Of tennis' four Grand Slams, perhaps none are held in such high esteem as Wimbledon - we take a look at everything that makes the All England Club so special.
The oldest of the quartet is almost certainly the most iconic, and much of that is attributed to the various traditions which have remained intact throughout the tournament's long history.
Wimbledon Location
Where is Wimbledon?
The Wimbledon Championships take place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is situated at Church Road, Wimbledon, London.
The venue is found in the famous SW19 postcode, which is located in south-west London.
How to get to Wimbledon
By Train
Wimbledon is within short walking distance of a number of train stations on the London Underground system:
- Southfields Station (District Line) - 15 minute walk from station to venue.
- Wimbledon Station (District Line, South Western Railway, and London Trams) - 20 minute walk from the station.
- Wimbledon Park Station (District Line) - 25 minute walk from the station.
By Bus
There is a bus service that runs from Wimbledon Station to the All England Club, with a return service leaving from Car Park 1 on Somerset Road.
By Car
The All England club recommend that visitors use public transport to visit the venue. For those that do choose to travel by car, parking is offered on a pre-booked status and there are no on-day parking sales available.
Wimbledon do offer a park and ride service from Modern Park, where pre-booking is not required.
Wimbledon Courts
The All England Club features 38 grass courts - 18 which are used for the championships and a further 20 practice courts in Aorangi Park.
The venue is set to expand in the near future in order to also host qualifying, which currently takes place in Roehampton.
Centre Court
Centre Court is the main show court and regularly hosts the biggest matches of the tournament, including the finals.
The 14,979-capacity venue features the Royal Box, which is often filled by members of the British Royal Family.
Centre Court, along with the slightly smaller No.1 Court, have been fitted with a retractable roofs, ensuring that Wimbledon is no longer subjected to a complete washout if the British weather fails to behave.
No.1 Court
Opened in 1997, No.1 Court is the second largest of the Wimbledon courts and features a capacity of 12,345.
Those who are unable to bag Centre Court tickets can try their luck on the Aorangi Terrace - aka Henman Hill or Murray Mount.
The famous mound behind No.1 Court is often filled with spectators, particularly when British players are in action.
No.2 Court
No.2 Court was completed in 2009, to replace the existing No.2 Court - which then became No.3 Court.
The court has carried a nickname of 'Graveyard of Champions' due to the tendency for upsets in matches played there and features a capacity of 4,000 spectators.
Wimbledon Traditions
Players Dress Code
The All England Club is known worldwide not just for brilliant on-court performances but the various traditions which have existed and continue to exist to this day.
On the court, players must adhere to a strict all-white dress code, including not just the main outfits but any visible undergarments and accessories.
Outfits featuring off-white or cream are not tolerated under the "almost entirely in white rule" which was introduced in 1995.
Strawberries and Cream
Cream is, however, the colour more than tolerated away from the court, notably when paired with strawberries. This quintessentially English treat has been synonymous with the All England Club ever since it was first introduced at the inaugural championships in 1877.
Spectators queue up to get their hands on strawberries and cream and might decide to wash it down with a cold glass of Pimm's - the iconic cocktail was launched in the 1840s and Wimbledon's first Pimm's bar opened in 1971.
Recent estimates suggest 191,930 portions of strawberries are eaten during a Wimbledon fortnight while 276,291 glasses of Pimm's are drunk.
Wimbledon Queues
As for queuing, Wimbledon is famous for it.
The tradition of the Wimbledon queue began with the 1922 championships and spectators often choose to camp out overnight - and sometimes days in advance - to secure some of the 1,500 available tickets for show courts including the famous Centre Court.
The queue has become an institution as thousands of tennis fans wait in line to secure admission to the All England Club, particularly in the early stages of the tournament when some well-known faces can be seen in action on the outside courts.
