'I travelled from Chicago to join the Wimbledon queue at 5am with my laptop so I can work'

Wimbledon, one of the world’s major tennis tournaments, is underway, and dedicated fans have camped for days, with many hoping to see Andy Murray in action. Wimbledon is renowned for allowing fans to purchase premium tickets on the day of play.

Each day, a large queue forms with fans vying for the limited Show Court or Grounds tickets, sold on a first-come, first-served basis. This unique queuing system attracts people from all around the world, including a noticeable number of Americans on the first day of this year's tournament on Monday (July 1). Steven Souksavath, 58, shared his experience queuing for the first time.

He said: "I'm from California, and I’ve attended other Grand Slams, but Wimbledon is unique! We were not able to get a ticket through the ballot, so we thought queuing was the best option - and we haven’t regretted it! I love the energy!”

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Another fan, from Chicago, came to London for work, and decided to queue for Wimbledon even though she starts work at 2pm. She said: “We arrived at 5am, and I'm ready to work from Wimbledon if needed - I have my laptop and phone with me. The atmosphere is fantastic, though it's more subdued compared to a music festival."

She was wearing a casual outfit, but was holding a dress to switch if she was able to get in. She added: “I didn’t want to sit in the grass for so long in a dress!”

A family of four came all the way from Toronto to make their dad’s wish come true by attending Wimbledon on his 60th birthday. The mother, Jodie Monroe, had a broken foot, but she wanted to do this for her family.

She said: “We are all tennis players, and we’ve been to many other Grand Slams, but never to Wimbledon, which is my husband’s dream. So here we are, and nothing can stop me even if I have a broken foot!” She added: “I just love this system, Wimbledon is really unique! It’s amazing that they save some tickets for the most determined fans!”

Some fans are seasoned at joining the queue, like Lorna, from Dundee, who was camping since 9am on Sunday (June 30) to secure Centre Court tickets for Andy Murray's match tomorrow (Tuesday, July 2). She said: "We've been doing this since 2008, and we already know everything that we should bring to camp for two days.”

She added: “Last year, we got tickets through the ballot, but I wouldn’t say we were lucky because we missed this atmosphere! So, this year, we skipped the ballot to enjoy this unique experience."

Long-time London residents also show their commitment, with one man revealing he has been coming to Wimbledon for 44 years. He said: "I started with school trips and have only missed two tournaments since I began camping in the queue at 18. It's a great way to meet friends and soak in the Wimbledon spirit!”

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