The famed grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club celebrated their 100th Anniversary for the 1986 Wimbledon Championships….which were held from June 23rd to July 6th….for this was the 1st time that yellow balls were used during the tournament.
This 1986 Wimbledon edition produced champions including Germany’s Boris Becker in Men’s Singles….as he defeated Czech Ivan Lendl by 6 – 4, 6 – 3 and 7 – 5…..as it was Becker’s 2nd career Grand Slam title…and his 2nd consecutive Wimbledon title. USA Martina Navratilova won the Womens
Singles by defeating Czech Hana Mandikova by 7 – 6 (7-1), 6 – 3….as it was Navratilova’s 39th career Grand Slam title and her 7th Wimbledon single’s title. The total prize money for 1986 Wimbledon championships was £2,119,780….with the winner of the men’s title earning £140,000….while the women’s singles champion earned £126,000.
In the Mixed Doubles Finals….USA’s Kathy Jordan and Ken Flach defeated USA Martina Navratilova and Swiss Heinz Gunthardt by a score of 6 – 3 and 7 – 6 (9 – 7) to win the Mixed Doubles title….as seen in this video herewith….for it was Jordan’s 7th and final career Grand Slam title….and her 3rd Wimbledon title….while it was Flach’s 3rd career Grand Slam title….and his 1st Wimbledon Title. The 1986 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles winners won 25,200 pounds sterling and the runners-up received 12,600 pounds sterling.
USA’s Pam Shriver and Martina Navratilova won the Women’s Doubles by defeating Czech Hana Mandikova and Australian Wendy Turnbull 6 – 1, 6 – 3….as seen in this video herewith….for It was Navratilova’s 40th career Grand Slam title….and her 15th Wimbledon title….while it was Shriver’s 14th career Grand Slam title….and her 5th Wimbledon title. The 1986 Wimbledon Womens Doubles winners won 42,060 pounds sterling…..and runner-ups took home 21,030 pounds sterling.
Sweden’s Mats Willander and Joakim Nystrom won the Men’s Doubles over USA’s Gary Donnelly and Peter Fleming 7 – 6 (7-4), 6 – 3, 6 – 3…..as seen in this video herewith…..for it was Nyström’s only career Grand Slam title….while it was Wilander’s 5th career Grand Slam title….and his only Wimbledon title. The purse for Mens Doubles was 48,500 poinds sterling to the winners….and 24,250 pounds sterling to the runner-ups.
Any way you cut the pie….the three (3) doubles competition at the 1986 Wimbledon tournament seen below….is extremely entertaining and exciting….and well worth the watch.
