Date Published 07 July 2025
Wimbledon is a quintessential part of the British summer, just like sipping Pimm's or enjoying strawberries and cream—both of which are plentiful as London embraces tennis fever for two weeks each year during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
First held in 1877, the tournament has grown into one of the most iconic events in the sport. It's one of the four Grand Slam tournaments—alongside the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland Garros), and the US Open—and the only one still played on traditional grass courts.
When Are the 2025 Wimbledon Tennis Championships?
The 2025 Wimbledon Championships run from Monday, 30 June to Sunday, 13 July. Over the course of two weeks, a total of 675 matches will unfold across 19 courts at the All England Club. While the spotlight is on the men's and women's singles, the tournament also includes doubles matches (men's, women's, and mixed), along with junior competitions in both singles and doubles for boys and girls.
The grounds open daily from 10am, with outside court matches starting at 11am, No. 1 Court at 1pm, and Centre Court from 1:30pm. In a recent change from tradition, the singles finals, which used to begin at 2pm, now start at 4pm, following the doubles finals, which kick off at 1pm.
Wimbledon's history is shaped by its greatest champions, including Martina Navratilova, who holds a record nine Ladies' Singles titles, and Roger Federer with eight in the Gentlemen's category. The grass-court season remains a standout moment in the tennis world—and this year, all eyes are on Novak Djokovic, who's chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon 2025.
Fun Facts about Wimbledon:
• Over 54,000 Slazenger tennis balls are used throughout the tournament each year. Once used, they're sold to fans, with proceeds going to charity.
• Slazenger has been Wimbledon's official ball partner since 1902, making it the longest-running sporting goods partnership in history.
• The grass on the courts is trimmed to a precise 8mm during the tournament and is carefully maintained all year long.
• Unlike other Grand Slams, Wimbledon's courts are famously free of advertising, preserving a traditional and elegant appearance.
• The Royal Box on Centre Court enforces a formal dress code, and players are expected to bow or curtsy if a royal is in attendance.
• Spencer Gore became Wimbledon's first champion in 1877, winning the final in straight sets against William Marshall. That year, the total profit from the event was just £10.
• Roger Federer holds the record for most Gentlemen's Singles titles at Wimbledon, with eight championships to his name.
• Martina Navratilova holds the record for most Ladies' Singles titles, winning nine times—six of those victories were consecutive (1982–1987).
• Lottie Dod remains the youngest female Wimbledon champion, winning in 1887 at just 15 years old.
• Boris Becker became the youngest male winner in 1985, taking the title at the age of 17.
• Goran Ivanišević made history in 2001 by becoming the first—and so far only—wild card entry to win Wimbledon. At the time, he was ranked 125th in the world.
• The longest match in Wimbledon history was played between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010. It lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes and spanned three days.
• The shortest match on record occurred in 1969 when Sue Tutt defeated Marion Boundy in just 20 minutes.
• Venus Williams served the fastest ball in the women's competition in 2008, clocking in at 129 mph (207.7 km/h).
• On Day 1 of Wimbledon 2025, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard recorded the fastest serve in tournament history—an astonishing 153 mph (246 km/h).
