Blog Post

My mother is the most die-hard tennis fanatic known to the human race. She loves it so much, that I even was going to bake her a Victorian Tennis Cake, as seen on the Great British Bake Off. Yes. I was that keen. I do appreciate her fascination with this sport that requires the utmost of physical fitness, agility and determination to keep that ball from leaving the court, but I am not what you would say, the type to tape the matches and watch every tournament glued to the telly like Mum. With this family tie not being the closest of things in common, I still felt the need to head to Wimbledon to get a glimpse of one of the most famous tennis courts in the world where people near and far munch on strawberries and pay a premium to see champions hit the fuzzy green ball back and forth.

So, Where Exactly is Wimbledon?

The famous Wimbledon stadium is located in its own borough of London and is accessible by the Tube. Ensure that you purchase a pass that allows you to travel to all the districts and not just the central areas of the city otherwise, you will be paying an arm and leg to get there. Follow the maps and you will find the exact trains that will stop right in the heart of Wimbledon and only a short walk to the stadium. The Wimbledon complex is definitely easy to find! Just be aware that there are several hills to ascend in order to get there from the station. Take my advice and wear comfortable shoes.

The Deal with the Strawberries

Over the large hill sits this iconic building staring you in the face. Seeing the facility gave me such a craving for strawberries! And at that moment, I could completely relate to the spectators devouring those succulent berries with the freshest cream available as per the event’s decade-long tradition.

Can you believe that an average 28,000 tonnes of strawberries are consumed at the tournament each year!? Crazy. The origin of this fruity indulgence served at the tournament remains unclear; however, sports historians and tennis experts believe that the dates of the Wimbledon competition coincide with strawberry season, making it an economical offering to fans.

Don’t fancy a strawberry sweet or are unable to attend the tourney? Fear not! You can purchase magnets and postcards of the juicy berries to take home with you as a memento.

The Wimbledon Tennis Museum

Upon arrival, do ensure you check out the attached museum within the complex. The lovely little museum showcases dainty antiques and quite a bit of tennis history. It is fascinating to see such artifacts as wooden rackets, outfits throughout time, player bios and backgrounds, championship medals and trophies, and much more. They also had various videos with detailed accounts of events in Tennis history narrated by such stars as John McEnroe and the Williams sisters.

 

 

The Wimbledon Field Observatory

Once through the museum’s many small rooms and viewing a short 3D film, head to the Wimbledon Field Observatory and marvel at the 360 Centre Court- truly an incredible experience and one to brag about! If you cannot afford the hefty price tag to see Roger Federer nail another serve or Venus Williams snag that netter, this is the closest you will get to sitting in a small tarp-covered seat. Photographic quality can be hit or miss of the stadium depending on when you go..When we went  the Plexiglas was scratched making  photo backdrops somewhat unreliable; however, we made do and have the photographs in our memories.