Wimbledon occurs in the height of the British Summer Social Season: it is post Royal Ascot, Chelsea Flower Show, Lords Test Matches and overlaps with Henley Regatta and this year’s England quest for the Football World Cup Trophy, but culminates pre-Proms. Wimbledon is the epitome of all-things British; strawberries and cream? Yes, please. Champagne and Pimms? Unquestionable. All-white sporting dress code? Love it. Freshly trimmed grass? Glorious. Highly sophisticated and civilised queuing system? What a time to be alive.
For the majority of people, the only way to obtain a ticket is to join ‘The Queue’ early in the morning and then wait in line to buy a grounds ticket (or if you’re early enough, tickets for Centre Court, Court One and Court Two). However, you may be lucky enough to have received a ticket in advance through various ballots and connections, meaning you can walk straight into the ground, grab some seats and soak up the atmosphere before play starts. This year, my friend and I were two of the lucky ones, and we decided to brace ourselves to attend on Manic Monday. This will be a guide on how to survive the crowds, the weather and enjoy the sport on this frenzied day.
Checklist:
- Liquids (Hydration is key. No-one wants play to stop because you’ve fainted)
- Snacks (For when you’re riveted to a match and you don’t want to lose your seat, but you could do with a nibble)
- Coolbag/Picnic (No better place to pause for lunch than on Henman Hill)
- Umbrella + Mac (It’s England – you never know when the heavens will open)
- Suncream (Again, unreliable English weather – no-one wants to look like a lobster)
- Hat (The courts are uncovered and when the sun shines, it is really quite glaring)
- Comfortable Shoes (Even if you do not wait in the queue, the grounds are quite big and walking is inevitable – I always think comfort is key in enjoying the day)
- Patience (There will be lots of people, and multiple queues. It is unlikely you will be queuing for very long anywhere once in the grounds – stay patient and bear with it – it’ll be worth it)
Point of Arrival:
There are various carparks situated around the site, but driving can be a hassle in London, especially if the congestion charge applies. The best way to get there is by bus or tube. It is easily accessible from central London on the district line, or on the national rail service from Clapham Junction. If you get the tube, disembark at Southfields – it is a much shorter and direct walk to the main gate, passing the end of the queue on the way.
Plan of Action (for ticket holders):
- Arrive in Southfields for 9:30am.
- If you have not brought a picnic from home, pop by Sainsbury’s (on-route) and pick up some lunch food. Cafés inside the grounds tends to be expensive and over-priced, so picking up extra drinks, water and food now will ensure you’re prepared for the day.
- Head on up to the main gate, proceed through bag check and head towards the Order of Play Board.
- Figure out who you want to see play, the order in which they’re playing and the courts they’re on. Formulate an outline plan for the day – do not constrict yourselves to timings; you cannot predict the length of matches and therefore a certain amount of ‘winging-it’ must be applied for the day.
- For reference, our plan was:
- First Match: Ostapenko vs. Sasnovich (Court 3)
- This was over at about 1:30 and we were then quite hungry, so headed to Henman hill for our picnic and to take in some Federer action on the big screen. We then re-filled water-bottles and wondered round the courts – enjoying some doubles and boys singles action.
- We then re-queued to get back onto Court 3 – for which we needed to queue to obtain a ‘queue card’, which told us which gate to queue again at in order to get back onto the court. The efficiency and structure of this queuing system was so satisfying.
- Third Match: Isner vs. Tsitsipas (Court 3).
- Fourth Match: Clarke/Dart (GB Doubles Pair) vs. Mirnyi/Peschke (Court 3).
- By this time it was 6:00pm, and feeling quite tired and thirsty, we decided to head home.
- After having decided who you’re seeing first, head in the direction of that court and wait for the stewards to open the gates as you process (orderly, of course) to the classical music choice of that day.
- You will probably arrive at your court before play begins, but obtaining a seat before queues form is good, take this time to chill-out and chat in the comfort of your seat. It is important to note in unreserved seating, you cannot save a seat while your partner pops to the toilet, and if you leave, you will have to re-queue to reenter.
- Play the rest of the day by ear, depending on how you feel and who’s playing at the time!
Enjoying the Tennis
Watching the tennis is, inevitably, the most exciting part of the day, especially on Manic Monday. On this day, you have the ultimate tennis-enthusiasts and the fan-groups who have queued overnight – the atmosphere is fab and the tennis itself is at its highest standard. The stands are full, the shots are impressive, the serves are massive, and the competition is on. Families are routing for their players and the audience either picks a side or supports the game in general. Champagne corks are popping left right and centre, challenges provide anticipation while the gasps of the crowd provide a soundtrack to the matches. Cheers are loud, the suspense is strong and the emotional investment is evident. What’s not to love?!
All pictures are my own unless otherwise credited. Permission must be obtained before any reproduction and credit must be issued in any reproduction.
Under The Cypress Tree 