The Andy Murray headlines have ignored the fact that a Briton won a Wimbledon singles title in 1977. Ah, but she was a woman
Age: 67. Appearance: Airbrushed. Out of history.
Who or what is Virginia Wade? Until last Sunday, the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon.
Huh? When? 36 years ago. Back in 1977. Then how come I’ve never heard of her? Because journalists have forgotten her.
Really? Really. Wade has been written out of the headlines in several major newspapers.
Such as? On the front page of the Times today: “Murray ends 77-year wait for British win.”
Ouch. And, on the front page of the Telegraph: “After 77 years, the wait is over. Oof. And, on the front page of the Daily Mail: “Andy Murray ends 77 years of waiting for a British champion.”
Jeez. Even the Daily Mail forgot about her win? Yep. Which is especially unforgivable, since they also published an interview with her, in which she told the paper: “You never forget how it feels to win Wimbledon.”
Meaning the real wait was actually just 41 years? No, in reality, British tennis fans were never made to wait at all. Dorothy Round Little won the women’s singles - for the second time in her career - one year later, in 1937. So there have been two British winners since? No, actually there have been four.
{{/usCountry}}Meaning the real wait was actually just 41 years? No, in reality, British tennis fans were never made to wait at all. Dorothy Round Little won the women’s singles - for the second time in her career - one year later, in 1937. So there have been two British winners since? No, actually there have been four.
{{/usCountry}}This is a dark day for sports journalism, isn’t it? Afraid so. But it only really counts when men re-tweet it.