Photo: Instagram/wimbledon
(Podcast length 4 mins)
The oldest tennis tournament in the world is steeped in history, but that doesn't stop the common folk like us from enjoying a match, traditional Pimm's or donning our Wimbledon whites.
Transcript
1. The prestigious tournament has a strict dress code, requiring players to wear all white. (Rumor has it was that it was because it didn't show sweat like other colors). Now we all know that nothing ruins your summer whites like bird poop. Luckily you don't have to worry about that at Wimbledon. Rufus is a specially trained hawk that keeps those pooping pigeons away from the grounds. Like a good predator, Rufus flies above the grounds for one hour, around 9:00 am most mornings, before the gates open to keep the birds away. EYES LIKE A HAWK
2. The biggest news about Wimbledon is who isn’t going to be there. The tournament banned Russian and Belarusian athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine. Men’s No. 1 ranked player Daniil Medvedev is Russian and therefore will not be in attendance. In turn, the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and the WTA (Women's Tennis Association) have decided not to award points to players in the tournament that will go towards world rankings, leaving some players wondering if it’s worth playing.
If you’re looking for someone to cheer for, Serena Williams, 40, is back playing in her first tournament since 2021. She is striving to tie the record of 24 major titles. (Wimbledon is the third major of the year). Rafael Nadal could tie Williams’ record of 23 majors if he wins at Wimbledon. RECORDS WERE MADE TO BE TIED
3. The tennis balls are replaced every seven to nine games to ensure they’re in perfect shape. It’s no wonder more than 53,000 tennis balls are used during the two-week tournament. But did you know tennis balls used to be white or black, not yellow? Changing them to yellow made it easier for the TV viewer to see the ball, but Wimbledon was a late adopter of the color change, waiting until the 80s. HOLY BALLS
4. Did you know that Wimbledon is the largest single annual sporting event in Europe from a catering perspective? In previous years, spectators consumed over 276,000 glasses of Pimm’s to wash down 18,061 servings of fish and chips. The tournament has served 4,242 servings of sushi and 6,147 servings of pasta to their racket-wielding athletes. WHO’S HUNGRY?
5. Grunting is something no longer left to gremlins and grumpy old men. Even the classiest of tennis players vocalize their play. While you may think this is new, Monica Seles and Jimmy Connors are known as the original creators of the tennis grunt. The loudest one on the court? Russia's Maria Sharapova at 105 decibels – the equivalent of standing next to an accelerating motorcycle. THAT'S NOT AWKWARD AT ALL
Noted: The 135th edition of the Wimbledon Championships begins on Monday, June 27 in London, and will go on till Sunday, July 10.
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