1O THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WIMBLEDON
This Monday, June 27, begins the 135th edition of Wimbledon, one of the most emblematic tournaments in sport. We are looking forward to enjoying the third Grand Slam of the year. The best of men's and women's tennis will face each other on the legendary courts of this championship. It is difficult to find a competition as exciting as this one, because Wimbledon hides a long history of tradition. That's why today we want to tell you 10 things you probably didn't know about Wimbledon. You probably didn't know this, but Wimbledon is the oldest championship in tennis history. The first edition was in 1877, and it has always been organized by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a private English tennis club founded in 1868, based in Wimbledon, London. In fact, it is the only event of the four Grand Slams that is not organized by a national federation. If you were thinking that the date is chosen at random, you are wrong. At Wimbledon everything is thought out and taken care of to the millimeter. This tournament is held every year six weeks before the first Monday in August, and the gates are already open at 10:30 in the morning. This 2022 will be played between June 27 and July 10. When you think of Wimbledon, does a color come to mind? In addition to the characteristic green of the grass, there is a clear dominant color: white. At Wimbledon there is a very strict dress code for everyone. And it is that, all, absolutely all tennis players must be dressed in white. A neat white that represents a gentleman's sport. This is why tennis is sometimes called “the white sport”. But not only tennis players, this rule extends to chair umpires, who must wear a striped shirt with a white collar, beige pants for men and a long skirt for women, and a dark jacket. The linesmen are not spared either, as they always wear the classic English cap. Logically, Wimbledon is a real media bonanza for any brand, and for this reason they all fight to gain a foothold and have their name appear in such an exclusive tournament. However, the reality is that very few succeed. Only a privileged few luxury firms have managed to sign an advertising contract with the organization. Something that surprises us all is that at Wimbledon it is not easy to find some kind of paid advertising. The tournament wants to transmit a pristine image to the world, something very characteristic of British culture. And it is that, despite working with large sponsors, the organization does not give any visibility to these companies. For this reason, there are hardly any billboards with advertising or banners with logos, and that all athletes wear white and that the logos of the sports firms that wear them are as small as possible. Undoubtedly, an advertising strategy that leaves no one indifferent. The iconic grass on the Wimbledon courts requires special care. You would be amazed if you knew that to get a lawn of that quality you need a ton of seeds per year. More than fifty professionals work in the maintenance of the lawn alone, who are in charge of mowing, watering and painting it. For the celebration of the championship it must be cut to 8 mm exactly, and the rest of the year it is kept at 13 mm. The longest match ever played in tennis history took place in 2010, between June 22 and 24 on the courts of Wimbledon. The American John Isner faced the French Nicolas Mahut and lasted no less than 11 hours, 6 minutes and 23 seconds, with a total of 183 games. He finally defeated Isner with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6. That match broke ten records in tennis history: longest match, longest set played (8 hours and 11 minutes), most games in a set (138), most games in a match (183), most direct kicks (113)… What about Wimbledon and strawberries and cream? There are many signature items at Wimbledon, and one of them is strawberries and cream. Legend has it that King George V introduced this tradition to Wimbledon, although the reality is that it has been consuming since the first editions. It is no coincidence that the strawberry season in the UK coincides with the dates of Wimbledon. As you can imagine, it is not just any strawberry. This is the Elsanta strawberry, grown on farms in Kent, in the southeast of England. They are picked up the day before and arrive at the facilities at 5:30 in the morning. If you go to Wimbledon, it is tradition that you delight yourself with this delicacy, you will only understand it when you try it. As data: during the two weeks of the event, approximately 30 are consumed.000 kilos of strawberries and 7.000 kilos of cream. In the 135 editions of Wimbledon we've seen, one thing has never changed. The official ball of the Slazenger brand is already a tradition. Of course this brand is the oldest sponsorship ever seen in the sports scene. These balls are created in a personalized way thinking exclusively about the characteristics of the Wimbledon courts. The figures are astonishing: every year they produce more than 50.000 balls for the championship. Everything around Wimbledon is fascinating, and there is always some secret that amazes us and makes us curious. Did you know that Wimbledon is extremely superstitious? The reality is that the tournament believes in the curse of the number 13, and therefore, of the 19 tracks that exist, there is not a single one with the number 13. However, there is a contradictory and at the same time funny fact. And it is that precisely in 2013, Murray won the tournament, breaking the "curse" for which no British had won since 1936. You can't talk about Wimbledon without talking about the undisputed legend of the tournament, Roger Federer. The Swiss is considered the best tennis player in history on grass courts and is the top winner of the championship in recent times, with nine titles behind him. Wimbledon is his star tournament, for him competing at the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is like playing at home. We don't say it, the numbers say it. Federer has won 8 Wimbledon finals: in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2017. To this day, he has won a total of 101 matches at Wimbledon, followed by Jimmy Connors at 84. These are just 10 reasons to understand how Wimbledon is much more than a tournament. Wimbledon has its own history and personality. It is the event of the year, the most followed sporting event internationally. Without a doubt, two weeks in which to enjoy the best tennis in the most exclusive Grand Slam. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The first Wimbledon in history was played over a century ago, in 1877. The championship is named after the London neighborhood in which it is held. Roger Federer is the player with the most history at Wimbledon. He has won 8 finals and up to 101 games in this championship. The 135th edition of Wimbledon takes place between June 27 and July 10. The balls at Wimbledon have always been of the historic Slazenger brand. In 2010, Wimbledon was the site of the longest match in tennis history. Between June 22 and 24, the American John Isner faced the French Nicolas Mahut and lasted no more and no less than 11 hours, 6 minutes and 23 seconds, with a total of 183 games. Finally, Isner prevailed with a result of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6. Wimbledon is the oldest championship in tennis history. Its first edition dates back to 1877. Wimbledon is a very superstitious tournament, and believes in the "curse" associated with the number 13.
