Photo: Instagram/wimbledon
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.
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. Last year, the tournament banned Russian and Belarusian athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine. This year the tournament has made some changes, including supporting Ukrainian players by paying for two rooms for Ukrainian tennis players and their teams during the grass-court season and donating one British pound (about $1.25) for each ticket sold at Wimbledon to relief efforts in Ukraine.
Russian and Belarusian players can compete but with a few stipulations, which include the banning of flags or signs of support for either of those countries and the war. Players will sign a declaration that they will not show support for Russia, Belarus or the war in Ukraine, and the tournament will not be broadcast in Russia or Belarus. RULES
3. The tennis balls are replaced every seven to nine games to ensure they’re in perfect shape. 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 Europe's largest single annual sporting event 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 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: Wimbledon will run from Monday, July 3 - Sunday, July 16.
