Even the most celebrated champions are not immune to the regulations of the All England Club, as Roger Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, learned in 2022. During a trip to London, Federer decided to make an unplanned visit to the grounds for a cup of tea. But he was abruptly denied at a security checkpoint because he didn’t have his membership card on him. Now three years later, Iga Swiatek isn’t keen to repeat history.

Despite his fame and legend at the All England Club, the security guard remained unmoved. Federer later reflected on the moment bashfully, saying, “I still can’t believe I said this. I still feel bad. I look at her and say, ‘I’ve won this tournament eight times. Please believe me. I’m a member. Where can I go in?’”

Well, Federer’s gaffe has become something of a cautionary tale, especially to World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. In an interview with The Guardian, Swiatek, while talking about using her newly gained honorary membership to the All England Club, said:

“I wonder how it feels. I will be back for sure. I would love to. I have no idea how that works, though. I heard once Roger [Federer] wasn’t let in when he didn’t have a proper badge or something, so I would need to get ready.”

Swiatek may be a card-carrying Rafa Nadal superfan, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t learned a thing or two from the Spaniard’s bête noire. And Federer’s situation is not a singular incident, highlighting the steadfastness of Wimbledon’s security protocols.

Earlier this year, French player Adrian Mannarino, who was ranked world No. 111 at the time and needed to participate in the qualifying event in Roehampton, faced denial of entry when he attempted to access the All England Club for a coffee on a non-match day.

The scanner denied his credentials, as access was limited exclusively to main draw players. Nonetheless, there is an additional individual who encountered a similar challenge.

Iga Swiatek can take advice from this particular tennis star too

Much like Roger Federer, another prominent figure encountered some pesky bureaucracy at Wimbledon. Nick Kyrgios disclosed the entire incident to TalkSPORT, explaining that he lacked a valid ID, not even on his phone, as he had recently replaced it.

“I had just got a new phone because it was broken; I didn’t have any photos. And she laughed before she asked me, so she clearly knew who I was but was just following protocol. I said, ‘do you reckon you could get me in and give me my credentials just one time’ and she was like: ‘No.’ I went, ‘Seriously? Please’, but they said they can’t do that,” Kyrgios stated.

Despite the eventual approval for the Wimbledon Finalist’s entry, the process was fraught with complications. He remarked, “Then I got body searched. They told me to put all of my stuff down and I got body searched.”

Wimbledon’s steadfast commitment to its regulations highlights the dominance of tradition and protocol, overshadowing even its own legendary status. This strictness upholds the club’s distinctive decorum, guaranteeing that membership is a validated privilege rather than a mere entitlement.