6 Things you might not know about Wimbledon
Order on the Court!
Wimbledon 2024, also known as the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament, is well under way! Featuring the world’s greatest tennis players, Wimbledon occurs over two weeks in the summer annually at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Aside from the Summer Olympics, this tennis Grand Slam tournament is an annual highlight of the season with throngs of tennis fans coming out to watch the games. During this tennis-filled fortnight, you can expect to see crowds turn up in their Sunday best. That includes celebrities and members of the royal family! As we wait to find out who gets to raise the coveted Wimbledon trophies this year, here are some interesting facts about the tournament that you might not have known.
1. ALL EYES ON THE COURT
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Wimbledon is one of the most highly spectated events in the world. But just how many people are watching? In 2023, it was reported that there were over 54.3 million streams of the tournament on BBC’s coverage on its iPlayer and BBC Sport online around the United Kingdom! As expected, that number shattered BBC records. The men’s finals match between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz—the eventual champion—and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic alone drew in about 11.3 million viewers, the highest number seen since Andy Murray’s final in 2016.
2. TENNIS FOREVER
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There is no set cap on time when it comes to tennis games! Wimbledon’s longest match lasted for over 11 hours during its 2010 tournament. American John Isner and Frenchman battled the strenuous match out over three days of gameplay with the former claiming his well-earned victory.
3. NOT YOURS TO KEEP
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Despite years of training and hours of intense play, Wimbledon champions do not get to bring home the trophy. In fact, this is standard practice at many of the world’s biggest tournaments like the FIFA World Cup. The actual Wimbledon trophies are kept at the All England Club’s museum after the ceremony. Instead, the winners get to bring home a smaller replica of the hardware. Bonus fun fact: there is a tiny gold pineapple on the top of the men’s singles trophy, but nobody seems to know why!
4. A SUMMER FOR STRAWBERRIES
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While there are a number of eateries and food stands scattered across the Grounds, the tournament is also known for its iconic Wimbledon picnic on the Hill. It is here that strawberries and spectating go hand-in-hand. In fact, strawberries and cream have become something of a Wimbledon icon. It is estimated that around 50,000 kilograms of strawberries and 14,900 litres of cream are consumed each year during the tournament, feeding the crowd around the Grounds.
5. HAWK VS. PIGEONS
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Ever wonder how the Grounds are kept pigeon-free during Wimbledon? Well, you can give thanks to Rufus the Harris hawk. He’s been in service for about 15 years and is now joined by other members of his flock. Every morning during the tournament, Rufus is sent on his mission to circle the Wimbledon skies and scare away pigeons. To make things more impressive, he actually shoos them away without hurting them.
Back in 2012, Rufus was stolen from the back of his owner’s car. The hawk-napping caused an outcry from his global fans. Three days after going missing, Rufus was found on Wimbledon Common, virtually unharmed with only a minor sore leg. Rufus now boasts a loyal following on both X and Instagram.
6. TENNIS BALLS IN RETIREMENT
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As one can imagine, a lot of tennis balls are used over the course of the competition. Upwards of 54,000 balls are used during a single Wimbledon tournament. Balls are replaced after seven to nine games to ensure they’re in optimum condition for gameplay. When they’re not in use, the balls are placed in a refrigerator to maintain their quality. Better yet, fans who are attending Wimbledon can visit the Used Ball Kiosk at the Southern Village store to purchase the used balls that have been “retired”!
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