Which of the four Grand Slam tournaments is the oldest in the world?

Wimbledon is the oldest of the four Grand Slam tournaments. Its first championship was held in 1877 at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London.

The inaugural event was a men's singles tournament with 22 entrants. Spencer Gore defeated William Marshall in the final, played on grass. The club originally organised the competition partly to raise money to repair a pony-drawn roller used to maintain its lawns.

The other three Grand Slam tournaments began later: the US Championships in 1881, the French Championships in 1891, and the Australasian Championships in 1905. The French event did not become an international major until later, which is why dates for its origins can sometimes be presented differently.

A common mix-up is treating the four tournaments as though they were founded together. The phrase “Grand Slam” itself was not an official designation in 1877; it became widely used in tennis decades afterward. Wimbledon remains the sport’s oldest continuously recognised major and is still played on outdoor grass courts.