How long does it take to queue to enter Wimbledon?
Queuing for Wimbledon is something tennis fans expect but this year’s lines have been hit with huge delays.
The world’s most prestigious tennis tournament has seen tens of thousands of fans descend on SW19 in the first few days, with 42,815 people attending the championships on Monday, according to the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
That figure makes it the highest attendance on day one of the tournament since 2015, organisers said.
And while spectators hoping to get tickets for Centre Court will have been expecting to queue up for hours, some have described the queues this week as the “worst” they had seen.
Fans vented their frustrations at the sluggish, and at some points static, queue as the tournament kicked off.
What have fans said about the queue?
Becky Deeming, a communications and events manager from London, said: “Everyone around us had done it multiple times and they said: ‘We have never seen it like this.’
“People were getting up and leaving.”
She added that it was “such a bad experience” and it would put her off queuing in the future.
Melissa Donaldson, 28, from Guildford in Surrey, said she and her friends had “co-ordinated around our calendars and had this planned for months” and was not sure “whether to even bother” in future.
She added: “I’ve been a tennis fan for decades, finally decided to commit to the event, and it was the worst queuing experience of my life.
Watch: Tennis fans join iconic Wimbledon queue
“I’ve had four-hour flight delays that were better co-ordinated. It’s making us question whether to even bother for future years.”
Michelle Martin, from Sydney, Australia, came to the UK to spectate at Wimbledon eight or nine times in the past, and said she has never seen the queue in such a bad way.
Her friend Naheed Tapya, from London, added: “I think it’s really poor that there’s been no information because you can’t make any informed decisions.”
What is causing the delays?
The AELTC said heightened security – put in place over concerns about protests – made entry via the queue slower than it has been in previous years.
The club’s chief executive, Sally Bolton, said that security arrangements were boosted after climate change group Just Stop Oil disrupted the second Ashes test at Lord’s, the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham and the World Snooker Championship.
She told reporters this included a “100% bag search” and “selective body search” at all gates – the latter of which will be conducted “on the basis of intelligence”.
Chalk dust or powder substances have also been banned this year and were not listed as prohibited items in 2022.
How long does it take to queue to enter Wimbledon?
There is no definitive answer to how long it will take to queue to enter Wimbledon, with organisers advising fans to arrive very early on the day that you want to visit.
Various factors can determine how long you will be queuing for – including the weather and what time you join the queue.
Longer queues can also be expected if major players are on court that day.
While a set time cannot be given, fans can expect to be waiting around for hours to enter the Wimbledon grounds.
Many of the most dedicated tennis fans join the queue the previous day and camp in line overnight to secure their spot.
Those who camp overnight usually secure a seat for of the 'show courts' (Centre Court or No.1 Court) when the grounds open the next morning, while those who enter the queue early in the morning can find themselves waiting well into the afternoon to get access to Wimbledon.
How long have fans been waiting this year?
A waiting time of several hours has been normal so far for fans who have queued at the start of the tournament.
Tennis fan Melissa Donaldson said she arrived in the queue at 8am on Monday but didn’t move from her original spot for 5.5 hours.
She added: “When it got to about 1pm we were asking volunteer staff for updates but they didn’t have any updates for us either.
“I was number 9,898 in the queue and by 1pm I heard that they hadn’t even reached 3,000 so we left.”
Becky Deeming arrived to queue at 3.45am on Monday and got into the grounds at 1.15pm.
Is it hard to get Wimbledon tickets?
While queuing to get into Wimbledon is part of the experience for many, the chances of actually getting in on the day are not particularly great.
There are a limited number of tickets for the three largest courts – but Centre Court tickets are only available in advance sales on the last four days of the tournament.
Thousands of ground passes are available every day for people who queue, which gives access to unreserved seating and standing room on courts three to 18.
Tickets for people in the queue also become available as those who already have them decide at the last minute they cannot attend, while others leave early and their seats are up for grabs.
But there is no guarantee that fans will get a ticket after hours of queuing – meaning the wait may all be for nothing.
Away from the queue, fans can try to get tickets via an annual public ballot for the majors courts – but, again, the high demand will make securing a ticket a difficult task.
