What is Wimbledon?
The All England Tennis Championship or as it’s more commonly referred to as “Wimbledon” or “The Championship”, is the 3rd of the 4 tennis grand slams in a calendar year and as per the tennis fans and commentators of the game, it is the most prestigious and sought slam in the tennis world.
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world on record. It has been held at the All England Tennis Club since 1877, it is also the only tennis major to be played on the grass courts which makes it all the more special and unique amongst the 3 other slams.
Wimbledon in essence is the celebration of the sport that tennis is; the UK audience turns it into a festivity and galore of passionate tennis and supreme sporting action that runs over a fortnight – an absolutely pleasure to tennis fans across the globe. It’s a tournament that beholds with itself some beautiful traditions which have continued for many years, we name a few that’ll be there to witness even this year :
How many players participate in Wimbledon?
Starting with the participation of international tennis stars, Wimbledon has top 256 men and women tennis stars taking participation in the tournament. Apart from the usual culture of Wimbledon to hold tennis tournament for the men and women (both current and over 40), this year will witness the first wheelchair singles tournament in the history of Wimbledon. This tournament will commence on7th of July but the Finals will be played on the same day as the men’s and women’s final.
The dilemma of white, Wimbledon Whites
Wimbledon since it’s inception has had a very strict dress code for it’s participants. Only white tshirt and trousers are allowed at the Wimbledon and not adhering to the same has often seen the players under the radar of the organizers – something from which even leading seeds like Federer and Serena Williams aren’t spared. Not only are the clothes white, the shoes are also ought to match the clothing – it sure is a stylish tournament.
How many courts does Wimbledon comprise of?
Wimbledon in totality has 18 courts but the major court is the court no.1 (Centre court)– it’s the only court out of the 18 that has the facility of “roof closing”, which comes in handy during untimely showers which in earlier cases used to halt the matches for hours and even days. On an average, it takes around 20-25 minutes to close the roof and restart the match.
The BBG’s
Wimbledon takes great pride in it’s ball boys and girls, known as “BBGs”. Their job KRA is best described by Wimbledon as “They should not be seen. They should blend in the background and get on with their job quietly”.
A partnership lasting 114 years
A fact about Wimbledon that remains less known is it’s long running sponsorship partnership with the sporting brand in “Slazenger” which has been sponsoring the Wimbledon balls since the 1902 and to this present year – a partnership of 114 years.
The Wimbledon 2016 commences from the 27th of June with exhilarating action awaiting tennis fans over the course of next 14 days.