David Green

Manicured playing lawns. Royal patronage. Spiffy white sporting apparel. There is no spectator event quite like Wimbledon. For more than a century, tennis's most legendary players--among them Roger Federer, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, Pete Sa mpras, and Virginia Wade--have gracefully volleyed their way to glory on the hollowed grounds of the All England Club. But it is also on this same turf that some of the game's finest have faltered, often because they were unable to master the very th ing that gave lawn tennis it's name--the grass. The only Grand Slam tournament still played on the game's original surface, Wimbledon has become as much of a showcase of British culture and tradition as it has an elite sporting event. "Wimbledon: 101 Reasons to Love Tennis's Greatest Tournament" celebrates the athletes, the matches, the history, and the rituals that have come to define this prestigious competition.