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Stage Two - The Game Matures | |||
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 Bill Tilden
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1920Frenchwoman
Suzanne Lenglen wins the first of 4 consecutive French
Championships. William "Big Bill" Tilden wins both the US Championship and Wimbledon, an accomplishment he would repeat in 1921. |
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1922First women's
Australasian Championship is held. |
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1925The French
Championship drops its rule that the tournament be open
only to French residents. "French Musketeer"
Rene Lacoste wins the inaugural event. The Australasian Championship becomes the Australian Championship and henceforth is played exclusively in Australia. |
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1928The French
Championships are held at Stade Roland Garros for the
first time. |
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1930'sLaminated wood
replaces a single piece of ash in the construction of
tennis racquets. |
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1938American Don
Budge becomes the first player to complete the Grand
Slam. |
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1940First of 6 years
in which the French and British Championships were not
held due to WWII. |
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1941First of 5 years
in which no Australian Championship is held. |
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1946Championship
tennis resumes at all Grand Slam events. Jack Kramer, who
would be instrumental in changes to the way the game was
played, wins the first of 2 US titles. |
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 Rod Laver Wins Grand Slam 1962
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1948Gussy Moran's panties cause a sensation at Wimbledon. |
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1950'sJack Kramer's
Pro Tour becomes increasingly popular and those involved
in the amateur game become increasingly unhappy as the
best amateur tennis talent base is eroded and the general
public's attention is drawn by the professional tour. |
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1953Maureen Connelly
becomes the first woman to win the Grand Slam. She is
still the youngest person ever to do so. |
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1956Althea Gibson
wins the French Open and becomes the first black person
to win a Grand Slam event. Gibson goes on to win both the
US Championship and Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958. |
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1962Rod Laver wins
the first of his 2 Grand Slams. |
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1967Wilson
introduces the first metal racquet. Jimmy Connors uses it
for much of his career into the mid-1980's, long after
Wilson stopped manufacturing it. |
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1968The era of open
tennis begins. |
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Back
to Stage One |
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| Stage One | Stage Two | Stage
Three History & Glossary |
