Imbledon’s Center Court is hosting musical celebrations for the first time ahead of a full day of mid-Sunday tennis to celebrate its centenary.
Veteran tennis broadcasters Sue Barker, John McEnroe and Clare Balding will speak through 100 years of history on the court from 1.30pm, before British singer Freya Ridings performs in front of thousands of spectators.
Team GB’s Heather Watson will be first in the stadium and play against Germany’s Jule Niemeier – and later Novak Djokovic will perform the sacred grass against Tim van Rijthoven from the Netherlands.
Thousands of free tickets were also given to Ukrainian, Syrian and Afghan refugees, as well as to community groups and schools.
Center Court has been the main stage at the Championships since 1922, when the tournament moved from SW19’s Worple Road to Church Road.
From Althea Gibson who was the first black player to win Wimbledon in 1957, to former grand slam great Boris Becker who was now in jail, who won the year the Berlin Wall fell, have many memorable moments in the history housed.
The court was also bombed in October 1940, during World War II, and Wimbledon could not repair the damaged section until 1947.
In 1979 it was expanded to accommodate a larger capacity, and in 2009 it was given a retractable roof.
Over the past two years, the tournament has been threatened by coronavirus since it was canceled in 2020, while having a capacity limit of 50% in 2021.
As it returns to its heyday in 2022, spectators say public affection for the court does not last more than 100 years.
Alison Montague (77) and her daughter Katherine (50), both from Kings Bromley in Staffordshire, have been to dozens of Wimbledon tournaments.
Alison, a retired school secretary, said her first visit was in 1950 when players used wooden rockets.
She told the PA news agency: “It is very different now. The players used to wander around, and you could get a signature – but now you can’t get close to them. “
She added that the atmosphere was “great” then and still is today.
Katherine added: “My favorite time at Center Court was when Roger Federer beat Andy Roddick in the thriller of five sets, and they cheered Roddick off the track – he got a standing ovation.
“He actually got more points than Federer, but the crucial points that Federer won.
“It was very exciting. Roddick never won Wimbledon. “
SW19 veterans Maryjane (75) and Annie (69), both from Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, sat in Center Court for Sir Andy Murray’s 2013 victory.
Maryjane told PA: “The Murray game, when they closed the roof for the first time, was so exciting. I was also after finals with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, and they were absolutely amazing.
“They continued until late at night, and you could not go. Could. Not. Go. I was also at the 77 final when Virginia Wade won and the queen was here. “
Asked what makes Center Court special, Annie added: “It’s just like that. It’s iconic, and as things changed, it didn’t change too much. The roof did not destroy it. “
John Barrington, 73, a tennis coach for an amateur club in Somerset, said he first visited Center Court when it was empty after playing as a junior at Wimbledon Park when he was nine years old.
He said: ‘I remember being taken to Center Court by my mother, about 60 years ago. It was very impressive then and still is today. ”
Marie Selby, 63, a wedding dress designer from Kew, West London, said she was “many times” on the sidelines, including when the Williams’ sisters first confronted each other in 2000.
Ms Selby, who enjoyed the championships with her daughter, Phoebe, this year, told PA: “You still feel that you are very close to the players wherever you sit in Center Court.
“Even though it has been expanded as a court, you still feel very intimate. It’s just a very beautiful arena. “
Phoebe, a 25-year-old art gallery assistant, said her favorite moment was watching Gerard Butler and Bradley Cooper embrace in the royal box after Sir Andy won.
The All England Lawn and Tennis Club (AELTC) plans to expand Wimbledon to the neighboring parkland over the next eight years, adding several courts, including an 8,000-seat showroom.
Alex Willis, of the AELTC, told reporters: “It has become one of the most iconic landmarks in all sports, and what we have really tried to focus on is looking ahead to the future and what the future of this stadium can bring. be.
“What I would hope for is that the purity of the experience remains.”
Ms Willis said she envisions a “Downton Abbey” -style development, with planners taking inspiration from “classic Tudor country houses” – but said that even in 100 years, the courts will still be made of grass.