Wimbledon: A personal history

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Former Grand Slam winner, BBC TV's face of Wimbledon for three decades and Sunday Times bestselling author, Sue Barker's story-driven narrative, drawing on personal connections and memories, initmately captures the drama and magic of the world's most prestigious tennis tournament 'The thing about our Sue is that she just is Wimbledon.' John McEnroe Sue Barker first walked through those famous wrought-iron gates aged 13 in 1969 to play in the National Schools event. What Sue didn't know then, was that every year for the next half century, she would be back in some capacity. As a junior, aged 15, as a semi-finalist and Grand-Slam winner ranked No.3 in the world, as a broadcaster leading the BBC coverage for thirty years and for the first time, as a fan in 2023. And now she returns as a storyteller. The magic has stayed the same,but times have changed. With her first-hand insight and perspective, Sue paints an intimate portrait of the place, past and present, full of behind-the-scenes details drawn from her own experiences as well as personal conversations with her former mentors, contemporary players, friends and colleagues - giants of the game such as Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Roger Federer, Venus Williams and many others. They share poignant memories with her and some startling revelations, from Sampas's deep regret that he didn't involve his parents more in his Centre Court triumphs to Borg divulging that McEnroe was always the quietest presence in the locker room ... You cannot be serious! From the most talked-about matches and famous rivalries to the fashions and trends, from the stunning breakthroughs, to the near wins and gut-wrenching disappointments, Sue's personal history of Wimbledon is touched throughout by Championship stardust and is as tightly packed with stories as the courts are with blades of grass.

Author Bio

Sue Barker CBE is an award-winning broadcaster and former professional tennis player. During her tennis career she won fifteen WTA singles titles, including a Grand Slam - the French Open in 1976, aged 20. At her career height she was Britain's No 1 player, with a world ranking of No 3. As a broadcaster, in 2001 she became the first woman to win the Royal Television Society's best sports presenter award. She led the BBC's reporting on the Olympics for over a decade, including London 2012. She anchored SPOTY for 19 years, was quizmaster on A Question of Sport for 24 years and fronted coverage of Wimbledon for three decades. In 2020, she won The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. Wimbledon- A personal history is her second Sunday Times bestselling book, following her autobiography, Calling the Shots, published in 2022. Sue lives in the Cotswolds with her husband Lance.