The Championships, commonly known simply as Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely regarded as the most prestigious.
It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877 and is played on outdoor grass courts, with retractable roofs over the two main courts since 2019.
Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the others being the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open. Wimbledon is the only major still played on grass, the traditional tennis playing surface.
The tournament traditionally takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, starting on the last Monday in June and culminating with the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Singles Finals, scheduled for the Saturday and Sunday at the end of the second week.
Wimbledon traditions include a strict all-white dress code for competitors, and royal patronage. Strawberries and cream are traditionally consumed at the tournament.
The 2023 Wimbledon Championships will be the 136th staging and will run from 3 July 2023 to 16 July 2023.
Over the years the tournament has seen the birth of a number of tennis stars from Boris Becker to Serena and Venus Williams to Andy Murray.
LondonWorld has taken a look back at some of the most iconic moments of the Wimbledon Championships over the years.
1. The first international tennis match takes place at Wimbledon, London 1883.
The match, between the twins William and Ernest Renshaw of England, and Clarence M Clark and JS Clark of the USA, was won by the Renshaws. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
2. Wimbledon 1908, Mrs Lambert Chambers in play, Wimbledon. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Dorothea Lambert Chambers won seven Wimbledon women’s singles titles in her career.
3. Sidney Wood of the USA in action against Fred Perry of Britain during the semi-finals at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, London, 1st July 1931. (Photo by J. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Sidney Wood was the third youngest winner of the Wimbledon Championships, which he won in 1931 at the age of 19.
4. The late Queen Elizabeth II presents Rod Laver with the Gentlemen’s Singles Trophy in 1962
Laver won 198 singles titles in his career which is the most won by a singles tennis player in history.