One of the great parts of being in the UK, whether you’re just visiting on a trip, or you’re living and working here, is being able to take part in some British traditions. One thing that absolutely sums up a certain part of British life is the Wimbledon tennis championships, which take place every June and July in south west London.
Wimbledon is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments on the international players’ circuit, and it’s the only grand slam to be played on grass. This year, Betfair has Novak Djokovic as the favourite to win the gentlemen’s championship, with last year’s winner Andy Murray as second favourite. However, if you’re looking to see a Wimbledon record smashed, then why not have a punt on Roger Federer winning his favourite Grand Slam for the eighth time this year. Currently, he’s priced at around 9/2.
To get tickets to see the semi-finals and finals on Centre Court and Court Number One is a difficult – and expensive – task. In fact, you either have to know someone who has a debenture seat that they’re willing to give you for a match, or you need to put your name in a public ballot for tickets to randomly selected matches. The ballot is open from August to December and after the New Year, anyone whose name has come up will be notified with which match and which seats they have an option to purchase. These are sold at face value, and cannot be resold. Obviously, it’s down to luck if your name comes up, and if you were lucky enough to get men’s final tickets, you’d still have to fork out hundreds to go.
All that shouldn’t put you off going though, as there are other ways to be a part of Wimbledon. A certain number of tickets are reserved for sale on the day of entry into the grounds, and to get one of these, you simply have to join the Queue at Gate 3. Be warned, however, that for the days with the biggest matches, some people sit in the Queue for more than 48 hours.
The final option is one that makes the most sense for people who like tennis, but aren’t obsessed with it. Simply turn up at the grounds in the early evening after work and many ticket holders will have already left the grounds, handing in their tickets to be reused as they leave. This means you could get to see a Centre Court evening match, simply by turning up at the right moment. Even if you don’t, you can still soak up the atmosphere, drinking Pimm’s and Lemonade and eating strawberries and cream while you sit and watch the tennis on the big screens within the grounds.
