1968 Wimbledon Championships


The 1968 Wimbledon Championships was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England [Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club] in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament was held from Monday 24 June until Saturday 6 July 1968. It was the 82nd staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the third Grand Slam tennis event of 1968.
This tournament started the Open Era for Wimbledon, as it became the second Grand Slam tournament to offer prize money and allow professionals to compete after the 1968 French Open. Singles champions Rod Laver and Billie Jean King had already won Wimbledon twice before in the amateur era.

Prize money

The 1968 championships was the first edition of the tournament to offer prize money. The total prize money for the event was £26,150. The winner of the men's title earned £2,000 while the women's singles champion earned £750.
It was the last tournament at which the Men's Singles final was played on a Friday.
EventWFSFQFRound of 16Round of 32Round of 64Round of 128
Men's singles£2,000£1,300£750£400£150£100£75£50
Women's singles£750£450£300£150£90£50£35£25
Men's doubles *£800£500£350£180£0£0£0
Women's doubles*£500£300£150£100£0£0£0
Mixed doubles*£450£300£150£100£0£0£0£0

Seniors

Men's singles

defeated Tony Roche, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2

Women's singles

defeated Judy Tegart, 9–7, 7–5

Men's doubles

/ Tony Roche defeated Ken Rosewall / Fred Stolle, 3–6, 8–6, 5–7, 14–12, 6–3

Women's doubles

/ Billie Jean King defeated Françoise Dürr / Ann Jones, 3–6, 6–4, 7–5

Mixed doubles

/ Margaret Court defeated Alex Metreveli / Olga Morozova, 6–1, 14–12

Juniors

Boys' singles

defeated Jacques Thamin, 6–1, 6–2

Girls' singles

defeated Lesley Hunt, 6–4, 6–3

Seeds

Men's singles

  1. Rod Laver
  2. Ken Rosewall
  3. Andrés Gimeno
  4. John Newcombe
  5. Roy Emerson
  6. Manuel Santana
  7. Lew Hoad
  8. Pancho Gonzales
  9. Dennis Ralston
  10. Butch Buchholz
  11. Fred Stolle
  12. Tom Okker
  13. Arthur Ashe
  14. Cliff Drysdale
  15. Tony Roche
  16. Nikola Pilić

    Women's singles

  17. Billie Jean King
  18. Margaret Court
  19. Nancy Richey
  20. Ann Jones
  21. Virginia Wade
  22. Maria Bueno
  23. Judy Tegart
  24. Lesley Bowrey