The oldest tennis tournament in the world - Wimbledon - starts in a little more than a month. The "Vremena" reporter visited the southwestern part of London on time, where tennis fans will soon make a pilgrimage...
When in London mention sports on a green surface, as in the rest of the world, the first thing that comes to mind is soccer. Many legendary football arenas are here.
However, there are no such stadiums in south-west London, but there is something that cannot be found anywhere in the world - WimbledonThe Holy Grail of white sports.
The road to the Wimbledon complex leads through one of London's hidden gems – Wimbledon Park.
This park, known for its nature, beauty and peaceful atmosphere, becomes even more interesting during the summer because of the activities on the lake. Here you can enjoy rowing, sailing or simply the view of landscaped playgrounds and numerous tennis courts.
The park covers an area of slightly more than 27 hectares and is flooded with people during sunny days.
The heart of the tennis world - the Central Court
When, after a little more than a twenty-minute walk from the nearest metro station, you reach the Wimbledon court, the best part is highlighted first - the Central Court.
The dream of every child who picks up a racket is the same as the one that Novak Djokovic had - to one day raise a gold cup with a pineapple on top in this place. Immortality is sought here.
This magnificent stadium, which holds just under 15.000 people, was opened in 1922. To this day, the game is played on the grass at this place. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam that has never changed its surface.
The perfect grass, between eight and twelve millimeters high, now enters its final preparation.
In a little more than a month, the third Grand Slam of the season will begin at this place. This year's edition of Wimbledon will be the first ever that there will be no linesmen, ball tracking technology has taken over the work of referees at this legendary tournament as well.
"No one is allowed to touch or stand on the grass here, except for one man who even eats it, Novak Djokovic. Admittedly, in a clash of generations, he lost the previous two finals to the young Carlos Alcaraz, but this year is a new opportunity," points out Martin, a long-time guide at Wimbledon.
From the part of the tribune intended for journalists, there is a perfect view of the Royal Lodge. There are no tickets for these seats, you must be invited with a special invitation.
Under the box there is a big scoreboard where last year's result and Alcaraz's victory over Djokovic still stands. The result of last year's final remains on the scoreboard until the very beginning of the next tournament.
The Serbian tennis player was a finalist right here, six years in a row, the last two without success. The seven-time winner of Wimbledon is the second most consistent name on the so-called Wall of Fame, which is currently located at the foot of the court, right behind the favorite of the English audience, Roger Federer, who won this Grand Slam eight times.
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Three days of tennis on court 18
Between and behind the two largest stadiums - the Central Stadium and the First Stadium, there are a large number of smaller ones, where lower-ranked players play matches.
Unlike almost all other tournaments, the Wimbledon courts are not named after famous tennis players or other people. Here, except for the Central one, they are simply called numbers from one to 18. The last one, where the official Grand Slam matches are played, entered the history of tennis in 2010.
In the first round of Wimbledon in 2010, John Isner and Nicholas Mai played a duel on this court for more than 11 hours. This match is by far the longest match ever played in tennis.
After exactly 11 hours, five minutes and even three days, Isner defeated the French tennis player and advanced to the second round. Court 18 has been a mandatory stop for all visitors to this magnificent green complex since then until today.
"It was incredible to me that the two of them met again, the following year and again in the first round. I, along with all the employees, grabbed my head and said: just don't play on court 18. This time, fortunately, Isner won after only a few hours of play," adds Martin.
Pitch number one
When Wimbledon's second largest stadium got a roof in 2019, this tournament became the first Grand Slam that allowed tennis players to play under two closed roofs.
Field 1 has always been, and remains, in the shadow of Central, but regular visitors may even prefer it. Tickets to watch matches at this ground are cheaper and easier to get.
Here the terrain is much clearer. After the renovation in 2019, the stadium got an additional 1.000 seats, so the current capacity is 12.345. To close the roof, according to the man who, as he says, "clicks the button", it takes exactly eight minutes, but on a small number of sunny days it is opened to let the sun shine on the grass as much as possible.
Sports enthusiasts who find themselves in London start their adventure most likely at Wembley, England's national stadium, or at one of the numerous stadiums of local clubs, such as Arsenal or Chelsea. However, what Wimbledon has to offer is much more than the courts and stands.
From the historic Center Court, where some of the most important pages of tennis and sports history have been written, to the modern Court 1, Wimbledon is a symbol of tradition, history and elegance. In this place, tennis is much more than a sport.
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