Wimbledon Championships facts for kids
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| Official website: https://www.wimbledon.com | |
| Founded | 1877 |
|---|---|
| Editions | 139 (2026) |
| Location | Wimbledon, London England (United Kingdom) |
| Venue | All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Worple Road (1877–1921) Church Road (since 1922) |
| Surface | Grass outdoors |
| Prize money | £53,550,000 (2025) |
| Men's | |
| Draw | S (128Q) / 64D (16Q) |
| Current champions | Jannik Sinner (singles) Julian Cash Lloyd Glasspool (doubles) |
| Most singles titles | Roger Federer (8) |
| Most doubles titles | Todd Woodbridge (9) |
| Women's | |
| Draw | S (128Q) / 64D (16Q) |
| Current champions | Iga Świątek (singles) Veronika Kudermetova Elise Mertens (doubles) |
| Most singles titles | Martina Navratilova (9) |
| Most doubles titles | Elizabeth Ryan (12) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Draw | 32 |
| Current champions | Sem Verbeek Kateřina Siniaková |
| Most titles (male) | Leander Paes (4) Vic Seixas (4) Owen Davidson (4) Ken Fletcher (4) |
| Most titles (female) | Elizabeth Ryan (7) |
| Grand Slam | |
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| Last completed | |
| 2025 Wimbledon | |
The Wimbledon Championships, often just called Wimbledon, is a famous tennis tournament held every year in Wimbledon, London, England. It is one of the four biggest tennis events in the world, known as Grand Slams. Wimbledon is special because it is the oldest tennis tournament, starting in 1877, and it is the only Grand Slam still played on grass courts. Many people consider it the most important tennis event.
The tournament usually takes place over two weeks in late June and early July. It features many exciting matches, including singles and doubles for both men and women. Wimbledon is also known for its unique traditions, like players wearing all-white clothes and fans enjoying strawberries and cream. The 2026 Wimbledon Championships are running from 29 June to 12 July.
Contents
Discovering Wimbledon's History
How Wimbledon Began
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club started in 1868 as a croquet club. In 1876, they added a new game called lawn tennis. The club then changed its name to include "Lawn Tennis" and held its first tennis championship in 1877.
The very first Wimbledon tournament, the 1877 Wimbledon Championship, only had a Gentlemen's Singles event. Twenty-two men competed. After some rain delays, Spencer Gore won the final on July 19, 1877. He received a silver cup and prize money. About 200 people watched the final.
Over time, more events were added. In 1884, the club introduced the Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles. Later, in 1913, Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles were added.
For many years, only amateur players could compete. This changed in 1968 with the start of the "Open Era", allowing professional players to join. Wimbledon was not held during World War I (1915–1918) or World War II (1940–1945). In 1940, a bomb hit part of the Centre Court during the war, causing damage that was repaired by 1949. The tournament was also cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID–19 pandemic, a global health situation.
Wimbledon in the 21st Century
Wimbledon always aims to be the best tennis tournament in the world. To keep it that way, the club has made many improvements. In 1993, a big plan was started to make the event better for everyone. This included building a new No. 1 Court in 1997 and adding more grass courts.
A major change was the new retractable roof on Centre Court, finished in 2009. This roof means that rain no longer stops play for long periods on the main court. The first match played entirely under the roof was between Andy Murray and Stanislas Wawrinka in 2009. In 2012, Wimbledon also hosted the tennis events for the Summer Olympic Games, making it the first Grand Slam venue to host Olympic tennis in the Open Era.
In 2013, Wimbledon shared its 'Master Plan' for future improvements. This plan included expanding the No. 1 Court with its own retractable roof, which was completed for the 2019 championships.
A new rule was announced in 2018: if a match reaches a 12–12 tie in the final set, a tie-break game is played. Also, starting in 2019, quad wheelchair competitions became a regular part of the tournament.
In 2022, due to international events, players from Russia and Belarus were not allowed to compete. This decision was later changed, and the ban was lifted in 2023.
A big change for the 2025 tournament was the replacement of human line judges with electronic line calling technology on all courts. This meant the traditional sight of line judges on court ended after 147 years.
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Wimbledon Events and Matches
Wimbledon has many different competitions for players of all ages and skill levels.
Main Events
The five main events are:
- Gentlemen's Singles (128 players)
- Ladies' Singles (128 players)
- Gentlemen's Doubles (64 teams)
- Ladies' Doubles (64 teams)
- Mixed Doubles (32 teams)
Junior Events
Younger players also have their own competitions:
- Boys' Singles (64 players)
- Girls' Singles (64 players)
- Boys' Doubles (32 teams)
- Girls' Doubles (32 teams)
Invitation Events
There are also special invitation events, often for former champions or players in wheelchairs.
Match Formats
Gentlemen's Singles matches are played as "best-of-five sets," meaning a player needs to win three sets to win the match. In 2023, Gentlemen's Doubles matches changed to "best-of-three sets." All other events are also best-of-three sets.
Since 2022, if a match reaches 6–6 in the final set, a special "champions tie-break" is played. The winner needs to reach 10 points and win by two points.
Wimbledon Schedule
The tournament starts on a Monday and lasts for 14 days. Since 2015, it begins one week later than before, giving players more time to prepare after the French Open.
Traditionally, there was no play on the "Middle Sunday" of the tournament. This was a rest day. However, due to improvements in court maintenance, routine play on Middle Sunday began in 2022.
Before 2022, the second Monday was called "Manic Monday." This was because all the last-16 matches for both men's and women's singles were played on that single day.
Since 2025, Wimbledon has been the only remaining Grand Slam tournament to start on a traditional Monday schedule.
Night-time Curfew
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tournament that has a night-time curfew. All matches must finish before 11:00 pm. This rule was put in place in 2009 when the Centre Court roof was built. It helps protect local residents from noise and disturbance late at night.
Players and Seeding at Wimbledon
Both the Gentlemen's and Ladies' Singles events have 128 players. Most players get in based on their international rankings. Some players receive "wild cards," which are special invitations from the club. Others have to play in a "qualifying tournament" held the week before Wimbledon to earn a spot.
The top players are "seeded," meaning they are placed in the draw to prevent them from playing each other too early. This helps ensure the best players meet in the later rounds. Since 2001, 32 players have been seeded in the singles events.
Only two unseeded men have won the Gentlemen's Singles: Boris Becker in 1985 and Goran Ivanišević in 2001. In 2023, Markéta Vondroušová became the first unseeded woman to win the Ladies' Singles title.
Wimbledon Grounds
The tennis courts at Wimbledon are special because they are made of 100% perennial ryegrass. This type of grass is very durable and helps the courts withstand the intense play.
The main courts, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are usually only used during the two weeks of the Championships. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event still played on natural grass courts. Other major tournaments, like the US Open and Australian Open, changed to different surfaces many years ago.
The club moved to its current location on Church Road in 1922 because the old grounds were too small. The new Centre Court was much larger to welcome more fans.
The retractable roof on Centre Court, added in 2009, can close or open in about 20 minutes. This means matches can continue even if it rains. Centre Court can hold nearly 15,000 spectators. The Royal Box is located at the south end, where members of the Royal Family and other important guests watch matches.
No. 1 Court is the second most important court. A new retractable roof was added to No. 1 Court for the 2019 championships, increasing its capacity to over 12,000 seats.
A new No. 2 Court was built in 2009, and a new No. 3 Court in 2011. The old No. 2 Court was famously known as the "Graveyard of Champions" because many top-seeded players were surprisingly defeated there in early rounds.
During the tournament, 'Court Attendants' work to keep the courts in good condition. Their main job is to quickly cover the courts when it rains so play can restart as soon as possible.
At the northern end of the grounds, there is a giant TV screen where fans without court tickets can watch important matches. This grassy area is officially called the Aorangi Terrace. When British players do well, it's often nicknamed "Henman Hill" or "Murray Mound" by the press, after famous British tennis players Tim Henman and Andy Murray.
Bank of England Sports Centre
The qualifying matches, which happen before the main tournament, take place at the Bank of England Sports Ground in Roehampton, about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) from the All England Club.
Wimbledon Traditions
Ball Boys and Ball Girls
Ball boys and girls, known as BBGs, play a very important role. They are taught to be quick and quiet, blending into the background. They work in teams, rotating between courts.
BBGs are chosen from local schools in London and Surrey. They go through written tests on tennis rules, fitness tests, and training sessions starting in February. Girls have been included as BBGs since 1977 and on Centre Court since 1985.
Umpires
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Chair umpires oversee each match. They use tablet computers to keep score, which is shown on the scoreboards.
Since 2007, a technology called Hawk-Eye has been used. This system shows exactly where the ball landed. Starting with the 2025 Championships, electronic line calling technology replaced human line judges on all courts. This means the chair umpire is now the only umpire on the court.
Colours and Uniforms
The traditional colours of Wimbledon are dark green and purple. However, all tennis players must wear all-white or almost all-white clothing during the tournament. This rule started in 1963. Small coloured trims are allowed, but they must not be too big.
In 2023, a new rule allowed female players to wear solid, mid- or dark-coloured undershorts, as long as they were not longer than their shorts or skirt. This was a change from the previous all-white rule for all clothing items.
Until 2005, umpires, line judges, and ball boys and girls wore green uniforms. Since 2006, they have worn new navy blue and cream uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren.
Referring to Players
At Wimbledon, the men's competitions are called "Gentlemen's," and the women's are called "Ladies'." Junior events are called "Boys'" and "Girls'."
Before 2009, female players were called "Miss" or "Mrs" on scoreboards. Since 2009, players are referred to by their first and last names. Since 2022, the use of "Mr," "Miss," and "Mrs" by the chair umpire when announcing scores was stopped. Players are now referred to by their names, as shown on the scoreboard.
Royal Family
Players used to bow or curtsy to members of the Royal Family in the Royal Box when entering or leaving Centre Court. In 2003, this tradition was mostly stopped. Now, players only need to bow or curtsy if the Prince of Wales or the King is present. For example, players bowed when Elizabeth II attended in 2010 and when Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and his wife were present in 2012.
Services Stewards
Members of the British Armed Forces and the London Fire Brigade serve as stewards at Wimbledon. They wear uniforms and help guide spectators in the main courts. This tradition started after World War II.
Tickets
Most tickets for the main courts are sold through a public ballot each year, which is very popular. Many fans also queue overnight to get tickets on the day of the match, especially for the show courts. This queuing is a famous part of the Wimbledon experience. The All England Club provides facilities for those camping overnight.
Sponsorship
Wimbledon has very few advertisements compared to other tournaments. It has the longest-running sponsorship in sports history with Slazenger, which has supplied tennis balls since 1902. Emirates also started sponsoring Wimbledon in 2024.
Strawberries and Cream
Eating strawberries and cream is a famous tradition at Wimbledon. It is said that this tradition started when King Henry VIII was served wild strawberries and cream as a dessert. In 2019, over 190,000 portions of strawberries and cream were served at the Championships!
The Wimbledon Champions' Dinner
After the tournament, the Wimbledon Champions' Dinner is held. The Men's and Women's singles winners attend, and they often take a picture with their trophies. Sometimes, the champions even dance together, bringing back the spirit of the original Champions' Ball. For example, in 2024, champions Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejčíková danced together.
Balls
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Slazenger has been the official supplier of tennis balls for Wimbledon since 1902. This is the longest-running sponsorship deal in sports history.
Media Coverage
Television Coverage
In the United Kingdom, the BBC has broadcast Wimbledon on television since 1937. The finals are always shown live on free television. Wimbledon was also part of television history: on July 1, 1967, it was the first official colour television broadcast in the UK. The tennis balls, which used to be white, were changed to yellow in 1986 to show up better on colour TV.
In the United States, NBC covered Wimbledon for 43 years, often with "Breakfast at Wimbledon" specials. Since 2012, ESPN and ESPN2 have provided live coverage. In 2022, live coverage of the middle weekend also began on ABC.
Trophies, Prize Money, and Ranking Points
Trophies
The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup. It is decorated with symbols, including a miniature gold pineapple. The actual trophy stays at the All England Club museum, so the champion gets a smaller replica.
The Ladies' Singles champion is awarded a sterling silver plate called the "Venus Rosewater Dish." This dish is decorated with figures from mythology. Like the men's trophy, the actual dish is kept in the museum, and the champion receives a replica.
Winners of the Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events each receive silver cups. The runner-up in each event gets an inscribed silver plate. The trophies are usually presented by The Princess of Wales, who is the Patron of the All England Club.
Prize Money
Prize money was first given out in 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete. The total prize money that year was £26,150. By 2025, the total prize money had grown to £53,550,000! Wimbledon and the French Open were the last Grand Slams to give equal prize money to men and women, which they started doing in 2007.
| Year | Gentlemen's singles | Ladies' singles | Total for tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | £2,000 | £750 | £26,150 |
| 2024 | £2,700,000 | £2,700,000 | £50,000,000 |
| 2025 | £3,000,000 | £3,000,000 | £53,550,000 |
Ranking Points
Players earn ranking points for their performance at Wimbledon, which helps determine their international standing.
| 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 | – | ||
Wimbledon Champions
Past Champions
Current Champions (2025)
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Most Recent Finals (2025)
| 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) |
Wimbledon Records
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Gentlemen's Records Since 1877
| Record | Player(s) | Count | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most singles titles |  Roger Federer |
8 | 2003–2007, 2009, 2012, 2017 |
| Most consecutive singles titles |  Björn Borg Roger Federer |
5 | 1976–1980 2003–2007 |
| Most doubles titles | Todd Woodbridge |
9 | 1993–1997, 2000, 2002–2004 |
| Most mixed doubles titles | Owen Davidson Leander Paes |
4 | 1967, 1971, 1973–1974 1999, 2003, 2010, 2015 |
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) |
Todd Woodbridge |
10 | 1993–2004 |
Ladies' Records Since 1884
| Record | Player(s) | Count | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most singles titles | Martina Navratilova |
9 | 1978–1979, 1982–1987, 1990 |
| Most consecutive singles titles | Martina Navratilova |
6 | 1982–1987 |
| Most doubles titles | Elizabeth Ryan |
12 | 1914, 1919–1923, 1925–1927, 1930, 1933–1934 |
| Most mixed doubles titles | Elizabeth Ryan |
7 | 1919, 1921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932 |
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) |
Martina Navratilova |
20 | 1976–2003 |
Other Interesting Records
| Record | Category | 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 | |
| Longest match by time | Men | John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut |
11 hours 5 minutes | 2010 |
| Women | Chanda Rubin vs Patricia Hy-Boulais |
3 hours 45 minutes | 1995 | |
| Winners of both junior and senior singles |
Men | Björn Borg Pat Cash Stefan Edberg Roger Federer |
1972 1982 1983 1998 |
1976–80 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 1997 2006 2021 2025 |
See also
In Spanish: Campeonato de Wimbledon para niños
- 2012 Summer Olympics venues
- List of British finalists at Grand Slam tennis tournaments
- Wimbledon (film)
- Wimbledon Effect
- Lists of champions
- List of Wimbledon champions (all events)
- List of Wimbledon singles finalists during the Open Era, records and statistics
- Other Grand Slam tournaments
