Splendour in the Grass: Your Guide to Wimbledon 2025
Wimbledon sits alongside the British Grand Prix, the Royal Ascot and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race as one of the great sporting events of the UK summer season. Like all of these venerable traditions, Wimbledon is part sporting contest and part elite social event, with all of the pomp and ceremony befitting its 148-year history.
For players, it’s a chance to join the ranks of former champions including Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Roger Federer. For spectators, it’s an opportunity to mingle with celebrities and royalty, nibble strawberries and cream, and quaff champagne while watching the world’s greatest players battle it out on the tournament’s famed grass courts.
Wimbledon 2025
Elevated view of spectators on the Hill, No.1 Court and the grounds. (Photo: AELTC/Joe Toth)
Wimbledon 2025
Katie Boulter (GBR) plays a forehand return during her match against Harriet Dart (GBR). (Photo: AELTC/Joe Toth)
Wimbledon 2025
Court 1 during the game between Amarni Banks (GBR) and Kristina Mladenovic (FRA). (Photo: AELTC/Jon Super)
Wimbledon 2025
Adding match scores to the Order of Play board. (Photo: AELTC/David Gray)
Wimbledon 2025
A view from the roof of the Media Pavilion, overlooking the outside of No.1 Court, Centre Court and the northern outside courts. (Photo: AELTC/Chloe Knott)
The Tournament
Held each summer at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Southwest London, Wimbledon is the third major event in the annual tennis calendar and is widely considered to be the most prestigious. Held after the Australian and French Opens, and before the US Open, Wimbledon stands out for its formality (an all-white dress code for players is strictly enforced) and for being the only tennis major played on grass courts. As the oldest tennis tournament in the world, with a history dating back to 1877, it has seen some of the greatest showdowns in the history of the sport.
Fresh off his win in Paris, Carlos Alcaraz is poised to defend his two-year streak as Wimbledon’s men’s singles champion. If he succeeds at fending off Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic he’ll join Djokovic, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg in the elite club of three-time consecutive Wimbledon champs. On the women’s side, fans will be watching to see if Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff or Iga Swiatek will take the crown.
Where to Stay
There is no shortage of prestigious addresses in London, from stalwarts like Claridge’s and The Ritz to newer arrivals like the Art’otel Battersea. For overall luxury, however, it’s hard to beat The Emory, the recently opened 61-room all-suite hotel overlooking Hyde Park. As the latest property in the Maybourne portfolio, it boasts a top-shelf roster of amenities, including chauffeur service, a subterranean spa and a bar with million-pound views of the London skyline. If you’re after something a little more relaxed, head for Beaverbrook, a 19th-century country estate-turned-five-star hotel that’s a 45-minute drive from Wimbledon.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The Emory, the recently opened 61-room all-suite hotel overlooking Hyde Park.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
Remarkable views at The Emory.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
Each pair of floors at The Emory hosts unique suites by designers like André Fu, Patricia Urquiola, Pierre‑Yves Rochon and Alexandra Champalimaud.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
Sample the work of Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten at The Emory.
These days it’s less a matter of where to find a great meal in London as which option to choose (and where you can get a table). That said, the city’s culinary standard is higher than ever, and you can take your pick from any of the greatest world cuisines, plus many less familiar ones. For incredible steak, great wine and easygoing vibes, head to Notting Hill’s Dorian, for some of the city’s best Indian food, check out The Darjeeling Express on Carnaby Street, and for best-in-class fine dining try your luck with a reservation at the two-Michelin-starred Claude Bosi at Bibendum. If you’re still going strong after that, end the night at Hacha, a tequila and mezcal-focused bar that serves some of the tastiest cocktails in the city.
Given the panoply of great menswear stores in London, a trip to Wimbledon is the perfect opportunity for a summer wardrobe refit. A visit to Savile Row is mandatory, of course, but if you don’t have time for a full made-to-measure experience at landmarks like Huntsman or Anderson & Sheppard, pop into Cad and the Dandy to peruse their impressive selection of ready-to-wear. Elsewhere, no one does breezy British style quite like Drake’s, whose signature Games blazer (in linen, naturally) makes the perfect centrepiece for any big court-side fit.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The two-Michelin-starred Claude Bosi at Bibendum
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The two-Michelin-starred Claude Bosi at Bibendum
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The Darjeeling Express on Carnaby Street.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The Darjeeling Express on Carnaby Street.
Visiting Wimbledon 2025
The Darjeeling Express on Carnaby Street.
After all, Wimbledon isn’t just about who lifts the trophy – it’s about how you spend the week. With the right hotel, a couple of hard-to-book restaurant tables and a well-cut linen blazer, you’ll be just as ready for the social calendar as the match schedule.
Game, set, matched.
Feature image courtesy AELTC/Simon Bruty.
