Wimbledon kicks off with capacity crowds for first time in three years
Wimbledon kicked off on Monday with full-capacity crowds and the return of the queue for the first time since 2019.
Spectators from around the world camped out overnight to buy on-the-door tickets to see Emma Raducanu, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic on Centre Court.
Brent Pham, 32, travelled 5,000 miles from California to be first in the queue and had been waiting since 11.30pm on Friday.
Mr Pham said tennis was his “favourite sport to watch”, adding: “I’m really excited about seeing Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams this week. It’s worth making that journey.”
Flo Byers, from Tunbridge Wells, who played with Emma when she was young joined the queue with friend Molly Sinclair, also 20. She said: “I wanted to come on the first day because I knew Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu were playing.
“I used to play doubles with Emma when I was five in Bromley and at a few tournaments. So I’m definitely supporting her today.”
Ms Sinclair added: “Emma’s got a really tough first match and the other ladies are really strong. But I’m rooting for her. We got the 5.15am train just to be here.”
Sam Thornton, from west London, said: “It’s my 30th birthday today and, if I see Andy Murray, it will be the icing on the cake.”
Kirsty Wallace, of south west London, travelled with friends Perdie Nelson and Sally Bishop, all 27, and Melissa McClaren, 28.
Ms Wallace said: “We’ve all taken the day off work to be here to see Andy Murray, obviously because we are Scottish, and I think our chances of see him are quite high.”
Ms McClaren added: “We’ve made a lot of friends in the queue already.”
Andrew Barr, 58, wife Mel and brother-in-law John Dobbin, 53, were third in the queue, having joined it at 5.45am on Saturday.
The family, from Maidstone in Kent, have lined up for Wimbledon tickets every year for the past 10 years and say they “know the routine”.
Mr Barr said: “It’s always a lot of fun, we enjoy the whole atmosphere and the tennis of course. It’s a wonderful experience.”
Mrs Barr, 60, said meeting friends is one of the highlights.
“You meet people that you recognise and have met several times before,” she said.
“We’ve got friends that we only see in the queue.”
The 2022 championships mark the first time the grounds will be filled with up to 42,000 people every day since before the coronavirus pandemic.
Wimbledon was cancelled in 2020 and then went ahead in 2021 under a strict bubble to keep players safe. Only half the normal crowd capacity was allowed.
Novak Djokovic will begin the defence of his 2021 title, while Rafael Nadal makes his return to the hallowed grass courts having not played at Wimbledon since 2019.
All eyes will be on 19-year-old Raducanu, from Bromley, after she made history last summer as the first qualifier to win the US Open.
Serena Williams, 40, the 23-time grand slam winner, is back as a wild card.
Both British grand slam champions – Raducanu and Sir Andrew Murray, 35 – will play their first round matches after 1.30pm.
Tenth seed Raducanu is nursing a side strain while Sir Andy, who is unseeded, is battling an abdominal strain.
This year, Wimbledon has barred Russian and Belarusian players in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Organisers have also announced record prize money for this summer’s tournament, with the two singles champions taking home £2million.
Mixed weather conditions are forecast for the two-week period, which will likely see predominantly dry conditions with sunny spells interspersed with some showers and breezy winds.
