As the BBC celebrates 90 years of covering Wimbledon, Sue Barker travels the globe to meet some of the legends who have graced the famous grass courts. Tennis royalty including Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rod Laver, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker and John McEnroe share memories and reflect on their own experiences at the iconic tennis tournament. These are their stories as never told before, emotional and self-deprecating, revealing how their lives and careers were changed by the Championships. For Sue herself, Wimbledon has been a big part of her life for nearly 50 years as a fan, player and broadcaster. She also meets the Duke of Kent, who is president of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and the Duchess of Cambridge, who this year takes on a new role as patron.
As the BBC celebrates 90 years of covering Wimbledon, Sue Barker travels the globe to meet some of the legends who have graced the famous grass courts. Tennis royalty including Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rod Laver, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker and John McEnroe share memories and reflect on their own experiences at the iconic tennis tournament. These are their stories as never told before, emotional and self-deprecating, revealing how their lives and careers were changed by the Championships. For Sue herself, Wimbledon has been a big part of her life for nearly 50 years as a fan, player and broadcaster. She also meets the Duke of Kent, who is president of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and the Duchess of Cambridge, who this year takes on a new role as patron.
2017-07-02
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Under pressure to continue a winning tradition in American tennis, Mardy Fish faced mental health challenges that changed his life on and off the court.
Using fascinating archive from Andy Murray’s life and career, this programme is an in-depth exploration of his incredible journey from Dunblane to becoming a sporting legend.
A fictional documentary-style expose on the rivalry between two tennis stars who battled it out in a 1999 match that lasted seven days.
A look back at the great love story between Roger Federer and Wimbledon, eight times winner in London and who will be present for the 20th year in a row on English grass.
The incredible journey of an Argentinean tennis player, going from the humility of their country, reaching the top of the world.
The remarkable story of Jelena Dokic – an elite tennis star who beat the best in the world with a mental toughness few could match. Jelena survived the turmoil of being a refugee, the pressure of centre court, and the burden of a volatile father.
Documentary film about the protests against the 1968 Davis Cup tennis match between Sweden and Rhodesia, in Båstad, Sweden. In a series of interviews, demonstrators and members of the Swedish government give their views on sport, politics and civil disobedience.
A "Passing Parade" MGM short featuring tennis star Alice Marble
Exploring the interweaving lives and narrative of female tennis royalty as told through the words of the players themselves, Unraveling Athena provides an extraordinary insight into the mind of the professional athlete and the ultimate exploration of what it takes to make a champion.
Both defending champions entered the Fortnight with a great deal at stake. Novak Djokovic, seeking a third successive triumph and fourth in all at the All England Club, was also halfway to achieving the calendar year Grand Slam. Serena Williams meanwhile was trying to equal Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Major singles titles and achieve parity with the German on seven Wimbledon singles titles a piece. The Championships took a series of twists along the way. In one of the biggest upsets in recent Wimbledon history, Djokovic was beaten by the big-hitting American Sam Querrey in the third round.
In this prospective pilot, Mick Jade, a tennis bum-turned-Las Vegas-song-and-dance man, doubles as a private eye with two female dancers, Ebony and Ivory. The trio go undercover to protect a lady scientist from international hitmen as she heads for Washington D.C. from the near-East with her super-secret formula.
The first time Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova stepped onto a tennis court together, the world scarcely noticed. Only a few hundred spectators saw the pert 18-year-old beat the scrappy 16-year-old Czech in 1973. “I remember that she was fat,” Evert recalled. “She was very emotional on the court, whining if she didn't feel she was playing well. But I remember thinking, if she loses weight, we’re all in trouble.” Said Navratilova, “My goal was for her to remember my name.” Eighty matches later – amid the extraordinary growth of women’s tennis – Evert not only remembered, but became a tried and true friend and confidante, remarkable considering the two appeared to be polar opposites in upbringing, life styles and personal relationships. Through a series of personal conversations, this documentary will tell the story of one of the greatest one-on-one sports rivalries and capture these two extraordinary athletes’ views on tennis and an ever-changing world.
Althea Gibson was Black, and Angela Buxton was Jewish. And in 1956, they faced prevailing racism in the UK and changed the face of professional tennis by winning the ladies’ doubles trophy at Wimbledon. Gibson went on to finally win the ladies singles title at Wimbledon in 1957, and also formed a lifelong friendship with Buxton.
The Guler family have a dream: to take their son Jan to the pinnacle of world tennis. While his peers embark on apprenticeships or attend gymnasium classes, Jan joins the professional players' training camp. It's a huge challenge for the whole family. Over a period of five years, the film follows the Guler family on their road to success, showing first-hand how they cope with the sporting, family and social demands of a professional sports career. Little by little, Jan grows into a young man.
For the first time, the tennis world championship would be held for just one week and in a city: Madrid. Eighteen teams strove to win the prized “salad bowl” trophy. Lead by Rafa Nadal, the Spanish team were this year’s favourite until they suffered a serious setback.
The Official Wimbledon Film 2018 delivers an engaging insight into the very best action, on and off the court, at the most famous and revered tennis tournament in the world. Documenting the progress of former champions, challengers and eventual winners as they progress through the fortnight, witnessing the shock results unfold and delving into Wimbledon's unique attributes across the grounds.
Enjoy the highlights and most memorable moments from Wimbledon 2005 with this compilation of clips that celebrates the 119th year of the prestigious tennis tournament. Centre Court highlights capture Roger Federer's triumph over Andy Roddick and Venus Williams's comeback from match point in the third set to defeat 2004 champion Maria Sharapova in a thrilling game. The program also includes doubles, semi-finals and quarter-finals highlights.