SafekipediaWimbledon Championships
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
The Wimbledon Championships, commonly called Wimbledon, is a tennis tournament organised by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in collaboration with the Lawn Tennis Association annually in Wimbledon, London. It is chronologically the third of the four Grand Slam tennis events each year, held after the Australian Open and the French Open and before the US Open. It is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely regarded as the most prestigious.
Wimbledon has been held since 1877 and is played on outdoor grass courts; it is the only tennis major still played on grass, the traditional surface. The tournament traditionally takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, starting either on the last Monday in June or the first Monday in July and culminating with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Finals.
Wimbledon traditions include a strict all-white dress code for competitors, and royal patronage. Strawberries and cream are traditionally consumed at the tournament, in latter years accompanied by champagne. Unlike other tournaments, advertising is minimal and low-key from official suppliers such as Slazenger and Rolex. The relationship with Slazenger is the world's longest-running sporting sponsorship, providing balls for the tournament since 1902.
The 2026 Wimbledon Championships will run from 29 June to 12 July.
History
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club began in 1868 as a place to play croquet. In 1876, the club added lawn tennis, a new game created by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. The first Wimbledon Championship was held in 1877, with just one event: the Gentlemen’s Singles.
Over the years, more events were added, like Ladies’ Singles and Doubles. In 1968, professional players were allowed to compete for the first time. Wimbledon has always been known for its traditions, like playing on grass and using strawberries and cream. In 2009, a retractable roof was added to Centre Court so play could continue when it rained. Even with changes, Wimbledon remains one of the most famous tennis tournaments in the world.
Events
Wimbledon has several exciting events for different players. The main events include Gentlemen's Singles and Ladies' Singles, each with 128 players, Gentlemen's Doubles and Ladies' Doubles with 64 teams each, and Mixed Doubles with 32 teams.
There are also junior events for younger players, with Boys' Singles and Girls' Singles each having 64 players, and Boys' Doubles and Girls' Doubles each with 32 teams. Additionally, there are special invitation events for former champions and wheelchair tennis players, featuring various doubles matches. All these matches are played in a single-elimination format, where players must win each round to advance.
Schedule
Each year, the Wimbledon Championships begin on the last Monday in June or the first Monday in July. This tournament happens two weeks after the Queen's Club Championships and around the same time as the Halle Open in Halle, Germany. Other grass-court tournaments before Wimbledon include Eastbourne and Rosmalen, as well as Birmingham for women.
Since 2015, Wimbledon has started one week later than before, creating a longer break after the French Open. The tournament lasts for 14 days, starting on a Monday and ending on a Sunday. Traditionally, there was no play on the "Middle Sunday," but in 2022, matches began on that day for the first time. From 2025, Wimbledon will be the only Grand Slam tournament to start on a Monday.
Curfew
Wimbledon is special because all matches must finish by 11:00 pm. This rule started in 2009 to make sure local people aren’t disturbed late at night. Even though lights were added to let play continue after dark, the nearby council set this limit to keep things balanced between the big tennis event and the neighborhood.
Players and seeding
Both the men's and ladies' singles at Wimbledon have 128 players each. Players get into the main events based on their international rankings, with some spots given as wild cards and others filled by qualifiers. Since 2001, 32 players are given seedings in the singles events and 16 teams in the doubles. Seedings help organize the tournament so top players meet later on.
Wild cards are special invitations given to players who did well in past tournaments or who might draw more interest. Players who don’t have high enough rankings and aren’t wild cards can try to qualify in a tournament held a week before Wimbledon. Some notable champions started as wild cards or qualifiers, showing that great players can come from unexpected places.
Grounds
Main article: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Since 2001, the courts at Wimbledon have been covered with special grass called perennial ryegrass to help them stay strong during tournaments. Before that, a mix of ryegrass and another type of grass was used. The biggest courts, like Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are only used for about two weeks each year during the Wimbledon Championships, but they sometimes host other events too, like the Olympic Games.
Wimbledon is special because it is the last big tennis tournament played on natural grass. Most other big tournaments now use different surfaces. The main court, Centre Court, has a roof that can close to protect players from rain or very hot weather. Fans can watch matches on a big screen in an area called the Aorangi Terrace, which sometimes gets special names when British players do well.
The qualifying matches happen at the Bank of England Sports Ground in Roehampton, a short distance from the main club.
Traditions
Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament, has many special traditions. Players must wear white clothing, a rule that started in 1963. The tournament uses special colours, dark green and purple, for its official items.
Young people called ball boys and ball girls help during the matches. They come from local schools and work in teams. They pass tests on tennis rules and get training before they can help at Wimbledon.
Umpires watch the matches and make sure everything is fair. In 2007, they started using a technology called Hawk-Eye to check if the ball was in or out. Traditional line umpires were no longer used starting in 2025, when a new system replaced them.
Players are called by their names now, not “Mr.” or “Miss.” In the past, they used to bow to members of the royal family, but this tradition changed in 2003.
Fans can try to get tickets by joining a ballot or a queue. Some tickets are sold to people who invest in the tournament.
Spectators enjoy eating strawberries and cream, a tradition that dates back many years. The tournament also has a special dinner for the champions after the event.
Media coverage and attendance
Main article: List of Wimbledon broadcasters
Wimbledon has been broadcast on radio and television for many years. In the past, Radio Wimbledon provided live coverage on FM radio within a short distance from the grounds, with commentary and reports from presenters and guests.
Since 2018, the BBC has been the main television broadcaster in the United Kingdom, showing matches on BBC One and BBC Two. The BBC has broadcast Wimbledon since 1937 and features many famous commentators and former players. The finals must be shown live on British television, and highlights of the whole tournament are provided. The BBC switched to colour television in 1967 and now broadcasts in high definition and 4K ultra-high-definition.
Trophies, prize money and ranking points
The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a tall silver gilt cup, awarded since 1887, featuring a gold pineapple on top. The Ladies' Singles champion is given the "Venus Rosewater Dish," a silver salver with mythological figures. Winners of doubles events each receive their own silver cups.
Prize money began in 1968 when professional players were first allowed to compete. Over the years, prize money has increased, with special attention given to players who lose in earlier rounds. Today, Wimbledon offers significant rewards for all participants. Players earn ranking points for the ATP and WTA, helping them climb the global tennis rankings.
| Year | Gentlemen's singles | Gentlemen's doubles (pair) | Ladies' singles | Ladies' doubles (pair) | Mixed doubles (pair) | Total for tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | £2,000 | £800 | £750 | £500 | £450 | £26,150 |
| 1969 | £3,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £600 | £500 | £33,370 |
| 1970 | £3,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £600 | £500 | £41,650 |
| 1971 | £3,750 | £750 | £1,800 | £450 | £375 | £37,790 |
| 1972 | £5,000 | £1,000 | £3,000 | £600 | £500 | £50,330 |
| 1973 | £5,000 | £1,000 | £3,000 | £600 | £500 | £52,400 |
| 1974 | £10,000 | £2,000 | £7,000 | £1,200 | £1,000 | £97,100 |
| 1975 | £10,000 | £2,000 | £7,000 | £1,200 | £1,000 | £114,875 |
| 1976 | £12,500 | £3,000 | £10,000 | £2,400 | £2,000 | £157,740 |
| 1977 | £15,000 | £6,000 | £13,500 | £5,200 | £3,000 | £222,540 |
| 1978 | £19,000 | £7,500 | £17,100 | £6,500 | £4,000 | £279,023 |
| 1979 | £20,000 | £8,000 | £18,000 | £6,930 | £4,200 | £277,066 |
| 1980 | £20,000 | £8,400 | £18,000 | £7,276 | £4,420 | £293,464 |
| 1981 | £21,600 | £9,070 | £19,400 | £7,854 | £4,770 | £322,136 |
| 1982 | £41,667 | £16,666 | £37,500 | £14,450 | £6,750 | £593,366 |
| 1983 | £66,600 | £26,628 | £60,000 | £23,100 | £12,000 | £978,211 |
| 1984 | £100,000 | £40,000 | £90,000 | £34,700 | £18,000 | £1,461,896 |
| 1985 | £130,000 | £47,500 | £117,000 | £41,100 | £23,400 | £1,934,760 |
| 1986 | £140,000 | £48,500 | £126,000 | £42,060 | £25,200 | £2,119,780 |
| 1987 | £155,000 | £53,730 | £139,500 | £46,500 | £27,900 | £2,470,020 |
| 1988 | £165,000 | £57,200 | £148,500 | £49,500 | £29,700 | £2,612,126 |
| 1989 | £190,000 | £65,870 | £171,000 | £56,970 | £34,200 | £3,133,749 |
| 1990 | £230,000 | £94,230 | £207,000 | £81,510 | £40,000 | £3,819,730 |
| 1991 | £240,000 | £98,330 | £216,000 | £85,060 | £41,720 | £4,010,970 |
| 1992 | £265,000 | £108,570 | £240,000 | £93,920 | £46,070 | £4,416,820 |
| 1993 | £305,000 | £124,960 | £275,000 | £108,100 | £53,020 | £5,048,450 |
| 1994 | £345,000 | £141,350 | £310,000 | £122,200 | £60,000 | £5,682,170 |
| 1995 | £365,000 | £149,540 | £328,000 | £129,300 | £63,500 | £6,025,550 |
| 1996 | £392,500 | £160,810 | £353,000 | £139,040 | £68,280 | £6,465,910 |
| 1997 | £415,000 | £170,030 | £373,500 | £147,010 | £72,200 | £6,884,952 |
| 1998 | £435,000 | £178,220 | £391,500 | £154,160 | £75,700 | £7,207,590 |
| 1999 | £455,000 | £186,420 | £409,500 | £167,770 | £79,180 | £7,595,330 |
| 2000 | £477,500 | £195,630 | £430,000 | £176,070 | £83,100 | £8,056,480 |
| 2001 | £500,000 | £205,000 | £462,500 | £189,620 | £87,000 | £8,525,280 |
| 2002 | £525,000 | £210,000 | £486,000 | £194,250 | £88,500 | £8,825,320 |
| 2003 | £575,000 | £210,000 | £535,000 | £194,250 | £88,500 | £9,373,990 |
| 2004 | £602,500 | £215,000 | £560,500 | £200,000 | £90,000 | £9,707,280 |
| 2005 | £630,000 | £218,500 | £600,000 | £203,250 | £90,000 | £10,085,510 |
| 2006 | £655,000 | £220,690 | £625,000 | £205,280 | £90,000 | £10,378,710 |
| 2007 | £700,000 | £222,900 | £700,000 | £222,900 | £90,000 | £11,282,710 |
| 2008 | £750,000 | £230,000 | £750,000 | £230,000 | £92,000 | £11,812,000 |
| 2009 | £850,000 | £230,000 | £850,000 | £230,000 | £92,000 | £12,550,000 |
| 2010 | £1,000,000 | £240,000 | £1,000,000 | £240,000 | £92,000 | £13,725,000 |
| 2011 | £1,100,000 | £250,000 | £1,100,000 | £250,000 | £92,000 | £14,600,000 |
| 2012 | £1,150,000 | £260,000 | £1,150,000 | £260,000 | £92,000 | £16,060,000 |
| 2013 | £1,600,000 | £300,000 | £1,600,000 | £300,000 | £92,000 | £22,560,000 |
| 2014 | £1,760,000 | £325,000 | £1,760,000 | £325,000 | £96,000 | £25,000,000 |
| 2015 | £1,880,000 | £340,000 | £1,880,000 | £340,000 | £100,000 | £26,750,000 |
| 2016 | £2,000,000 | £350,000 | £2,000,000 | £350,000 | £100,000 | £28,100,000 |
| 2017 | £2,200,000 | £400,000 | £2,200,000 | £400,000 | £100,000 | £31,600,000 |
| 2018 | £2,250,000 | £450,000 | £2,250,000 | £450,000 | £110,000 | £34,000,000 |
| 2019 | £2,350,000 | £540,000 | £2,350,000 | £540,000 | £116,000 | £38,000,000 |
| 2021 | £1,700,000 | £480,000 | £1,700,000 | £480,000 | £100,000 | £35,016,000 |
| 2022 | £2,000,000 | £540,000 | £2,000,000 | £540,000 | £124,000 | £40,350,000 |
| 2023 | £2,350,000 | £600,000 | £2,350,000 | £600,000 | £128,000 | £44,700,000 |
| 2024 | £2,700,000 | £650,000 | £2,700,000 | £650,000 | £130,000 | £50,000,000 |
| 2025 | £3,000,000 | £680,000 | £3,000,000 | £680,000 | £135,000 | £53,550,000 |
| Event | W | F | SF | QF | Round of 16 | Round of 32 | Round of 64 | Round of 1281 | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 |
| Singles | £3,000,000 | £1,520,000 | £775,000 | £400,000 | £240,000 | £152,000 | £99,000 | £66,000 | £41,500 | £26,000 | £15,500 |
| Doubles | £680,000 | £345,000 | £174,000 | £87,500 | £43,750 | £26,000 | £16,500 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a |
| Event | W | F | SF | QF | R16 | R32 | R64 | R128 | |
| Singles | Gentlemen | 2000 | 1300 | 800 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladies | 1300 | 780 | 430 | 240 | 130 | 70 | 10 | ||
| Doubles | Gentlemen | 2000 | 1200 | 720 | 360 | 180 | 90 | 0 | – |
| Ladies | 1300 | 780 | 430 | 240 | 130 | 10 | – | ||
Champions
Wimbledon has many past champions in different categories, including Gentlemen's singles, Ladies' singles, Gentlemen's doubles, Ladies' doubles, Mixed doubles, and you can see All champions for more information. Each year, new players win these titles, and the most recent finals show exciting matches from the latest tournament.
Jannik Sinner, the 2025 gentlemen's singles champion. Iga Świątek, the 2025 ladies' singles champion. Julian Cash was part of the 2025 winning men's doubles team with. Lloyd Glasspool was part of the 2025 winning men's doubles team. Veronika Kudermetova was part of the 2025 winning women's doubles team. Elise Mertens was part of the 2025 winning women's doubles team. Sem Verbeek was part of the 2025 winning mixed doubles team. Kateřina Siniaková was part of the 2025 winning mixed doubles team. |
| 2025 Event | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentlemen's singles |  Jannik Sinner |  Carlos Alcaraz | 4–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Ladies' singles |  Iga Świątek |  Amanda Anisimova | 6–0, 6–0 |
| Gentlemen's doubles |  Julian Cash Lloyd Glasspool |  Rinky Hijikata David Pel | 6–2, 7–6(7–3) |
| Ladies' doubles |  Veronika Kudermetova Elise Mertens |  Hsieh Su-wei Jeļena Ostapenko | 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Mixed doubles | Sem Verbeek Kateřina Siniaková | Joe Salisbury Luisa Stefani | 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–3) |
Records
Wimbledon has many exciting records! In the men's singles, players have been competing since 1877. The women's singles began in 1884. These records show amazing achievements from players over many years.
There are also many other interesting records from different parts of the tournament. These records help us understand how skilled the players have been throughout Wimbledon's long history.
| Record | Era | Player(s) | Count | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most singles titles | Amateur Era | William Renshaw | 7 | 1881–1886, 1889 |
| Open Era |  Roger Federer | 8 | 2003–2007, 2009, 2012, 2017 | |
| Most consecutive singles titles | Amateur Era | William Renshaw | 6 | 1881–1886 |
| Open Era |  Björn Borg Roger Federer | 5 | 1976–1980 2003–2007 | |
| Most doubles titles | Amateur Era | Reginald Doherty Laurence Doherty | 8 | 1897–1901, 1903–1905 |
| Open Era | Todd Woodbridge | 9 | 1993–1997, 2000 (with Mark Woodforde), 2002–2004 (with Jonas Björkman) | |
| Most consecutive doubles titles | Amateur Era | Reginald Doherty Laurence Doherty | 5 | 1897–1901 |
| Open Era | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde | 1993–1997 | ||
| Most mixed doubles titles | Amateur Era | Ken Fletcher Vic Seixas | 4 | 1963, 1965–1966, 1968 (with Margaret Court) 1953–1956 (3 with Doris Hart, 1 with Shirley Fry Irvin) |
| Open Era | Owen Davidson Leander Paes | 1967, 1971, 1973–1974 (with Billie Jean King) 1999 (with Lisa Raymond), 2003 (with Martina Navratilova), 2010 (with Cara Black), 2015 (with Martina Hingis) | ||
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) | Amateur Era | Laurence Doherty | 13 | 1897–1906 (5 singles, 8 doubles) |
| Open Era | Todd Woodbridge | 10 | 1993–2004 (9 doubles, 1 mixed doubles) |
| Record | Era | Player(s) | Count | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most singles titles | Amateur Era | Helen Wills | 8 | 1927–1930, 1932–1933, 1935, 1938 |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova | 9 | 1978–1979, 1982–1987, 1990 | |
| Most consecutive singles titles | Amateur Era |  Suzanne Lenglen | 5 | 1919–1923 |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova | 6 | 1982–1987 | |
| Most doubles titles | Amateur Era | Elizabeth Ryan | 12 | 1914 (with Agatha Morton), 1919–1923, 1925 (with Suzanne Lenglen), 1926 (with Mary Browne), 1927, 1930 (with Helen Wills), 1933–1934 (with Simonne Mathieu) |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova | 7 | 1976 (with Chris Evert), 1979 (with Billie Jean King), 1981–1984, 1986 (with Pam Shriver) | |
| Most consecutive doubles titles | Amateur Era | Suzanne Lenglen Elizabeth Ryan | 5 | 1919–1923 |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 4 | 1981–1984 1991 (with Larisa Neiland), 1992–1994 (with Gigi Fernández) | |
| Most mixed doubles titles | Amateur Era | Elizabeth Ryan | 7 | 1919, 1921, 1923 (with Randolph Lycett), 1927 (with Frank Hunter), 1928 (with Patrick Spence), 1930 (with Jack Crawford), 1932 (with Enrique Maier) |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova | 4 | 1985 (with Paul McNamee), 1993 (with Mark Woodforde), 1995 (with Jonathan Stark), 2003 (with Leander Paes) | |
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) | Amateur Era | Elizabeth Ryan | 19 | 1914–34 (12 doubles, 7 mixed doubles) |
| Open Era | Martina Navratilova | 20 | 1976–2003 (9 singles, 7 doubles, 4 mixed doubles) | |
| Combined | Billie Jean King | 20 | 1961–79 (6 singles, 10 doubles, 4 mixed doubles) |
| Record | M/W | Player(s) | Details | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unseeded champions | Men |  Boris Becker Goran Ivanišević | Ranked 20th Ranked 125th | 1985 2001 |
| Women | Markéta Vondroušová | Ranked 42nd | 2023 | |
| Youngest singles champion | Men | Boris Becker | 17 years 7 months | 1985 |
| Women | Lottie Dod | 15 years 9 months | 1887 | |
| Oldest singles champion | Men |  Arthur Gore | 41 years 6 months | 1909 |
| Women | Charlotte Cooper | 37 years 9 months | 1908 | |
| Lowest-ranked winner | Men | Goran Ivanišević | 125th | 2001 |
| Women | Markéta Vondroušová | 42nd | 2023 | |
| Singles winning % | Men | Björn Borg | 92.72% (51–4) | 1973–1981 (Open era) |
| Women | Steffi Graf | 90.36% (75–8) | 1984–1999 (Open era) | |
| Singles match wins | Men | Roger Federer | 105 | 2001–2021 (Open era) |
| Women | Martina Navratilova | 120 | 1973–2004 (Open era) | |
| Most matches played | Men | Jean Borotra | 223 | 1922–39, 1948–64 |
| Women | Martina Navratilova | 326 | 1973–2006 | |
| Most consecutive events played | Men | Arthur Gore | 30 | 1888–1922 |
| Women | Virginia Wade | 26 | 1960–1985 | |
| Longest match by time | Men | John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut | 11hrs 5mins | 2010 |
| Women | Chanda Rubin vs Patricia Hy-Boulais | 3hrs 45mins | 1995 | |
| Longest final by time | Men |  Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer | 4hrs 57mins | 2019 |
| Women | Lindsay Davenport vs Venus Williams | 2hrs 45mins | 2005 | |
| Winners of both junior and senior singles | Men | Björn Borg Pat Cash Stefan Edberg Roger Federer | 1972 1982 1983 1998 | 1976–80 inclusive 1987 1988, 1990 2003–07, 2009, 2012, 2017 |
| Women | Karen Hantze Ann Haydon Martina Hingis Amélie Mauresmo Ashleigh Barty Iga Świątek | 1960 1956 1994 1996 2011 2018 | 1962 1969 (under married name Jones) 1997 2006 2021 2025 |
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