The 136th renewal of the Wimbledon Championships is upon us, with the grass-court Grand Slam getting underway on July 3 and concluding on July 16. History potentially beckons at the 2023 edition of the tournament as Novak Djokovic seeks a number of record-equaling achievements, while Iga Swiatek seeks her first title as favourite in the odds on women’s Wimbledon.
If the Serbian is successful once again on Centre Court, he will become the third person after Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer to win five straight Championships in the Open Era while he will emulate the Swiss legend’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
Not to mention the fact Djokovic would also match Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam victories and pull two clear of his nearest rival in the men’s game Rafael Nadal, who has been ruled out of this year’s Wimbledon through injury, on 22 major triumphs.
Accolades aside, Wimbledon is considered by many to be the most prestigious of tennis’ four Grand Slams. But aside from the synonymous strawberries and cream and jugs of Pimm’s, what makes The Championships such an iconic event that is enjoyed by the wider world of sport and not just by avid tennis fans? Let’s take a look at some of the factors.
Tradition
Dating back to 1877, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and it has stuck by its age-old traditions. It is the only Grand Slam played on grass courts, which is the original playing surface for the sport.
Grass requires a different level of skill and ability as the ball bounces differently and makes for a faster-paced game compared to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows and Melbourne Park and the clay surface of Roland Garros.
To this day, organisers of the event have also stuck by the traditional all-white dress code for players while it is the only Grand Slam that doesn’t allow on-court advertising.
Prestige
There are very few sporting events in the United Kingdom that have the same level of prestige as Wimbledon. In fact, Royal Ascot is arguably the only thing that stands it above — with the Royal procession prior to each day’s racing perhaps giving it the edge over The Championships.
But the Windsors do regularly attend Wimbledon as well and the famous Royal Box is situated above the baseline on Centre Court, with the 74 seats in that area offering some of the best views of the thrilling action.
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is also one of the most elegant venues in sport, with its 18 Championship courts and immaculate, picturesque grounds in SW19.
Sporting Heritage
In its 145-year history, Wimbledon has witnessed some iconic sporting moments that will go down in folklore. Brit William Henshaw won The Championships seven times (including six in a row) in the 1880s, while we have seen other eras of brilliant dominance from Pete Sampras — who won seven titles from 1993-2000 — and Roger Federer, who left his mark on the All England Club with a record eight wins between 2003 and 2017.
There have also been some memorable rivalries, with Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe captivating a worldwide audience with their iconic battles in the 1970s and ‘80s while the ‘Big Three’ of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have treated us to some outstanding finals in more modern times as they’ve vied for dominance in the men’s singles.
Then there is the huge success of the Williams sisters. Venus and Serena have combined for a total of 11 Wimbledon women’s singles titles, with the former winning five and the latter claiming seven. The pair have also joined forces to win six Ladies’ Doubles titles from 2000 to 2016.
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