Did anyone else notice the person dressed as a giant strawberry during Serena Williams’ Round of 16 match on Monday? I had to pause the match just to make sure I saw it correctly. This blog post was inspired by this strawberry-loving fan, whose presence at the match initiated an educational discussion with my boyfriend. As I explained the strawberry-Wimbledon tradition, I realized that my knowledge, gleaned from a visit to the Wimbledon Museum and years of watching the tournament, should be shared with our dear blog readers.
- Here I am overlooking the Wimbledon courts – awestruck by all the tennis history.
Summer is tennis season and the 2016 Wimbledon Championship Tournament finals are already in play this weekend. As a lifelong tennis player, it was a huge treat to tour the Wimbledon grounds in 2009 during my Oxford semester. Wimbledon and its many traditions are a quintessentially British treat that is best enjoyed when you know a little bit about its history and the great sport of tennis. Check out this article to get a brief overview of the rules and etiquette of the sport of tennis.
Wimbledon is really old
The famous tournament began in 1877 and has been played at the All England Club in Wimbledon ever since. This was back when tennis racquets were made of wood (a tradition that lasted well into the 1970s). Located outside of London, you have to take a train to get out to the grounds. Wimbledon is part of the four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is usually held mid-summer (end of June/beginning of July).
The courts are made of grass
You heard me right. Grass. If you’ve ever stepped foot on a tennis court in the U.S., you’ve generally found a hard court made out of asphalt or concrete. The Wimbledon courts are made of carefully manicured grass, cut extremely short to allow for optimal ball bounce. You’ll notice when watching Wimbledon that the ball speed is much slower than on a hard court or clay court due to the grass. They take their grass very seriously and will definitely not let you touch the grass during the tour. Don’t worry, I asked a few times just to be sure.
At Wimbledon, we wear white.
Imagine this title said in the voice of a Mean Girls character. You’ll notice the monochromatic theme when you compare Wimbledon with other Grand Slam tournaments, as the players are required to wear traditional white tennis uniforms. However, stars like Serena Williams get creative with their white color palate and there have certainly been some couture takes on the traditional tennis dress.
Strawberries and cream are kind of a big deal.
No one seems to know exactly why strawberries and cream became synonymous with Wimbledon, but it has been an enduring tradition since the tournament began. Fresh summer strawberries are topped with sweet, rich cream and are sold throughout the grounds.
You don’t need to be a tennis pro or to be dressed as a giant strawberry to enjoy this weekend’s Wimbledon Championships. Grab a bowl of strawberries, put on your favorite white outfit, and get ready for a weekend of phenomenal tennis.
Game, set, match!
Shan
U.K. in the Everyday 
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