Fifty years since an 81-player boycott at Wimbledon that changed tennis

BOYCOTT: Nikki Pilic (left) in the Strand with ATP board members, Cliff Drysdale, Arthur Ashe and Jack Kramer. Pic: PA

This year’s Wimbledon Championships marks the 50th anniversary of a dispute which saw 81 male players boycott the tournament and changed tennis forever.

Top stars including defending champion Stan Smith, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe and Ken Rosewall stunned the sporting world by turning their backs on the most gilded event in tennis.