Examining 9 Wimbledon Facts
By
Richard Janvrin
Contributor Updated: 27 January 2025
Richard Janvrin Contributor
Richard has been writing about sports since he was a teenager. Still, his first professional role came in 2015, covering all things NFL and fantasy football-related. From there, in December 2018, he started in the sports betting industry, covering sportsbook reviews before arriving to where he is today.
Wimbledon Facts You May Not Know
Wimbledon was established in the 1870s, and with over 150 years of history, a number of quirks, trivia, and factoids have developed.
From single matches to traditions and venue parameters, there are a number of noteworthy facts that are unique and lesser-known than others.
Below, I’ll examine the top nine Wimbledon facts that may surprise you.
Let’s dive in.
- It Was Amateur-Only Event
- No Play on Sunday
- Started Using Yellow Balls in 1986
- Wimbledon Fans Love Strawberries and Cream
- The Longest Match
- The Exact Grass Height
- The Royal Box
- The Player Attire
- Rufus the Hawk
It Was Amateur-Only Event
Wimbledon is looked at as one of the premier major tournaments in the sport of tennis today. But here’s one of the most jaw-dropping Wimbledon facts: it used to be strictly for amateurs.
Wimbledon began in the 1870s and professionals didn’t start competing in the tournament until 1968. This coincides with the start of the Open Era.
The decision really began to allow professionals to earn a living from strictly playing tennis.
This is one of those facts about Wimbledon tennis that’s quite unbelievable, as Wimbledon has been a major tournament for so long.
Today, you can bet on the Wimbledon tennis yearly and on the best tennis players in the world.
No Play on Sunday
Through 2022, Wimbledon held a “Middle Sunday” tradition that prohibited play on Sundays. The rationale was to allow the grass to recover. Four exceptions were made: Sunday matches in 1991, 1997, 2004, and 2016. These games were played due to rain delays.
Of these facts about Wimbledon, I didn’t previously know this and only learned of it when it was discontinued in 2022.
The reasoning was that, due to advancements in maintenance technology, there was no longer a belief that grass needed to rest.
Started Using Yellow Balls in 1986
Of all these Wimbledon facts, one that surprised me was the evolution of the ball usage.
Before 1986, Wimbledon used white balls. This change made the ball much more visible on TV. Also, the white balls were stained green during play, making them even harder to see.
This came 14 years after the International Tennis Federation adopted yellow balls.
British broadcaster David Attenborough recommended this change.
There were also new balls used after the first seven games.
Wimbledon Fans Love Strawberries and Cream
The tradition of fans eating strawberries and cream dates back to 1877.
Now, fans will eat this combination of foods on the tea lawn. The strawberries are picked at Kent and delivered to London.
During the tournament, Wimbledon is believed to serve 38.4 tons of strawberries. The cost is £2.50 per 10 strawberries, and that’s been the price since 2010.
Regarding Wimbledon facts and figures, 38.4 tons of strawberries is quite staggering.
The Longest Match
At the 2010 edition of Wimbledon, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the longest match, which lasted 11 hours and five minutes and lasted three days.
This is one of those Wimbledon facts for kids during this era will never forget. As for myself, I was in high school, and everyone discussed this.
Isner went on to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68.
Each player logged over 100 aces and held serve for 168 straight games.
Following this, in 2022, a rule was established to dictate a tie-breaker in the final set.
The Exact Grass Height
Wimbledon takes the length of its grass extremely seriously. It’s cut to 8 millimeters (5/16 of an inch).
Wimbledon does this for many reasons, including playing conditions, grass health, and uniformity.
Their research shows that 8mm is the ideal height. As for health, grass at 8mm will survive for two weeks in dry soil.
Here’s some other fun facts regarding the Wimbledon grass:
- 100% ryegrass
- Cut daily
- Water is monitored constantly
- Renovated each September
- Grown from 10 metric tons of seeds yearly
The Royal Box
At Wimbledon, there’s the Royal Box, which is dedicated to royals and their guests.
This is at the south end of Centre Court. There’s a set of dark green wicker chairs there.
The Chair of the All England Club gives the invitations to those who can view the tournament from the box.
There’s a dress code, and the guests receive tea, lunch, and more.
There have been numerous high-profile sightings over the years, including Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Brad Pitt, Ariana Grande, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Meghan Markle, and more.
The Player Attire
While there’s a dress code for the Royal Box, there’s also one for the players themselves.
At Wimbledon, players must wear nearly all white. This dress code dates back to the Victorian era when white was considered the best color to hide sweat stains. During that time, it wasn’t appropriate to show this in public.
The white attire includes shirts, shorts, socks, and headbands. Of the facts about Wimbledon, this is one that all viewers knew they wore white, but maybe didn’t know for what reason.
There have been some slight changes, including for women players. They’re allowed to wear dark-colored undershorts under white skirts.
Rufus the Hawk
Rufus the Hawk is a bird used by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to keep pigeons away from the venue.
Rufus is a Harris’s Hawk and is an important part of Wimbledon.
Before Rufus, there was Hamish the Hawk. Rufus has been in his role for nearly two decades.
When on duty, Rufus patrols the 42-acre grounds. He makes daily visits to Wimbledon.
Rufus also scares pigeons away from Westminster Abbey and other notable locations.
In 2012, there was an incident where Rufus was stolen. He was recovered three days later in the Wimbledon Commons.
His official title? Bird Scarer. That alone is one of the best facts about Wimbledon tennis.
