Wimbledon in the 1930s & 40s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bill Tilden

Bill Tilden had previously been Wimbledon champion in 1920 and 1921, but looked unlikely to add to that number when he turned up in SW19 in 1930 aged 37. He rolled back the years, defeating Jean Borotra in five sets in the semi-finals before beating Wilmer Allison in straight sets in the final.

In the women's singles, Helen Wills Moody won her fourth straight title, defeating fellow American Elizabeth Ryan in the final.

Answer: Germany

Cilly Aussem, from Cologne, had already won the French Open in 1931, and added the Wimbledon crown with victory over fellow-German Hilde Krahwinkel in the final. Germany would have to wait until Boris Becker in 1985 for her next Wimbledon singles champion. In the men's singles, Sidney Wood won the title after fellow-American Frank Shields withdrew from the final due to injury.

Answer: Helen Wills Moody

Nicknamed "Little Miss Poker Face", Helen Wills Moody was the dominant woman player of her era. She won four straight Wimbledon titles between 1927 and 1930, and, after missing the tournament in 1931, she was back in 1932, lifting the crown in relentless fashion.

Her opponent in the final, Helen Jacobs, actually won four games, more than any of her previous five opponents. In the men's final, Ellsworth Vines of the USA won the title, thrashing Britain's Bunny Austin in straight sets.

Answer: Jack Crawford

Jack Crawford had an amazing 1933, winning the Australian, French and Wimbledon crowns, and losing the US title in five sets in the final. At SW19, he defeated defending champion Ellsworth Vines in a thrilling five sets final. It was business as usual in the women's singles, with Helen Wills Moody winning her sixth crown, although she did lose a set this time, in the final against Dorothy Round.

Answer: Fred Perry & Dorothy Round

Fred Perry became the first British men's champion since Arthur Gore in 1909, defeating defending champion Jack Crawford in straight sets in the final. With Helen Wills Moody absent, Dorothy Round took full advantage to become the first British women's champion since Kitty Godfree in 1926, beating Helen Jacobs in a three-set final.

Answer: Gottfried von Cramm

Gottfried von Cramm had won the French Open in 1934, and reached the final of Wimbledon for the first time in 1935, where home favourite Fred Perry defeated him in straight sets. Helen Wills Moody was back after a year's absence and won her seventh women's crown, although she had to save a match point in the final against Helen Jacobs.

Answer: Helen Jacobs

Helen Jacobs was forced to live in the shadow of Helen Wills Moody for much of her career, but, with the defending champion absent in 1936, she took full advantage to finally win the title, defeating Hilde Sperling in the final. The men's final saw a repeat of the previous year, with Fred Perry defeating Gottfried von Cramm in straight sets for the loss of just two games.

Answer: Poland

Her first was in 1934.
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska from Poland had reached the semi-finals in 1936, and went one better in 1937, reaching the final, where Britain's Dorothy Round beat her in three sets. Don Budge of the USA won his first Wimbledon men's singles titles, defeating Gottfried von Cramm in straight sets in the final.

Answer: Bunny Austin

Henry "Bunny" Austin was a Davis Cup team-mate of Fred Perry through much of the 1930s. With Perry having turned professional in 1936, Austin carried home hopes at the all-amateur Wimbledon championships in 1938. He made it all the way to the final, where Don Budge proved to be too strong.

Helen Wills Moody was back in 1938, and she won her eighth and final women's crown, defeating Helen Jacobs in the final.

Answer: Alice Marble

Alice Marble had been a losing semi-finalist in each of the previous two Wimbledons, but finally got her hands on the trophy in 1939, beating Britain's Kay Stammers in the final. In the men's singles final, Bobby Riggs beat fellow-American Elwood Cooke in five sets. Riggs would later become better known for his "Battle of the Sexes" match against Billie Jean King in 1973.

Answer: The centre court lawn was dug up so that vegetables could be planted there

Although there were no championships during the war, the club remained open for members, and the hallowed centre court wasn't dug up. In October, 1940, during the Blitz, bombs fell on the club, with one of them hitting the centre court roof, destroying hundreds of seats. The grounds of the club were used for various war activities, including civil defence and animal husbandry.

Answer: Yvon Petra

Yvon Petra, who had been a prisoner of war, survived a five-set semi-final against American Tom Brown to reach the final against Australia's Geoff Brown. This match was another five-set epic, with Petra winning 6-4 in the fifth. Pauline Betz was top seed in the women's singles, and dominated the event, winning all six matches in straight sets, including the final against Louise Brough.

Answer: Margaret Osborne

Margaret Osborne won the French Open in 1946, and added the Wimbledon crown in 1947. Seeded number one, she went through the entire tournament without dropping a set, including victory over Doris Hart in the final. Jack Kramer was the men's champion, thrashing Tom Brown in straight sets in the final.

Answer: Bob Falkenburg

Bob Falkenburg faced Australia's John Bromwich in the 1948 final, and prevailed 7-5 in the fifth set. Louise Brough won her first women's title, defeating fellow-American Doris Hart in straight sets in the final.

Answer: Jaroslav Drobny

Jaroslav Drobny, from Czechoslovakia, reached his first Wimbledon final in 1949, where he was defeated in five sets by American Ted Schroeder. Louise Brough successfully defended the women's title, beating Margaret Osborne DuPont in a marathon final, 10-8 1-6 10-8.