Lady’s Guide to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships

Today I want to share my Wimbledon tennis guide with you. The annual Wimbledon Tennis Championships are a staple of the London summer season, and watching the matches in person is a great way to get into the spirit.

Wimbledon Tennis Guide

I’ve wanted to go to the tennis at Wimbledon since I was five. My family traveled to London that summer and spent part of every afternoon watching the athletes at Wimbledon on TV.

I was obsessed, and vowed to go in person someday. This week I finally got my chance, and now I bring you A Lady in London’s Wimbledon guide.

What to Wear to Wimbledon

My biggest question before going to the tournament was this: what should I wear to Wimbledon? I put the question out to my Twitter followers, and got great responses.

The bottom line is that standard dress for Wimbledon ranges from casual to smart casual depending on what kind of tickets you have.

Given I was invited to Wimbledon for work and was going to spend the day in a hospitality suite, I was advised to wear smart casual attire.

Many people told me to bring a cardigan in case it got cold, and sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat in case it got hot (this is England; we can have four seasons in 10 minutes).

Others said to wear comfortable shoes in case I walked around to different tennis courts or stood to watch a match.

All of this advice for what to wear to Wimbledon proved incredibly useful. On the day, the morning and evening were chilly, but the afternoon was blazing hot. I used all my clothing and accessories, and was happy to have them.

And while I had Wimbledon tickets for Centre Court and Court 1, I also spent time walking around and standing, so flats were a lifesaver for my feet.

How to Get to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships

My next question was how to get to the Wimbledon tennis. The answer was pretty straightforward: the tube.

The Wimbledon branch of the District line goes to Southfields, from where it’s a straight walk down Wimbledon Park Road to the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

There are also local buses and taxis from Southfields and other stations in the Wimbledon area to the club if walking isn’t your thing.

How to Watch the Tennis at Wimbledon

The next thing I wondered was whether I could only watch the tennis on the courts that I had tickets for, or whether I could watch on other courts as well.

I had tickets for two of the most famous courts at Wimbledon, but there were a lot more dotted throughout the grounds.

As it turns out, a lot of the smaller courts have only a few rows of seating, and people without tickets can stand behind them and watch the players.

After viewing a quick match between Andy Murray and Blaz Rola on Court 1 and a long match between Novak Djokovic and Radek Stepanek on Centre Court, I wandered over to Court 19 and stood behind a short brick wall to watch former Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis in a doubles match.

I also got to peer into a few other courts throughout the day, which was a nice way to get a broad picture of what goes on at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

What to Eat at Wimbledon

Given food is never far from my mind, I wondered what to eat at Wimbledon. The first thing I learned was that no trip to the tennis is complete without strawberries and cream.

A staple tradition at Wimbledon, this sweet treat is sold all over the grounds. Sugar optional.

Beyond strawberries and cream, Pimm’s and champagne were flowing all day. The food courts and restaurants had a wide range of cuisines on offer, too.

I had lunch and afternoon tea in the hospitality suite, but if I hadn’t, I would have had a hard time choosing from among all the options.

Wimbledon Beyond Tennis

I spent 11 hours at Wimbledon, and despite my love of tennis, even I couldn’t sit still for that long. Thankfully there was a lot to do at Wimbledon beyond the courts.

In addition to the aforementioned food and drink, there was a huge shop selling all kinds of clothing, tennis equipment, and souvenirs.

There was also the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, which had a surprisingly large space dedicated to the history of of the sport.

Behind Court 1, there was a big grassy hill full of people watching the matches on TV. For those with grounds tickets to Wimbledon, Henman Hill was a great place to watch the tennis even without ticketed seats.

How to Get the Most Out of Wimbledon

Above all, I wanted to know how to get the most out of Wimbledon. After waiting more than 25 years for my chance to attend, I felt a lot of pressure to do it right.

This was another question I put out on Twitter, and I got a lot of helpful tips.

What Time to Get to Wimbledon

As far as what time to get to Wimbledon, arriving at 10am was perfect. It allowed me to walk around and explore the grounds before the matches started.

It was less crowded in the morning than it was later on, and I didn’t feel guilty for missing out on the tennis.

Rules of Tennis

While watching the tennis itself, I was glad to have taken years of tennis lessons as a child. This was primarily because it meant I knew the rules of the game and the scoring system. I would have been a bit confused if I hadn’t.

For those with no knowledge of tennis, some quick research before going to Wimbledon goes a long way.

How Late Does Wimbledon Go?

I also wondered how late in the evening Wimbledon goes. The answer really depends on what time the matches finish, so it can go pretty late sometimes.

I couldn’t tear myself away from the courts until 9pm, but even then there were plenty of matches still in progress. It was nice to leave late, though, because the tube wasn’t too crowded on the way back into central London.

Overall Impressions of Wimbledon

Despite my astronomically high expectations for Wimbledon, my experience managed to meet them. It was an incredible day overall, and seeing some of the best tennis players in the world was an added bonus.

How to Get Wimbledon Tickets

Getting tickets for Wimbledon isn’t easy; every year that I’ve entered the lottery I haven’t won. But in case I don’t get invited again next year, I will still apply.

And if all else fails, I can always camp out overnight and try my luck with the same-day tickets queue. Regardless of how I get there, I already know it will be worth it.

Wimbledon Tennis Championships Guide

I hope you’ve enjoyed my Wimbledon tennis guide and that it’s helped you understand what to expect from a day at the tennis championships in London. It’s a classic British experience, and one worth having.

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