BBC News, Go to content Main Watch Listen Main Sections News Economy Health Science Culture Arts World Cup 2026 Investigations News Economy Health Science Culture Arts World Cup 2026 Investigations What is the story behind the traditions of the prestigious Wimbledon Tennis Championship? And what is the secret behind its connection to the delicious "strawberries and cream"? Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Only brilliant white outfits are allowed, which stand out against the unique green grass of the "yellow ball" courts, with an audience keen to taste the famous "strawberries and cream" dish at Wimbledon grounds, a dish consisting of a mix of red and white.
It is a tournament of heritage, traditions, and British legacy, seen as the pinnacle of glory in the sport of tennis, wherein the players' fieriness, emotion, and behavior are restrained within a framework of strict traditions that also includes the audience.
The tournament, which began in 1877 on a court owned by the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, is known as the most prestigious competition in "yellow ball" tennis and the most attractive to players and fans alike.
It is one of the four major Grand Slam tournaments, along with the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open.
Britons see it as a competition that reflects British traditions and customs they insist on adhering to most of them.
The organizers also strive to keep this tournament appealing to the middle-class individuals who support it with decorum and discipline, in a green grass court surrounded by wonderful flowers representing the British countryside.
They seek to highlight the legacy of this historic competition, which spans a century and a half of exchanged serves and raised trophies, shouts, tears, and the usual rain during this time of year.
Claire Stanley, a host of the tennis podcast (Murray Musings), tells BBC that Wimbledon is steeped in traditions, being the only tournament played on grass, a unique surface that is only played on for a very short time during the year.
She adds: "I am lucky enough to visit Wimbledon and the US Open and Australia and the Roland Garros courts... Wimbledon is my favorite, it's well cared for".
It could be said that the most famous tradition of the tournament is the requirement for all participants to wear completely white attire.
The color of the outfit is one of the rules of the tournament applied since the first competition, and wearing ivory or cream white is permitted.
The reason is that tennis players in the nineteenth century wore white to avoid sweat stains on colored garments, which were considered "inappropriate".
Robert Lake, author of "The Social History of Tennis in Britain," previously told BBC that white clothing looks clean, elegant, and tidy, representing beauty, and also reflects the historic comfort of the upper-middle-class.
John Viral, editor of "Tennis Gazette," told BBC that white is cool in the summer when the tournament takes place.
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Since 2023, female players at Wimbledon are allowed to wear dark-colored undergarments to alleviate a "potential source of anxiety" during their menstrual cycle.
However, any female player choosing to wear these undergarments must ensure that their length does not exceed that of their skirts.
Decorations in different colors are allowed on necklines, hats, headbands, wristbands, socks, shorts, skirts, and undergarments, provided they do not exceed one centimeter in width.
In several instances, players have been asked to change their clothing.
Star Andre Agassi refused to play at Wimbledon from 1988 to 1990 partly because the dress code prevented him from wearing the flashy clothes he felt most comfortable in, according to the British Encyclopedia.
Charles Ransy, a former head of sports affairs at English regions in the BBC, tells BBC that when Agassi first participated, there was much speculation about what he would wear, and after entering the main court, he unzipped his suit…