The Championships, Wimbledon
Before we come to when is Wimbledon 2011, let us take a brief look at the history of this tournament. Wimbledon features rules that are not there in other Grand Slams, and as anyone who watches tennis will tell you, the most prominent one is the rule that does not allow a 5th set tie-break. The longest tennis match is testament to this, and this is just one of the many instances that makes Wimbledon a little different from the other slams. Here are some interesting facts about this tournament that you might, or might not be knowing, but will be fun nonetheless.
* The proper name of the tournament is ‘The Championships, Wimbledon’, with Wimbledon being the place where the tournament is played. However, over the years, it has been shortened to just Wimbledon, and is now a household word in most countries.
* Wimbledon is one of the 4 Grand Slams of the tennis season, albeit the most popular and the most prestigious. It is the 3rd Grand Slam of the year, with the Australian Open and the French Open being held before, and the US Open after. Here are the Australian Open 2011 dates, should you need them.
* Wimbledon is also the oldest of all the Grand Slams, and is also responsible for giving the sport the name of Lawn Tennis. The tournament was first played on grass in 1877, which gave rise to the name ‘Lawn’ Tennis.
* The tournament is also the only Grand Slam to be visited by the Royal Family, with even HM Queen Elizabeth gracing the Wimbledon courts with her presence.
* Wimbledon is also the only Grand Slam to feature rules about clothing. Players have to compulsorily wear all white clothing. Minor colored accents are allowed, as long as most of the clothing is white.
* Wimbledon is also the only Grand Slam where players are required to curtsy before the Royal Box, though the rule has now been amended to require players to curtsy only if HM the Queen, or HRH the Prince of Wales are in attendance.
* Wimbledon is also the only Grand Slam that gives the Middle Sunday off, with no play scheduled on this day. In the past, rain delays have forced play on the Middle Sunday, the inclusion of a retractable roof has reduced that problem to some extent.
As you can see, there are a lot of differences from other Grand Slams that make Wimbledon a truly different Grand Slam. The Championships are split into the Ladies Event and the Gentlemen’s Event, and not the men’s and women’s like the other slams. Tradition from this oldest tournament goes a long way, and this makes it one of the premier tennis tournaments in the world.
Wimbledon 2011 Dates
As mentioned above, Wimbledon is the 3rd Grand Slam of the year, and is played in the 3rd week of June, or more accurately, it commences on the Monday between 20th and 26th June. In 2011, this works out to be the 3rd week of June, and the 2011 Wimbledon dates are from the 20th June to the 3rd of July. Preparation for this prestigious event include a few tournaments played on the grass surface prior to Wimbledon, with most players needing these tournaments to make the transition from the clay courts, which ends with the French Open, to the grass courts. Wimbledon features high attendance on almost all days, and though the 2011 Wimbledon dates are still a long way off, booking for tickets has already commenced. In the Wimbledon 2011 schedule, the Gentlemen’s Finals will be played on 3rd July, and the Ladies Final will be played on the 2nd July. Like all other Grand Slams, the top 128 players compete for glory on the grass courts of Wimbledon, and in the next few paragraphs, let’s see who holds the current title, and who has the best chances in the 2011 event.
