By: Alex Pearson
12 Things That Make Wimbledon Truly Special
It ‘s the most prestigious event in tennis and maybe in all of sport, but what is it that makes The Championships, Wimbledon so special?
1. The Surface
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tournament still played on its original grass surface.
2. The Fashion
Players must adhere to the strict all-white dress code and take an oath to hand-wash all garments in a babbling brook.
3. The Cuisine
Fans adore Wimbledon ‘s signature dish: strawberries and cream, while the tournament ‘s yeoman workforce will spend two weeks subsisting on nothing but grass clippings and sprinkler water.
4. The Opportunity
Victory at Wimbledon is one of the only ways an Australian may earn the right to move back to England.
5. The Royalty
The Queen maintains the right to stop any match and give a thumb ‘s down to the player she wants executed.
6. The Style of Play
Unlike other surfaces, Wimbledon ‘s grass is conducive to one player serving and rushing the net while the other player digs a six-foot muddy trench and refuses to yield his position.
7. The Legends
In the ultimate show of respect, John McEnroe helped bury long-time Wimbledon rival Bjorn Borg in the sacred ground beside Centre Court in 2010. Borg was still alive.
8. The Battles
No other tournament has produced grueling marathons like the 11-hour match that finally ended after John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set and each man had resorted to eating ball boys.
9. The History
One of Wimbledon ‘s greatest storylines: Andy Murray ‘s family once owned most of the land where the All England Club now stands, before they were chased off and banished to Scotland.
10. The Integrity
Unlike the virtual billboard of corporate logos that the courts become at other events, the only advertising allowed at Wimbledon is one character from The Emoji Movie mowed into Centre Court.
11. The Fans
Known as the most knowledgeable in tennis, most attendees are either friends, family, or breeders of a professional tennis player.
12. The Hounds
No other tournament allows players to employ the use of hounds.
