Unique Facts From Wimbledon (I)

Cori Gauff entered Court 1 of the All England Club, London, England, on Tuesday (1/7/2025), wearing a large white ribbon in her hair. After she removed her white jacket, her fashionable outfit for the first round of Wimbledon was revealed.

Although dressed in all-white from head to toe like other tennis players, the American female tennis player known as Coco showcased something different in her attire. She wore a pleated skirt inspired by traditional Scottish clothing, the kilt. Her tank top was layered with lace adorned with strawberries and three-dimensional butterflies.

Coco and her sponsor New Balance created a clothing design following the regulation to use all-white colors. However, Coco only had the opportunity to wear the outfit once because she lost to Dayana Yastremska.

Although initially just a part of tradition, the white dress code has ultimately become a regulation at Wimbledon. This all-white color scheme has been in effect since the Grand Slam on the grass courts was first held in 1877. The rule requiring white clothing, shoes, socks, and head accessories has thus become the most famous characteristic of Wimbledon.

As the oldest tennis tournament in the world, Wimbledon holds a higher prestige compared to the other three Grand Slam tournaments, namely the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open. This status, along with various traditions—some of which have changed based on needs—has made Wimbledon not only a renowned tournament in the tennis arena but also one of the popular sporting events.

Apart from the white dress code, here are various unique features and traditions at Wimbledon:

Wimbledon is held at the All England Club grass court tournament in London. This tournament represents the pinnacle of competition among professional tennis players on the short-lived grass courts, taking place in June and July.

Like clay courts, grass courts are also more prevalent in Europe. This type of court is commonly found in England, which is why ATP/WTA tournaments held as warm-ups for Wimbledon are frequently organized there. Additionally, there are warm-up tournaments held in Halle, Berlin, and Bad Homburg, Germany.

Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tournament that has been held on grass courts since its inception. Except for the French Open, both the Australian Open and the US Open have previously taken place on grass courts. However, the Australian Open transitioned to a hard court Grand Slam in 1988.

The US Open was held on grass courts from 1881 to 1974, then switched to green clay courts from 1975 to 1977, and has been classified as a hard court Grand Slam since 1978.

The 19 courts at the All England Club are planted with ryegrass, the most durable and fastest-recovering grass, every day for two weeks of use. The grass is maintained by being cut to a height of eight millimeters and watered to prevent drying out.

In the book Wimbledon: 101 Reasons to Love the Greatest Tournament in Tennis it is said that preparing the court for Wimbledon is not only done before the championship, but throughout the year. The beginning of the preparation is spreading seeds, which are brought in from the Netherlands, with a total of 1 million tons.

The most cruel enemies during the preparation period are snow in winter and the scorching sun in summer.

Four weeks before the match, the daily tasks performed include mowing the grass, watering, and marking the lines. These tasks continue to be carried out during the match, specifically at night, to ensure the grass remains healthy.

Neil Stubley, the man responsible for the condition of all the grass courts at the All England Club, stated that his and his team's main focus is to ensure that the condition of the courts on the 13th day is the same as on the first day of the tournament. "This may be an impossible dream, but we are working hard for it," said Stubley, who has been with the All England Club since 1995.

The stadium and outdoor courts at the All England Club are still referred to as Centre Court, Court 1, Court 2, and so on, because the nature of the partnership between the All England Club and various companies is that of a partner. For this reason, there are not many sponsor logos affixed to Centre Court, allowing this stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 15,000 seats, to appear clean and beautiful.

The Main Court of the All England Club, which was once damaged by a bomb during World War II, underwent a drastic change when the retractable roof was utilized for the first time. The roof was constructed because Wimbledon frequently faced interruptions due to rain, which caused matches to be postponed.

In addition to around 5,000 people involved in administration, transportation, accommodation, fields, parks, competitions, health, and many other areas, there is also an animal that is part of the organizing committee as a field officer. It is an American Harris Hawk named Rufus.

Starting in the year 2000, Wimbledon has employed eagles to drive away pigeons that can disrupt the course of the matches due to their tendency to feed on the grass. Additionally, these pigeons often gather in large numbers on the stadium's roof.

Before Rufus, who has been on duty at Wimbledon since 2008, the other eagle with the same duties was Hamish.

Rufus, who hails from Brigstock, Northamptonshire, works at the All England Club throughout the year. During Wimbledon, he works every day, traversing the 17-acre tennis complex starting at 9:00 AM. He is on duty for about two hours before the first match begins each day.

In 2012, Rufus was stolen from his owner's car. He was found three days after he went missing with swollen legs.

So famous, Rufus The Hawk has almost 6,000 followers on Instagram.

Among all tennis tournaments, only Wimbledon has rules regarding what tennis players must wear when competing. The Dress code for them is white. White that is actually white is not white off-white, namely white mixed with other colors, including cream.

Not only clothing, but tennis players must also choose white for their shoes, socks, bandanas, and hats. Roger Federer was even asked to change his shoes during the 2013 Wimbledon when the soles were orange. Federer played with those shoes in the first round, then was asked to replace them in the subsequent round.

Only since 2023 have the organizers allowed different colors for the shorts worn underneath the skirts of female tennis players. This regulation was relaxed because female tennis players may play while on their menstrual period. For instance, when facing Alexandra Eala in the first round, Barbora Krejcikova wore black shorts.

The choice of white is not without reason. The all-white attire in tennis, a sport popular among the upper class, became a trend in the 1800s. To ensure that sweat stains would not be visible, these wealthy individuals wore white costumes.

At Wimbledon 1962, the outfit worn by Maria Bueno featured accents of pink stripes. The following year, the obligation to wear all white was written and posted in the players' changing room.

After the same warning was posted at Wimbledon in 1949, this time, the notice was written in capital letters and included a disqualification threat for violations.

Due to his discontent with the regulations, Andre Agassi boycotted Wimbledon from 1988 to 1990. Martina Navratilova also once stated that the dress code at Wimbledon is excessive.

Nevertheless, many participants were still able to appear stylish in all-white attire. Together with sponsors, they designed unique outfits. At Wimbledon 2008, Maria Sharapova wore shorts paired with a tuxedo-style top.

At Wimbledon 2024, Osaka wore a tank top with a fabric accent that gathered from the right shoulder, wrapping around the upper body. The lightweight fabric used for this accent is the same as that of the skirt, creating a fluttering effect whenever Osaka moves. Hailing from Japan and having a passion for fashion, Osaka often incorporates Harajuku style into her outfits during matches, including the all-white ensemble at Wimbledon.