The rules of Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, are part of the charm of this, one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world!
Held at the All England Club in London, Wimbledon is synonymous with excellence and elegance in sport;
From the strict dress code to the innovative use of Hawk-Eye technology for challenges, Wimbledon’s rules are designed to preserve the integrity and elegance of the game while embracing modernity.
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List of all the Wimbledon rules [Complete manual]
The first particularity among the Wimbledon rules is the court itself, after all, this is the only one of the four Grand Slam where the court is grass;
In addition, several matches are held simultaneously on different courts within the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club complex, which is located in London’s Wimbledon district.
In fact, the name Wimbledon was given in honor of the neighborhood where the tournament was held;
Returning to the rules of the competition, the center court and the No. 1 court are the ones hosting the most high-profile matches.
They also have a system that protects the court in the event of rain;
Wimbledon competition models
The tournament consists of competitions and prizes in the following categories:
- individuais masculinos;
- individuais femininos;
- duplas masculinas;
- duplas femininas;
- duplas mistas.
There are two main types of match format:
- Simples e duplas masculino: ganha a partida o atleta que ganhar 3 sets, sendo o jogo no formato melhor cinco sets.
- Simples e duplas feminino: ganha a partida a atleta que ganhar 2 sets, sendo o jogo no formato melhor três sets.
To win a set, a player generally has to win at least six games, with a difference of at least two games over their opponent;
Remember that under Wimbledon rules, as well as tennis rules in general, games are counted as follows:
- 1 ponto: “15”
- 2 pontos: “30”
- 3 pontos: “40”
- 4 pontos: “Game” (desde que a vantagem de dois pontos seja alcançada)
For example, a set ends when:
- Jogador A vence 6 games
- Jogador B vence 4 games
- Jogador A vence o primeiro set por 6-4
If the set reaches a score of 6-6, a tiebreak is played to decide the winner of the set;
In the tiebreak, the first player to reach seven points, with a two-point lead, wins the set.
Read also: Tennis Glossary: ace, volley, fault, deuce, serve and more!
Stages of the Wimbledon Grand Slam
A fundamental part of the list of all the Wimbledon rules is understanding the stages of the competition
- Qualificatórias: Antes do torneio principal, jogadores competem nas qualificatórias para garantir uma vaga no quadro principal. Em 2024, essa etapa começa em 24 de junho. Ao vencer as classificatórias, os turistas seguem para o quadro principal, para dar início oficial ao torneio, até a grande final.
- Quadro Principal: O torneio principal inclui eventos de simples masculino e feminino, duplas masculinas e femininas e duplas mistas.
In the main draw, the athletes go through the following stages:
- 1ª rodada
- 2ª rodada
- 3ª rodada
- 4ª rodada
- quartas de final
- semifinal
- final
All the games are knockout, in the knockout model, meaning that whoever loses leaves the tournament;
Generally, the women’s singles final is held on the second Saturday, while the men’s singles final takes place on the second Sunday.
Also read: How to Bet on Tennis at Betano: step by step and strategies
The traditional white dress
As we’ve seen so far, the rules of Wimbledon follow the standard regulations of tennis, however, one rule is unique in the history of the sport: the traditional white clothing of the athletes;
Perhaps you’ve never noticed, but all the tennis players wear white at Wimbledon, and this isn’t a coincidence or a matter of personal taste. But rather one of the rules of Wimbledon.
At the British Grand Slam, all players are obliged to wear all-white clothing, including shoes, underwear and socks;
There is only one exception, which only came into force in 2022: shorts under white clothing in women’s competitions.
This garment can be in a different color to offer athletes more comfort, especially during their menstrual period;
But back to Wimbledon’s dress code, they also have a strict code of ethics for chair umpires who must wear a striped shirt with a white collar and beige pants. In the case of women umpires, this is replaced by a long skirt. The jacket must be dark;
Even the flag bearers don’t escape the etiquette and must wear the English cap.
Rules on challenge requests at Wimbledon
Wimbledon uses Hawk-Eye technology, which is a camera system that tracks the trajectory of the ball and simulates a 3D image to determine precisely where the ball bounced.
During a match, each player has the right to challenge the calls (or markings) of the line referees;
Among the indications challenged, players can ask for reviews of situations in which the ball was considered in or out, or if there was an error in the marking.
Each player or pair is entitled to three incorrect challenges per set. In the tiebreak, players receive an additional incorrect challenge.
If a challenge is successful, i.e. if the original decision is reversed, and the athlete is correct about the challenge, the player retains the right to it. It’s as if they didn’t spend the challenge.
However, if Hawk-Eye confirms the original score, the player loses one of their available challenges.
The player must immediately request the challenge after the line referee’s decision, before preparing for the next point. The request must be clearly and directly communicated to the chair umpire.
Also read: Rules of tennis: scoring, tie-breaks, challenges and more.
How long does a Wimbledon match last?
The duration of a Wimbledon match can vary greatly due to various factors, such as the format of the game (singles or doubles), the number of sets played, the competitiveness of the players, the style of play and the weather conditions. However, looking for an average, we can consider the following parameters:
- Curta Duração: Partidas podem durar menos de duas horas se um jogador vencer rapidamente em três sets (exemplo: 6-3, 6-4, 6-2).
- Média Duração: Partidas de quatro sets podem durar de 2,5 a 3,5 horas.
- Longa Duração: Partidas de cinco sets podem facilmente durar mais de quatro horas.
None of these figures come close to the time of the longest match at Wimbledon, and in all of sport. Do you dare to guess the time?
Believe it or not, it was 11 hours and 5 minutes of play, and the tennis players played 980 points in 183 games!
The match was between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner in the first round of the tournament in 2010.
This is one of the surprises that the rules of Wimbledon, and the sport in general, allow us to experience;
How many ATP ranking points do you get at Wimbledon?
Let’s not forget that matches in the competition also earn points in the world rankings;
The points awarded for the ATP ranking at Wimbledon vary according to the stage of the tournament at which the player is eliminated. Here is the distribution of points for the different stages of the men’s singles tournament at Wimbledon:
- Campeão: 2000 pontos
- Finalista: 1200 pontos
- Semifinalista: 720 pontos
- Quartas de final: 360 pontos
- Oitavas de final: 180 pontos
- Terceira rodada: 90 pontos
- Segunda rodada: 45 pontos
- Primeira rodada: 10 pontos
These points are crucial for players competing on the professional circuit, as they directly affect their ATP ranking, which in turn influences their position in tournament brackets and their eligibility for more prestigious events.
Now that you know the rules of Wimbledon, you’re even better prepared to start cheering on your favorites. Good luck!
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