Close your eyes: the scent of freshly cut grass drifts over Henman Hill, punnets of strawberries & cream sell out in minutes, and the BBC’s Isa Guha joins John McEnroe and Tim Henman on air. At Wimbledon — formally “The Championships” — London turns all-white for a fortnight: 532,651 spectators in 2024, coverage in 220+ territories, and 148 years of history. Let’s explore why SW19 is still the holy grail of grass-court tennis.
Contents
Wimbledon: Temple of Grass
Leading Contenders – 2025
After the warm-up events in Stuttgart, Halle, Queen’s, Nottingham and Berlin, five men — Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, Novak Djokovic —and five women—Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina — have separated themselves from the field. Home favourite Jack Draper will ride Centre-Court energy, while Novak Djokovic chases a record-equalling eighth crown. Veteran Stan Wawrinka bids a fond farewell.
| Rank | Player | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jannik Sinner | ITA | 10,430 |
| 2 | Carlos Alcaraz | ESP | 9,300 |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | GER | 6,500 |
| 4 | Jack Draper | GBR | 4,650 |
| 5 | Taylor Fritz | USA | 4,635 |
| 6 | Novak Djokovic | SRB | 4,630 |
| 7 | Lorenzo Musetti | ITA | 4,140 |
| 8 | Holger Rune | DEN | 3,530 |
| 9 | Daniil Medvedev | RUS | 3,420 |
| 10 | Ben Shelton | USA | 3,170 |
| Rank | Player | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | BLR | 11,640 |
| 2 | Coco Gauff | USA | 7,899 |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | USA | 6,048 |
| 4 | Jasmine Paolini | ITA | 4,806 |
| 5 | Qinwen Zheng | CHN | 4,803 |
| 6 | Madison Keys | USA | 4,669 |
| 7 | Mirra Andreeva | RUS | 4,636 |
| 8 | Iga Świątek | POL | 4,618 |
| 9 | Paula Badosa | ESP | 3,727 |
| 10 | Emma Navarro | USA | 3,697 |
| Event | Level | Finished | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuttgart | ATP 250 | 15 Jun | Taylor Fritz | Alexander Zverev | 6-3 7-6(0) |
| Halle | ATP 500 | 23 Jun | Alexander Bublik | Daniil Medvedev | 6-3 7-6(4) |
| Queen’s Club | ATP 500 | 23 Jun | Carlos Alcaraz | Jiri Lehecka | 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2 |
| Event | Level | Finished | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham | WTA 250 | 22 Jun | McCartney Kessler | Dayana Yastremska | 6-4 7-5 |
| Berlin | WTA 500 | 22 Jun | Markéta Vondroušová | Wang Xinyu | 7-6(10) 4-6 6-2 |
| Birmingham | WTA 125 | 16 Jun | Greet Minnen | Linda Fruhvirtová | 6-2 6-1 |
Farewells, Withdrawals & Injury Watch
This year’s draw features notable absences and tributes:
- Stan Wawrinka – no wild card granted; the three-time major winner will be honoured on opening Monday.
- Serena Williams – a Centre-Court ceremony on Tuesday celebrates her seven Wimbledon titles, two years into retirement.
- Dominic Thiem – newly retired, on site as VIP and Austrian TV analyst.
Confirmed withdrawals:
- Casper Ruud (knee) – announced 22 June.
- Arthur Fils (back) – replaced by lucky loser Luca Van Assche.
- Nick Kyrgios (knee) – third straight Wimbledon missed.
- Zhang Zhizhen (wrist) – out of the men’s draw.
Question marks / returning:
- Ons Jabeur – knee management, expected to play.
- Emma Raducanu – Eastbourne win boosts confidence; says she’s “100% ready”.
- Barbora Krejčíková – back on court in Eastbourne, day-by-day monitoring.
- Bianca Andreescu – fighting through qualies after long lay-off.
French Hopes
Can les Bleus break Britain’s grass-court curse?
- Ugo Humbert – world No. 14, left-handed, aggressive; fresh off Halle R16 and deep Eastbourne run.
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – 2.03 m serve cannon; upset Medvedev in Stuttgart qualifying.
- Adrian Mannarino – 36 and as flat-hitting as ever; grass specialist out of the qualies.
- Diane Parry – one-handed slice backhand tailor-made for grass.
Notable absentees: Arthur Fils (injury) and Caroline Garcia (recently retired).
French players in qualifying:
- Men: Constant Lestienne, Luca Van Assche, Adrian Mannarino, Valentin Royer, Titouan Droguet, Arthur Cazaux, Ugo Blanchet, Arthur Bouquier, Luka Pavlovic, Calvin Hemery, Hugo Grenier, Harold Mayot, Kyrian Jacquet, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Terence Atmane, Antoine Escoffier.
- Women: Loïs Boisson, Léolia Jeanjean, Chloé Paquet, Diane Parry, Manon Léonard, Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, Séléna Janicijevic, Elsa Jacquemot, Alizé Cornet, Jessika Ponchet.
How to Watch Wimbledon
United Kingdom: BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, Wimbledon Live (online) – all free-to-air.
United States: ESPN, ESPN+, ABC; cord-cutters can stream via Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling.
France: beIN SPORTS holds exclusive rights through 2028 (streaming on beIN Connect and myCANAL).
Elsewhere: Nine Network (Australia), TSN (Canada), Sky Deutschland, SuperSport (Africa). Check the official broadcast list for your territory.
Free legal options: Swiss channel RTS 2 and BBC iPlayer can be accessed with a reputable VPN.
History & Evolution
Born in 1877 at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon is the sport’s oldest tournament. The move to Church Road came in 1922; a retractable roof arrived in 2009 (Centre Court) and 2019 (No.1 Court). Apart from two world wars and the 2020 pandemic cancellation, the event has never missed a year.
The Grass
Since 2001, courts have been sown with 100% perennial ryegrass, mown to 8 mm. Beneath lie 15 cm of clay-sand mix and 200 km of drainage pipe. Quick but not lightning, the surface rewards attacking play and deft movement.
Courts & Facilities
- Centre Court: 14,979 seats, retractable roof (2009), LED floodlights.
- No.1 Court: 12,400 seats, retractable roof (2019), overlooks Henman-Murray Hill.
- Court 18: stage of the 70-68 Isner–Mahut marathon (2010), stands raised in 2023.
- Grounds: 18 match courts, 22 practice courts, 16 ha, rainwater recycling and solar panels.
Records & Legends
- Roger Federer: eight men’s singles titles (record).
- Martina Navratilova: nine singles titles (all-time record).
- Novak Djokovic: seven titles, 35 straight wins (2018-23).
- Steffi Graf: only Golden Slam (1988).
Winners & Finalists since 1980
| Year | Men’s Champion | Men’s Runner-up | Women’s Champion | Women’s Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Björn Borg | John McEnroe | Evonne Goolagong Cawley | Chris Evert |
| 1981 | John McEnroe | Björn Borg | Chris Evert | Hana Mandlíková |
| 1982 | Jimmy Connors | John McEnroe | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert |
| 1983 | John McEnroe | Chris Lewis | Martina Navratilova | Andrea Jaeger |
| 1984 | John McEnroe | Jimmy Connors | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert |
| 1985 | Boris Becker | Kevin Curren | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert |
| 1986 | Boris Becker | Ivan Lendl | Martina Navratilova | Hana Mandlíková |
| 1987 | Pat Cash | Ivan Lendl | Martina Navratilova | Steffi Graf |
| 1988 | Stefan Edberg | Boris Becker | Steffi Graf | Martina Navratilova |
| 1989 | Boris Becker | Stefan Edberg | Steffi Graf | Martina Navratilova |
| 1990 | Stefan Edberg | Boris Becker | Martina Navratilova | Zina Garrison |
| 1991 | Michael Stich | Boris Becker | Steffi Graf | Gabriela Sabatini |
| 1992 | Andre Agassi | Goran Ivanišević | Steffi Graf | Monica Seles |
| 1993 | Pete Sampras | Jim Courier | Steffi Graf | Jana Novotná |
| 1994 | Pete Sampras | Goran Ivanišević | Conchita Martínez | Martina Navratilova |
| 1995 | Pete Sampras | Boris Becker | Steffi Graf | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
| 1996 | Richard Krajicek | MaliVai Washington | Steffi Graf | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
| 1997 | Pete Sampras | Cédric Pioline | Martina Hingis | Jana Novotná |
| 1998 | Pete Sampras | Goran Ivanišević | Jana Novotná | Nathalie Tauziat |
| 1999 | Pete Sampras | Andre Agassi | Lindsay Davenport | Steffi Graf |
| 2000 | Pete Sampras | Patrick Rafter | Venus Williams | Lindsay Davenport |
| 2001 | Goran Ivanišević | Patrick Rafter | Venus Williams | Justine Henin |
| 2002 | Lleyton Hewitt | David Nalbandian | Serena Williams | Venus Williams |
| 2003 | Roger Federer | Mark Philippoussis | Serena Williams | Venus Williams |
| 2004 | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | Maria Sharapova | Serena Williams |
| 2005 | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | Venus Williams | Lindsay Davenport |
| 2006 | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | Amélie Mauresmo | Justine Henin |
| 2007 | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | Venus Williams | Marion Bartoli |
| 2008 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Venus Williams | Serena Williams |
| 2009 | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | Serena Williams | Venus Williams |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal | Tomáš Berdych | Serena Williams | Vera Zvonareva |
| 2011 | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Petra Kvitová | Maria Sharapova |
| 2012 | Roger Federer | Andy Murray | Serena Williams | Agnieszka Radwańska |
| 2013 | Andy Murray | Novak Djokovic | Marion Bartoli | Sabine Lisicki |
| 2014 | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | Petra Kvitová | Eugenie Bouchard |
| 2015 | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | Serena Williams | Garbiñe Muguruza |
| 2016 | Andy Murray | Milos Raonic | Serena Williams | Angelique Kerber |
| 2017 | Roger Federer | Marin Čilić | Garbiñe Muguruza | Venus Williams |
| 2018 | Novak Djokovic | Kevin Anderson | Angelique Kerber | Serena Williams |
| 2019 | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | Simona Halep | Serena Williams |
| 2020 | Annulé (COVID-19) | |||
| 2021 | Novak Djokovic | Matteo Berrettini | Ashleigh Barty | Karolína Plíšková |
| 2022 | Novak Djokovic | Nick Kyrgios | Elena Rybakina | Ons Jabeur |
| 2023 | Carlos Alcaraz | Novak Djokovic | Markéta Vondroušová | Ons Jabeur |
| 2024 | Carlos Alcaraz | Novak Djokovic | Barbora Krejčíková | Jasmine Paolini |
All-time Record Holders
| Roger Federer | Novak Djokovic | Pete Sampras | Björn Borg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wimbledon titles | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Total Majors | 20 | 24 | 14 | 11 |
| First title | 2003 | 2011 | 1993 | 1976 |
| Last title | 2017 | 2022 | 2000 | 1980 |
| Martina Navratilova | Serena Williams | Steffi Graf | Venus Williams | Barbora Krejčíková | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wimbledon titles | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Total Majors | 18 | 23 | 22 | 7 | 2 |
| First title | 1978 | 2002 | 1988 | 2000 | 2024 |
| Last title | 1990 | 2016 | 1996 | 2008 | 2024 |
Comparing the Slams
| Australian Open | Roland-Garros | Wimbledon | US Open | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Melbourne | Paris | London | New York |
| Surface | Hard (GreenSet) | Clay | Grass | Hard (Laykold) |
| When | Mid-Jan | Late May – early Jun | Late Jun – early Jul | Late Aug – early Sep |
| Founded | 1905 | 1891 | 1877 | 1881 |
| Attendance | 1,110,657 | 630,000 | 532,651 | 957,387 |
| Total purse | A$ 86.5 M | € 53.5 M | £ 53.5 M | $ 75 M |
| Centre-court capacity | Rod Laver 15,000 | Chatrier 15,225 | Centre Court 14,979 | Arthur Ashe 23,771 |
| Show courts | 35+ | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Prize Money
Singles
| Round | AO (A$) | RG (€) | Wim (£) | USO ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 3,150,000 | 2,550,000 | 3,000,000 | 3,000,000 |
| Runner-up | 1,725,000 | 1,275,000 | 1,520,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Semi-final | 990,000 | 690,000 | 880,000 | 775,000 |
| Quarter | 600,000 | 440,000 | 450,000 | 455,000 |
| Round of 16 | 375,000 | 265,000 | 238,000 | 284,000 |
| Round of 32 | 255,000 | 168,000 | 143,000 | 191,000 |
| Round of 64 | 180,000 | 117,000 | 95,000 | 123,000 |
| Round of 128 | 120,000 | 78,000 | 66,000 | 81,500 |
Doubles (per team)
| Round | AO (A$) | RG (€) | Wim (£) | USO ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 730,000 | 590,000 | 680,000 | 700,000 |
| Runner-up | 400,000 | 295,000 | 340,000 | 350,000 |
| Semi-final | 227,500 | 148,000 | 190,000 | 180,000 |
| Quarter | 128,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Round of 16 | 75,000 | 43,500 | 55,000 | 58,000 |
| Round of 32 | 53,000 | 27,500 | 35,000 | 36,800 |
| Round of 64 | 36,000 | 17,500 | 23,000 | 22,000 |
From Victorian tradition to 4K streaming, Wimbledon remains a global festival. While legends Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova watch over their records, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are already writing the next chapter beneath London’s ever-changing skies.
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