Hundreds of die-hard Wimbledon fans have already descended on SW19, pitching up tents and braving the heatwave to be among the first in line when the iconic tennis tournament begins tomorrow.
Pictures taken before 8am today show committed supporters lounging in camping chairs, sipping coffee and tucking into early morning picnics, as they prepared for a full day – and night – of queueing in Wimbledon Park.
Draped in Union Jacks, many were seen cheerfully chatting with fellow fans as they settled in for the long wait ahead.
The time-honoured tradition of ‘The Queue’, which has been a staple since 1927, has eager fans hoping to secure the coveted first-come, first-served tickets despite play not scheduled to begin until 11am on Monday.
Among the main draws for home fans this year are British stars Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper.
Raducanu, 22, will take on teenage wildcard Mimi Xu in a mouthwatering all-British first-round clash, while British number one Draper begins his campaign against world number 38, Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
Hundreds of die-hard Wimbledon fans have already descended on SW19, pitching up tents and braving the British heatwave to be among the first in line when the iconic tennis tournament begins tomorrow
Pictures taken before 8am today show committed supporters lounging in camping chairs and sipping coffee
Draped in Union Jacks, many were seen cheerfully chatting with fellow fans as they settled in for the long wait ahead
The time-honoured tradition of ‘The Queue’, which has been a staple since 1927, has eager fans hoping to secure the coveted first-come, first-served tickets
Both players have been handed tricky opening matches, and Draper could face the formidable Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals – the Serbian great chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
However, the British number one is in line for a bumper £3 million payday if he can battle through the challenging draw to scoop this year’s Wimbledon trophy.
Also in action is British college player Oliver Tarvet, who could find himself up against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the second round – although he won’t be allowed to claim prize money due to his amateur status.
Seven-time champion Djokovic and reigning women’s winner Barbora Krejcikova — who is returning from injury – are also on the radar of fans hoping to glimpse tennis royalty in action.
Raducanu and Draper lead a record 23 British players in the singles draw this year – the most since 1984 – sparking even more excitement from home supporters eager to cheer on their local heroes.
As always, the queue is being carefully managed by Wimbledon’s famous stewards, with fans allocated official queue cards to mark their place.
Camping overnight is encouraged only in designated areas, and wristbands are issued to those guaranteed a ticket the next day.
The grass-court Grand Slam officially begins Monday at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
