Five ace facts about Wimbledon

It's one of the biggest British sporting events of the year and the oldest tennis tournament in the world - Wimbledon is officially underway!

This year's Championships run from Monday 30 June until Sunday 13 July, attracting many of the best tennis players in the sport.

But how much do you really know about this grand event?

Here's five ace facts about Wimbledon.

Are you excited for Wimbledon? Who's your favourite tennis player? Let us know in the comments below.

When did Wimbledon start?

Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.

The first Championships took place in 1877 at the All England Club in London, where it's still held today.

Twenty-two men took part and a crowd of 200 people watched the final, which was won by a local man called Spencer Gore.

It was such a success that the event expand in 1884 to include competitions for men's doubles and ladies' singles.

In the 1910s, ladies' doubles and mixed doubles were officially added to the list.

Wheelchair tennis was first played at Wimbledon in 2005 - first as a doubles competition, before the singles events for both men and women were added to the schedule in 2016.

Why do players wear white at Wimbledon?

You might have noticed that players in Wimbledon always wear all-white clothes, that's because it's an official rule that they have to follow in order to take part.

The history of why people wear white at the tournament dates back to the 1800s, when people would play tennis at social events.

Players wore white in order to avoid sweat patches on coloured clothing, which were considered "improper" and "unsightly" at the time.

So from that period onwards it became part of the official dress code for the tournament.

However, since 2023 female competitors at Wimbledon have be allowed to wear dark-coloured undershorts to relieve a "potential source of anxiety" for players on their period.

However, any women or girls who decide to wear the undershorts, need to make sure that they are no longer than their skirt - so they can be hidden under their white skirts.

Why is Wimbledon played on grass?

Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments around the world.

The other three are the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.

However, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam still played on the game's original surface - grass.

Playing on grass can be a challenge for players as it is the fastest surface in the sport.

Grass courts used to be one of most common tennis surfaces, however they are much rarer now due to the high cost needed to maintain them.

They need to be watered and mown often, and usually take a longer time to dry after rain compared to hard courts.

Why do people eat strawberries and cream at Wimbledon?

Strawberries and cream have long been tradition at Wimbledon.

The fruity snack has actually been served since the very first tournament in 1877, and has remained a big favourite ever since.

The competition started during the Victorian era, when strawberries were a seasonal delicacy and only available for a few weeks in June and July.

This coincided perfectly with the tennis Grand Slam and it is still a popular treat to this day.

Around a whopping 200,000 portions are served each year at the tournament.

That means that on average, about 40,000 kilograms of strawberries and 10,000 litres of cream are consumed!

Who is Rufus the Hawk and what does he do?

Rufus is one of the most recognisable and loved faces at the Championships.

The American harris hawk has been swooping around the courts of Wimbledon since 2008, making sure the place is kept pigeon-free.

His important job sees him patrol the skies, scaring away pigeons to stop them from eating the grass.

In order to do this, he wakes up at five o'clock in the morning and is the first one on to Centre Court to keep an eye on any feathery visitors.

The reason why Rufus is so good at his job is down to his eyes.

Hawks can see ten times further than any human.

He's such a big name at Wimbledon that he even used to have his own security pass - with the job title - bird scarer!

When he's finished for the day, Rufus' favourite meal is a big plate of chicken - however he's quite fussy and he doesn't like it fried!