricket. The system works via six high-performance cameras, normally positioned on the underside of the stadium roof, the video from the six cameras is then triangulated and combined to create a three-dimensional representation of the trajectory of the ball. Hawk-Eye is not infallible and is accurate to within 5 millimetres but is generally trusted as a second opinion in sports. It has been accepted by governing bodies in tennis, cricket, Hawk-Eye is used for the Challenge System since 2006 in tennis and Umpire Decision Review System in cricket since 2009. The system was rolled out for the 2013-14 Premier League season as a means of goal-line technology, in December 2014 the clubs of the first division of Bundesliga decided to adopt this system for the 2015-16 season. For tennis there are ten cameras, the system rapidly processes the video feeds by a high-speed camera and ball tracker. A data store contains a model of the playing area. In each frame sent from each camera, the system identifies the group of pixels which corresponds to the image of the ball. It then calculates for each frame the 3D position of the ball by comparing its position on at least two of the physically separate cameras at the instant in time. A succession of frames builds up a record of the path along which the ball has traveled and it also predicts the future flight path of the ball and where it will interact with any of the playing area features already programmed into the database. The system can also interpret these interactions to decide infringements of the rules of the game, the system generates a graphic image of the ball path and playing area, which means that information can be provided to judges, television viewers or coaching staff in near real-time. Engineers at Roke Manor Research Limited, a Siemens subsidiary in Romsey, England, Paul Hawkins and David Sherry submitted a patent for the United Kingdom but withdrew their request. All of the technology and intellectual property was spun off into a company, Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd, based in Winchester. On 14 June 2006, a group of investors led by the Wisden Group bought the company, who included Mark Getty, a member of the wealthy USA family and business dynasty. The acquisition was intended to strengthen Wisdens presence in cricket, and allow it to enter tennis and other international sports, according to Hawk-Eyes website, the system produces much more data than that shown on television, which could be easily shown on the internet. Put up for sale in September 2010, it was sold as an entity to Japanese electronic giant Sony in March 2011. The technology was first used by Channel 4 during a Test match between England and Pakistan on Lords Cricket Ground, on 21 May 2001 and it is used primarily by the majority of television networks to track the trajectory of balls in flight
35.
Rudyard Kipling
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Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist. Kiplings works of fiction include The Jungle Book, Kim, and many short stories and his poems include Mandalay, Gunga Din, The Gods of the Copybook Headings, The White Mans Burden, and If—. Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, Henry James said, Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius, as distinct from fine intelligence, that I have ever known. In 1907, at the age of 42, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on occasions for a knighthood. Kiplings subsequent reputation has changed according to the political and social climate of the age, George Orwell called him a prophet of British imperialism. Literary critic Douglas Kerr wrote, is still an author who can inspire passionate disagreement and his place in literary, but as the age of the European empires recedes, he is recognised as an incomparable, if controversial, interpreter of how empire was experienced. That, and a recognition of his extraordinary narrative gifts. Rudyard Kipling was born on 30 December 1865, in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of British India, to Alice Kipling, Alice was a vivacious woman about whom Lord Dufferin would say, Dullness and Mrs. Kipling cannot exist in the same room. Lockwood Kipling, a sculptor and pottery designer, was the Principal, John Lockwood and Alice had met in 1863 and courted at Rudyard Lake in Rudyard, Staffordshire, England. They married and moved to India in 1865 and they had been so moved by the beauty of the Rudyard Lake area that when their first child was born they referenced it when naming him. Alices sister Georgiana was married to painter Edward Burne-Jones, and her sister Agnes was married to painter Edward Poynter, Kiplings most famous relative was his first cousin, Stanley Baldwin, who was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times in the 1920s and 1930s. Kiplings birth home on the campus of the J J School of Art in Bombay for many years was used as the Deans residence. Although the cottage bears a plaque stating that this is the site where Kipling was born, the original cottage may have torn down decades ago. Some historians and conservationists are also of the view that the bungalow merely marks a site close to the home of his birth, as the bungalow was built in 1882, Kipling seems to have also said so to the dean when he visited J J School in the 1930s. Kipling was to write of Bombay, According to Bernice M. Murphy, Kipling’s parents considered themselves Anglo-Indians and so too would their son, complex issues of identity and national allegiance would become prominent features in his fiction. So one spoke English, haltingly translated out of the idiom that one thought. Kiplings days of light and darkness in Bombay ended when he was five years old
36.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
37.
Australian Open
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The Australian Open is a major tennis tournament held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne, Australia. First held in 1905, the tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year – the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. It features mens and womens singles, mens, womens and mixed doubles and juniors championships, as well as wheelchair, legends, the Australian Open typically has high attendances, rivalling and occasionally exceeding the US Open. The tournament holds the record for the highest attendance at a Grand Slam event, the Australian Open is managed by Tennis Australia, formerly the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia, and was first played at the Warehousemans Cricket Ground in Melbourne in November 1905. This facility is now known as the Albert Reserve Tennis Centre, the tournament was first known as the Australasian Championships and then became the Australian Championships in 1927 and the Australian Open in 1969. Since 1905, the Australian Open has been staged in five Australian and two New Zealand cities, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Christchurch and Hastings. Though started in 1905, the tournament was not designated as being a championship until 1924. The tournament committee changed the structure of the tournament to include seeding at that time, in 1972, it was decided to stage the tournament in Melbourne each year because it attracted the biggest patronage of any Australian city. The tournament was played at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club from 1972 until the move to the new Melbourne Park complex in 1988, the new facilities at Melbourne Park were envisaged to meet the demands of a tournament that had outgrown Kooyongs capacity. The move to Melbourne Park was an success, with a 90 percent increase in attendance in 1988 on the previous year at Kooyong. Because of Australias geographic remoteness, very few foreign players entered this tournament in the early 20th century, in the 1920s, the trip by ship from Europe to Australia took about 45 days. The first tennis players who came by boats were the US Davis Cup players in November 1946, even inside the country, many players could not travel easily. When the tournament was held in Perth, no one from Victoria or New South Wales crossed by train, in Christchurch in 1906, of a small field of 10 players, only two Australians attended and the tournament was won by a New Zealander. The first tournaments of the Australasian Championships suffered from the competition of the other Australasian tournaments, before 1905, all Australian states and New Zealand had their own championships, the first organised in 1880 in Melbourne and called the Championship of the Colony of Victoria. In those years, the best two players – Australian Norman Brookes and New Zealander Anthony Wilding – almost did not play this tournament, Brookes came once and won in 1911, and Wilding entered and won the competition twice. Their meetings in the Victorian Championships helped to determine the best Australasian players, even when the Australasian Championships were held in Hastings, New Zealand, in 1912, Wilding, though three times Wimbledon champion, did not come back to his home country. It was a problem for all players of the era. Brookes went to Europe only three times, where he reached the Wimbledon Challenge Round once and then won Wimbledon twice
38.
Melbourne Park
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Melbourne Park is a sports venue in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 1988, Australians bicentenary, Melbourne Park has been home of the Australian Open in tennis, which is played annually in January. The venue was the home of the Melbourne Tigers basketball team and it is owned by Melbourne & Olympic Parks, which also runs the adjacent Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. The Yarra Park section of the Sports and Entertainment Precinct is run separately, Melbourne Park was built in 1988 beside the Jolimont Yard as a new venue to host the Australian Open, as Kooyong, the previous venue, had become too small. It was originally known as Flinders Park until 1996, when then-Premier, Jeff Kennett decided to rename it Melbourne Park, the decision was met with strong opposition, and was compared by some to renaming Stade Roland Garros Paris Park. However, over the years, it has become accepted by the Melbourne community, while it is best known for being a tennis venue, Melbourne Park also plays host to a number of other sports and musical events throughout the year. The Two Tribes dance festival was held there annually, Rod Laver Arena was the venue for The Eagles Emmy Award-winning 2005 Farewell 1 Tour, Live from Melbourne double-DVD recording. Pearl Jams concert of 17 March 1995 at the Flinders Park Tennis Centre was broadcast live on Australian radio, formerly known as Centre Court, Rod Laver Arena has a capacity of nearly 15,000, and has a retractable roof. The second largest court is Hisense Arena, which was opened in 2000 and it has a capacity of 10,500, and also has a retractable roof. There are also three courts, with the former Show Court 1 now named the Margaret Court Arena. Margaret Court Arena has recently had a roof added and its capacity expanded to 7,500. This now leaves Melbourne Park with three courts available for wet and extreme weather play during the Australian Open, Melbourne Park is adjacent to the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Yarra Park, and there are several pedestrian bridges linking the two across the separating railway lines. The park is five minutes walk from Richmond and Jolimont railway stations, in June 2015, it was announced that the Rod Laver Arena would undergo a redevopment of its exterior facade and interior customer features, such as bars and other facilities. Overall, more than million is being spent on the multi-year redevelopment of the Melbourne Park precinct. Construction will begin in February 2016 though completion of all works at the precinct is not expected to finish until 2020, Melbourne & Olympic Parks official website Australian Open official website Melbourne Park at Austadiums
39.
Rod Laver Arena
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Rod Laver Arena is a multipurpose arena located within Melbourne Park, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The arena is the venue for the Australian Open, a tennis Grand Slam event since 1988. Replacing the aging Kooyong Stadium, construction on the began in 1985 and was completed in 1987 at a cost of AU$94 million. It opened on 11 January 1988 for the 1988 Australian Open. The arena has a capacity of 14,820, with a capacity of 15,400 for sports such as basketball, when extra seats are added around the court. The arena currently attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year, originally known in 1988 as the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, the arena has officially changed its name twice. First in 1996, when it was known as the Centre Court, and again in January 2000 to honour Rod Laver, Rod Laver Arena was Australias first retractable roof venue, and it is the largest indoor arena in Australia without a permanent roof. It is also the second largest indoor arena in Australia behind the 21,032 capacity Sydney Super Dome, the arena features a retractable roof allowing competitors to continue play during rain or extreme heat. Other than for tennis, during sporting events or concerts, a section of the southern the lower seating bowl is retracted to allow space for a stage or special floor level seating. Rod Laver Arena was the centrepiece of the 12th FINA World Aquatics Championships, a temporary swimming pool, named the Susie ONeill Pool after Australian swimming champion Susie ONeill, was built to allow this to happen. Rod Laver Arena is equipped with the Hawk-Eye electronic system which allows players to challenge the umpires decision on calls made throughout championships. The Tennis Centre saw its first basketball game in 1991 when the Australian Boomers played host to a touring All-Star team headlined by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, on 3 April 1992, the arena became the home of Melbourne basketball when the Melbourne Tigers defeated the Canberra Cannons 112-104. The venue was criticised in its early days as a basketball venue due to the poor quality of the backboards. However, these concerns were addressed and the arena became known as one of the best in the country. The arena was home to the South East Melbourne Magic with both teams attracting some of the largest crowds in the history of the NBL. Rod Laver Arena was also the site of the first ever outdoor pro basketball game in Australia when the Magic hosted the Adelaide 36ers on 31 December 1997 with the roof open. The largest basketball crowd at Rod Laver Arena was set in 1996 when 15,366 attended a derby game between the Magic and Tigers. Game two of the 1996 NBL Grand Final series, also between the Magic and Tigers, saw the NBLs largest ever single game Grand Final crowd when 15,064 watched the Magic defeat the Tigers 88-84
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Melbourne Park Multi-Purpose Venue
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Construction of the arena commenced in the late 1990s, and was completed in 2000. It was originally called the Multi-Purpose Venue, until the rights were sold to Vodafone. The arena features a track, which is covered over with seating for court events. The tennis court is a Plexicushion surface and the roof is retractable, the arena is able to hold a maximum spectator capacity of 11,000 for events such as music concerts where general floor seating or standing room is available. For basketball and netball, capacity is 10,500 while for tennis, the arena has been used for netball for Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels games in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. New SSN team the Collingwood Magpies have also played games at Hisense Arena since 2017. The largest netball attendance at the arena was on 20 November 2004 when 10,300 saw the Australian national team defeat New Zealand 53 to 51. On 12 May 2008, it was announced that as of 1 July 2008, in 2014 this was extended for a further three years. Every year, the venue hosts many matches as part of the Australian Open tennis tournament and it has usually only been used for day matches in the 10 days of the tournament. In 2012, however, the venue began having night matches in the first week of the tournament as well, the first match completed on the court was Tim Henmans first round win over Hicham Arazi. Hisense Arena is the home court of National Basketball League team Melbourne United. Formerly, the Victoria Titans and South Dragons used it as their home, until this move the venue was largely devoid of sporting events outside of the two weeks of the Australian Open tennis tournament held each January. The Dragons, founded in 2006 until they withdrew from the competition winning the championship in 2009. For the 2012–13 NBL season, the Tigers returned to the venue, the largest basketball crowd was on 4 December 2016 during the 2016–17 NBL season when 10,300 fans saw Melbourne United defeat the New Zealand Breakers 98–74. This broke the previous attendance record of 9,308 set in 2008 in a local derby game between the South Dragons and Melbourne Tigers. In 2004 and 2012, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships were held at the venue, from 2011 to 2013 the venue hosted the Melbourne judges audition stages of the Seven Network singer search program The X Factor. On 14 and 15 June 2013, the venue played host to an ice hockey series between teams representing the United States and Canada. Netball is played regularly at the venue and it is the home court to Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies in the Suncorp Super Netball competition
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Margaret Court Arena
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Margaret Court Arena is an Australian tennis and multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue located in Melbourne, Victoria. The arena, which was built in 1987, has a capacity of 7,500, the venue is part of the National Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park, which is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct. Originally named Show Court One, the venue was opened in 1988, the show court had a capacity of 6,000 people and was renamed to Margaret Court Arena in early 2003, as a tribute to Australia’s most successful female tennis player. Lend Lease Group was awarded the tender in October 2011, at point the Government announced the cost of the upgrade to the arena exclusively. Construction of the began in March 2012 and was undertaken by NH Architecture. The redevelopment made the arena the third in the precinct to have a retractable roof, the redevelopment was completed in January 2015, prior to that months Australian Open. The arena is the third largest capacity venue at the Australian Open tournament, behind the 15,000 capacity Rod Laver Arena, the arena has hosted tennis matches at the Australian Open every year since 1988. Since the redevelopment in 2014, the arena has increasingly used for sports such as basketball and netball. Professional netball clubs the Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies play some matches at Margaret Court Arena. The Vixens announced their intention to move home games to the venue in March 2013, in netball mode, the venue can be configured to hold either 5000 people in its bottom tier or 7500 when both sections are open. The Australia national netball team have hosted test matches at the venue. National Basketball League club Melbourne United play approximately half their matches at Margaret Court Arena. The club announced it had signed a deal in August 2014 to split 12 of its 14 home matches at Margaret Court Arena. United played their first home game at the arena on 12 November 2014, the venue has a capacity of 6,500 for concerts though has the flexibility to downsize for smaller events
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French Open
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The French Open, often referred to as Roland Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam event held on clay, French spelling rules dictate that in the name of a place or event named after a person, the elements of the name are joined together with a hyphen. Therefore, the names of the stadium and the tournament are hyphenated as Roland-Garros, in 1891 the Championnat de France, which is commonly referred to in English as the French Championships, was begun. It was only open to players who were members of French clubs. The first winner was a Briton—H, the first womens singles tournament, with four entries, was held in 1897. The mixed doubles event was added in 1902 and the doubles in 1907. This French club members only tournament was played until 1924, using four different venues during that period, Île de Puteaux, in Puteaux, the Racing Club de France, played on clay. For one year,1909, it was played at the Société Athlétique de la Villa Primrose in Bordeaux, Tennis Club de Paris, at Auteuil, Paris, played on clay. Another tournament, the World Hard Court Championships, is considered the precursor to the French Open as it was open to international competitors. Winners of this tournament included world no, 1s such as Tony Wilding from New Zealand and Bill Tilden from the US. In 1924 there was no World Hard Court Championships due to tennis being played at the Paris Olympic Games, in 1925, the French Championships became open to all amateurs internationally and was designated a major championship by the ILTF. It was held at the Stade Français in Saint-Cloud in 1925 and 1927, in 1926 the Racing Club de France hosted the event in Paris, site of the previous French club members only Championship, also on clay. In 1928, the Roland Garros stadium was opened and the event has held there ever since. After the Mousquetaires or Philadelphia Four won the Davis Cup on American soil in 1927, the Stade de France had offered the tennis authorities three hectares of land with the condition that the new stadium must be named after the World War I pilot, Roland Garros. The new Stade de Roland Garros, and its Center Court hosted that Davis Cup challenge, during World War II the tournament was held from 1941 through 1945 on the same grounds but these editions are not recognized by the French governing body, Fédération Française de Tennis. From 1946 through 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon, in 1968, the French Championships became the first Grand Slam tournament to go open, allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete. Since 1981, new prizes have been presented, the Prix Orange, the Prix Citron, in another novelty, since 2006 the tournament has begun on a Sunday, featuring 12 singles matches played on the three main courts. Additionally, on the eve of the opening, the traditional Benny Berthet exhibition day takes place
Southfields
