- During Wimbledon, Britain develops an unhealthy obsession with tennis
- Wimbledon is the world’s oldest tournament dating back to 1877
- Strawberries and fresh cream have a special place in Wimbledon
Strange Wimbledon facts add to the prestige of All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. It’s famed for hosting the most prestigious Grand Slam tournament in tennis history.
This third Grand Slam of the year draws at least 39,000 spectators per day, including members of royalty and famous people. Everyone is excited to see the top tennis players in the world compete for a prize that is much sought after – a silver trophy.
However, during Wimbledon, Britain develops an unhealthy obsession with tennis and pull out their rusty racquets to “take a hit” at their neighborhood courts. If you have some knowledge of the tournament, it’s easier for you to participate in tennis conversations.
Be sure to have some kind words for Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray who are British tennis icons. Also, the current form and the state of the grass courts here is a whole topic.
Over and above this, the following strange Wimbledon facts will always be a part of this tournament. They include:
Roger Federer: Strange Wimbledon facts. Photo/Tennis.com
IT’S THE OLDEST TOURNAMENT
Wimbledon is the world’s oldest tournament. In 1877, Wimbledon hosted its first championship. That year, the sole tournament was the Men’s Singles. The first women’s singles and men’s doubles competitions took place in 1884. Then the competition introduced the ladies’ and mixed doubles events in 1913.
SO MANY TENNIS BALLS
To maintain their quality, Wimbledon uses over 54,000 tennis balls. They are inspected and replaced approximately seven to nine times per match.
They are stored in a refrigerated container when they’re not in use to keep them clean! This is a strange Wimbledon fact. You can get a can of three balls for £2.50 when the tournament is over, which is a pretty good deal.
BRITAIN BIRTHED WIMBLEDON TOURNAMENT
The tournament formerly referred to as “sphairistikè,” developed in the UK. Walter Clopton Wingfield is the man behind its invention. He coined ‘sphairistikè’ from an old Greek name meaning the art of playing ball.
TELEVISED FOR 85 YEARS
Of the strange Wimbledon facts is that the tournament enjoys televising for the last 85 years. Wimbledon Championships broadcasted live for the first time on television by the BBC on June 21, 1937.
MATCHES LAST FOR HOURS
It is possible for matches to last indefinitely. The match that lasted the longest in Wimbledon’s 2010 championship took place in the last set. American tennis player John Isner beat France’s Nicolas Mahut in a three-day contest lasting 11 hours, 5 minutes and 5 seconds.
DRESS CODE IS STRICT
Wimbledon’s dress code is one of its most distinguishing elements, as players must adhere to it to the letter.
Tennis players wear “tennis whites,” to avoid sweat stains on their brightly-colored apparel. When a lady perspired back in the day, it was absolutely unimaginable that she should be observed doing so.
History has it that Roger Federer was once requested to change his sneakers because they had orange soles!
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE
Strawberries and fresh cream have a special place in Wimbledon. In 2017, at least 23 tonnes and 7,000 gallons of these sweet-tooth delicacies crowned the tournament.
It would take you about 37 miles to cross this field of berries in a straight line!
BALL JOB IS A SERIOUS AFFAIR
A ball boy at Wimbledon. Photo/Sportsnet
The work of a ball girl or ball boy (BBG) is a serious affair. Strange Wimbledon facts is that there are at least 250 ball boys and girls. They are on average just 15 years old.
Coaches select them from a pool of 27 local schools to take on the challenging role of keeping track of the rapidly moving tennis ball. They must demonstrate that they can maintain perfect stillness for at least three minutes to pass the test.
After that, each BBG participates in weekly training sessions lasting for a total of 2.5 hours. During these sessions, they learn about precision, swiftness and discipline.
As a result, they’re not allowed to participate in the tournament if they don’t fulfil Wimbledon’s strict standards.
WINNERS NEVER KEEP THE TROPHY
Wimbledon champions do not keep the trophy after a major win. This is the last of strange Wimbledon facts. The trophies rest in the museum of the All England Club as a memento.
MOST VICTORIES ARE BY A WOMAN
In the Wimbledon Singles tournament, a woman holds the record for the most victories.
Martina Navratilova, a retired Czech-American tennis player, holds the record for the most Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles titles with nine victories.
And, William Renshaw, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer have each won the event seven times in the singles division.
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