Read the text below. For blanks (1—12) choose the correct item (A, B, C or D).

Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the most important ________________(1) event of the British summer. Since the first ________________(2) was played in 1877 in front of a few hundred ________________(3), the competition has become a global sporting event attended by over half a million people, and watched on television by millions.
The world’s top tennis players agree that playing at Wimbledon is an experience ________________(4) no other. John McEnroe, a three-time Wimbledon winner, describes Wimbledon as «the hallowed ground of the sport».
Although the Wimbledon tennis championship has been in existence for more than a century, the sport of tennis has a much longer history. Most experts agree that the modern game has its ________________(5) in a courtyard ball game played by French monks in the 11th century.
For this reason many of the words used in tennis are of ________________(6) origin. The unusual terms used in scoring a tennis match are English versions of French words: «deuce» (pronounced «juice») comes from the French word «deux», meaning «to two». The word «love», meaning «zero», also has French origins.
Much has changed since the first Wimbledon Tournament in 1877 — when the first champion, Spencer Gore, ________________(7) a prize of £12; this year the prize money is £630,000. Indeed, success in tennis championships is a very lucrative business. 2004 Wimbledon ________________(8), Roger Federer, has won nearly $17,000,000 in prize money since turning professional in 1998. Even more impressive, Serena and Venus Williams have won a staggering $30,000,000 between them over the last ten years.
________________(9) Wimbledon has traditionally been dominated by Americans and Europeans, other countries are beginning to produce world-class players. Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian, who won gold ________________(10) at the Athens Olympics, both play at Wimbledon this year. All Chinese competitors will be ________________(11) pressure to do well; their coach, Jiang Hongwei, has gone on record as saying, «My first target is to lift my players into the top 30. The Olympic gold is not ________________(12)».