Wimbledon stands as the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. The All England Club strictly maintains traditions that date back to the Victorian era. Furthermore, it remains the only Grand Slam event that players still contest on grass courts. Consequently, winning here represents the ultimate dream for every professional tennis player. Explore these fascinating details about the Championships.
Wimbledon
Spectators consume a massive amount of strawberries and cream during the fortnight. Specifically, fans eat over 38 tons of strawberries and 7,000 liters of cream every single year.
The Wimbledon tournament enforces a strict all-white dress code for players. In fact, officials can force athletes to change their underwear if it shows color through their white shorts or skirts.
A hawk named Rufus patrols the sky above the courts every morning. He scares away the local pigeons so they do not interrupt the matches during the day.
The men’s singles trophy features a mysterious golden pineapple on top. Historians believe the silversmith included the fruit because pineapples represented rare luxury and hospitality in the 19th century.
Groundskeepers cut the grass to an exact height of 8 millimeters. They maintain this specific length because it provides the optimal surface for the ball to bounce consistently.
Wimbledon remains one of the few major sporting events where fans can buy tickets on the day of play. Therefore, thousands of people camp overnight in “The Queue” to secure a seat.
The longest match in tennis history took place here in 2010. remarkably, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played for 11 hours and 5 minutes over the course of three days.
Courtside advertising is strictly forbidden at the tournament. unlike other events covered in logos, the All England Club keeps the green walls distinctive and free of commercial sponsors.
Staff keep the tennis balls in refrigerated containers at 68°F (20°C). This temperature control ensures the balls perform perfectly and do not become too bouncy in the heat.
BBGs, undergo intense training for months. They must pass written tests and demonstrate standing perfectly still for three minutes before they can step on the court.
The BBC televised the tournament for the first time in 1937. Thus, it holds the title of the longest-running annual sporting broadcast in history.
Players must bow or curtsy to the Royal Box only if the King or Prince of Wales is present. However, the Duke of Kent abolished the tradition for all other royals in 2003 to modernize the event.
The organizers of Wimbledon employ a team of statisticians to track every single point. They manually record data like serve speed and unforced errors in real-time for the global broadcast.
Rain delays often forced matches to stop until 2009. Fortunately, the club installed a retractable roof on Centre Court to ensure play continues regardless of the British weather.
Finally, Slazenger has supplied the official tennis balls since 1902. This partnership represents the longest sponsorship in the history of sporting goods.
