Wimbledon in words: The best books about tennis' most iconic tournament
The best book to start reading about Wimbledon is John Barrett's rather weighty and spectacular Wimbledon: The Official History. This is the story of the tournament as told by veteran tennis player and commentator John Barrett, who first brought out the book in 2001, and has been regularly updating it since. At almost 600 pages, it is a slightly lengthy read, but sprinkled liberally among the very immaculate prose (including an introduction by the Duke of York) are dozens of fantastic and rare photographs, and even maps of the courts. You have pretty much everything you wish to know about the tournament here, from history to key matches and players.
Barrett tells the story of Wimbledon in chronological order, but intersperses history with lighter sections on interesting aspects of the tournament, such as the presence of royalty at the courts, why the tournament is still played on grass, tennis fashions (the famous dresses of Suzanne Lenglen) and the roles of different members of staff. While the prose is very good, we can see many people getting the book just for the amazing pictures. Our favourite is Bunny Austin, the first man to wear shorts on Centre Court, nonchalantly sipping a cup of tea, watched by an amused policeman. The book has not been updated since 2020, but it remains the one book to read on Wimbledon.
If Barrett's tome feels too intimidating, try Richard Jones' The People's Wimbledon: Memories and Memorabilia from the Lawn Tennis Championships. It is a more compact and light-hearted take on the tournament's legacy, filled with archival photos not just of players, but also of old tickets, snacks, toys, and magazine covers. There's even a delightful section called Wimbledonia, which covers the tournament's presence in films, postcards, and print. Although less comprehensive than Barrett's, Jones' book is perfect for those wanting a breezier, nostalgia-tinged read. Like The Official History, however, it could use an update as it ends in 2019.
A more personal look at the tournament and its players can be seen in Sue Barker's recent release Wimbledon: A Personal History. Barker, once a top player and now best known as a sports presenter, offers affectionate portraits of Wimbledon legends. She begins with Rod Laver, who she says is the 'one player alone who is responsible for Wimbledon becoming the magical fortnight of history-creating tennis that we all know and love today' and Billie Jean King, and goes on to the likes of the Williams sisters, Emma Raducanu and of course, Roger Federer. At 320 pages, this is an easy read, with a memorable introduction that gives you a feel of the place. You can almost smell the grass and the sound of balls flying off racquets as Barker describes watching the 2023 men's final sitting next to Hollywood star Sir Ian McKellan.
It may be rich in tradition and atmosphere, but for many, the greatest attraction of Wimbledon is the tennis itself. Abi Smith's Wimbledon's Greatest Games takes this view and lists fifty of the greatest matches played in the tournament. There are the usual suspects: Borg vs McEnroe in 1980, Nadal vs Federer in 2008 and Agassi vs Ivanesevic in 1992, but also some relatively lesser-known encounters such as Louise Brough vs Maurice Connolly in 1952 and Althea Gibson vs Darlene Hard in 1957. Smith includes several doubles matches, reminding us that the tournament's magic is not limited to singles. You might question the rankings (Nadal vs. Federer at 39?!) or the inclusion of some matches (Becker vs. Curren in 1985 wasn't exactly a thriller), but the storytelling keeps you turning pages.
Those wanting to experience a classic match through the pages of a book should grab Malcolm Folley's Borg vs McEnroe: The Greatest Rivalry, The Greatest Match. Folley walks one through the epic 1980 Wimbledon final between the two rivals, which many (us included) consider to be the greatest match of tennis ever played. Folley uses the first 160 pages or so of this slim 220 page volume building up the rivalry of the two legends, and devotes the last thirty odd pages to the match itself, with the 18-16 tie-breaker (remembered as the single greatest game in the history of the sport) getting an entire, nail-biting chapter. It is riveting reading right down to the last page. If you're more into modern rivalries, L Jon Wertheim's Strokes of Genius does a similar job for the Nadal–Federer 2008 final. While it does not quite reach the gladiatorial intensity of Borg vs. McEnroe, it's still essential reading for fans of either legend.
Finally, if you are wondering what it takes to win Wimbledon, pick up Analyzing Wimbledon: The Power of Statistics by Franc Klaasen and Jan R Magnus. This offers a statistical viewpoint on what it takes to win matches at Wimbledon. From first-serve percentages to tie-breaker tendencies, this book explores the numbers behind Wimbledon victories with almost forensic precision. While Klaasen and Magnus provide some amazing facts, they get too mathematical at points. Still if you are a stat and trend chaser, this is an absolute treasure trove.
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