The Wimbledon All Tennis Championships will begin on 25 June 2012. Much of the charm of this championship stems from the traditions associated with it. It’s more than just tennis. You might have heard about the strawberries and cream, or know that the players must wear white. But did you know:
- Stawberries and Cream – this tradition dates back to the 1500’s but first featured at the tournament since 1884.
- Grass – Wimbledon is the only grand slam that is still played on grass.
- Rain – rain is no surprise to English Folk. Only 7 championships have not been interrupted by rain since 1922
- Royal Patronage – The Royal Family have attended Wimbledon since 1907.
- All white – players must adhere to a strict dress code and wear only white.
- Rufus the hawk – to keep the pigeons at bay, Rufus the hawk is charged with keeping the courts safe. Rufus has a trainer and hovers over the courts 3 times per day during the tournament, and once per week at other times of the year.
- The queue – patrons are not allowed to secure a place, but rather must be present in line in person
- Naming rights – Female players are still referred to as Miss or Mrs and men as Mr.
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