History
The All-England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club staged its first national tennis tournament at the Wimbledon grounds in 1877. Women's event were added in 1884.
As with the men's singles, the women's singles tournament originally followed the challenge round format, in which the previous year's champion received a bye all the way into the finals. Since 1922, the defending champion has been simply another entrant who has to win her way to the final match.
The tournament was opened to professionals in 1968, but contract pros were banned from competition in 1972.