Hardcore Wimbledon fans, including an 85-year-old Californian who has spent more than 300 days camping in the famous queue, have braved 30C heat to secure their spot two days before the first match.
Superfan Richard Hess Leads the Queue
Richard Hess, from California, has attended 44 championships since 1978 and has camped every year since 1992. He spoke from his tent, which he will call home for 11 nights. "There's no other place that you can get close seats on the Centre Court for face value and modest price," he said. "So for tennis, it's the best for that reason. I also like English culture, history and people. I enjoy that part of the interaction."
Hess described the queue as a "reunion," having seen more than 50 familiar faces this year. His son Ed, 60, joined him for his sixth Wimbledon, making it a family affair.
Dedicated Fans From Around the World
Just a few tents away, Mike Chinner, 59, and his partner Gail Garbett, 60, met the father-son duo last year. Chinner, an antiques shop owner from Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, has attended almost every year for four decades, missing only 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. "It's the atmosphere, the friendship, the tennis and Wimbledon has to be on everyone's bucket list," he said.
By Saturday evening, over 70 tents lined Wimbledon Park. The line grew steadily as fans engaged in tennis rallies, drinks, or simply dozed in the sunshine.
First in Line: A Jetlagged Djokovic Fan
At the front was Florence Chan, 55, who flew 14 hours from Thailand, arriving at Heathrow late Friday night before setting up her tent at 7:30am Saturday. "It's one of the best experiences I had in my life," she said, excited for her second Wimbledon. Originally from Hong Kong, she hopes to get Novak Djokovic to sign two portraits she painted of him.
Next in line was Andraz Glavac, 44, from Slovenia, camping with his girlfriend. "I've wanted to see Wimbledon matches for a long time. I've already been to the Australian Open and French Open, and I think this year it's time for Wimbledon and also maybe the last chance to see Djokovic play," he said. He arrived at 8am Saturday, though the queue officially started at 2pm Sunday, securing second place.
Heatwave Challenges and Preparations
The queue formed as London remained under an amber extreme heat warning, with temperatures peaking around 30C. Wimbledon's grounds team has watered the courts twice as much, and roofs over Centre Court and Court One have been closed. Hydrangeas and petunias may be phased out for drought-friendly alternatives due to soaring temperatures.
Sami Shrestha, 31, an orthodontic nurse from Oxford, came prepared for her fourth camping experience. "We just made sure we checked the weather a week before and prepared ourselves. We bought the gazebo just in case it was going to be too hot, just to survive the heat," she said. She is most looking forward to seeing Djokovic.
British Hopes and Djokovic's Quest
Djokovic, 39, is seeking a 25th Grand Slam title and hinted at retirement after losing at Roland Garros. British hopes have been dented by concerns over Emma Raducanu's fitness; the 23-year-old cut short a practice session and cancelled a press conference, though she trained with strapping on her lower right leg on Sunday.
For the hundreds in Wimbledon Park, the sweaty conditions and uncertainty are part of the unique Wimbledon experience. As one fan noted, "What's more British than a good old fashioned queue?"
