There are few annual sporting events that command the respect that Wimbledon does. It is the quintessential tennis tournament, synonymous with the sport around the world. In spite of this, it is an event that has often been overlooked in these parts, perhaps for obvious reasons. In more recent times, both young and old have flocked to SW19 from Ireland during the first two weeks in July. In addition to the world-class tennis on show, there are now various other reasons attracting students year on year.
Alongside the British Open Golf held in July, Wimbledon is our closest event of such renown and calibre. Getting to London and back has never been easier. Once you get there. Wimbledon is serviced by bus and the tube, helping to make for a relaxing travel experience. Half an hour from the city centre by tube, this plush corner of South-West London is readily accessible and convenient to boot.
City accommodation is often a worry for students particularly during peak times. Luckily, hostels are plentiful in London and at relatively cheap prices during the summer. Wimbledon village is well used to the influx of tourists and sports fans during the summer and makes due provision for this. Accommodation anywhere in South London means you are no more than three quarters of an hour from the All England Lawn Tennis club.
For a long time a preserve of the upper classes in England, Wimbledon is often adjudged to be on the exorbitant side when it comes to ticket prices. While this is undoubtedly true when it comes to the latter stages of the Championships, tickets for the first number of days are affordable by any yardstick but they go really quickly so you’ll want to buy them from somewhere like https://www.dtbsportsandevents.com/events/Wimbledon as soon as they become available. The first week, Monday to Saturday, is when the first three rounds are played and arguably, the best time to visit. Ticket prices are lower at £25 for a day’s ground pass and £45 if you are lucky enough to be afforded a Centre Court ticket.
The idea is that the “the queue” has become synonymous with Wimbledon, so much so that the British often claim to have invented the phenomenon. Each day, prior to the start of play at 11am, fans queue outside the grounds from 6 o’clock in the morning. The queue is open every day of the championships to all members of the public with spectators also being invited to camp out overnight should they wish. 1000 tickets are made available each day to members of the queue for Centre and Number 1 courts with an unlimited number of ground passes available also. It is recommended to begin queueing before 7am should you wish to get your hands on some of the more lucrative tickets.
I know, the notion of queuing sounds horrendous, right? In actual fact, the queue is the best bit. The camaraderie that goes along with it and the opportunity to meet people from around the world is reason enough to join the world’s most famous queue. It makes the day all the more enjoyable knowing that you’ve had to drag yourself out of bed and in essence, earn your right to enter into the hallowed grounds of SW19.
Why should you go this year in particular, however? 2017 to date has brought to light a number of interesting storylines in the world of tennis. The apparent resurgence of Nadal and Federer and the reemergence of their rivalry at the top of the game is indeed, a mouth-watering prospect. Question marks surround a number of the sport’s other big-names, including the likes of Djokovic who is enduring somewhat of a barren spell as well as people like María Sharapova who returns from a drug ban in April. Wimbledon tends to be where these storylines play out, it is the tournament at the centre of the tennis calendar both literally and figuratively.
