The road to Wimbledon is nearly complete, with the iconic grass-court Slam of the year set to unfold from June 29 to July 12 at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London. As the oldest and most prestigious major in tennis, SW19 stands alone as the only Grand Slam played on outdoor grass, making its legendary all-white dress code feel even more special to the spectators. And for fans in the US, the excitement is set to arrive in full force as the sport’s most cherished championship once again takes center stage.

The tennis fans from the US will soon get a special opportunity to experience the atmosphere of SW19 without leaving the US.

The All-England Club has officially announced plans for The Wimbledon Court in Central Park, New York. The 4-day event will run from Friday, June 26, through Monday, June 29.

The initiative is designed to bring a taste of Wimbledon to one of the world’s most famous public spaces. It also marks the 5th consecutive year that The Championship has hosted a fan experience in the US.

Speaking about the event, the Marketing and Commercial Director at The All-England Lawn Tennis Club, Usama Al-Qassab, expressed excitement about returning to New York.

“We are delighted to bring Wimbledon to the US for a fifth successive year, giving New York’s devoted tennis fans a flavour of Wimbledon,” he added.

The official further explained what the spectators can expect from the experience. “Whether they are watching the unique exhibition matches we have planned, enjoying the rare opportunity to play on a Wimbledon grass court, coming to New York for the first time ever, or tasting some of Wimbledon’s traditional food and drink, our four day event will bring the celebration of ‘tennis in an English garden’ to New York’s iconic Central Park.”

One of the biggest attractions of the entire event will be The Wimbledon Court Invitational. The exhibition match is scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, June 26.

The special contest will feature various icons of the game competing in a friendly doubles match. The names of the participating players are expected to be revealed in the coming days.

The fans will also have a chance to step onto the grass themselves. On Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, selected fans will be able to play on the temporary grass court through free slots available via a public ballot.

Since 2022, Wimbledon has brought elements of its Grand Slam event to the US through The Hill in NY. Following the popularity of that concept, organizers have decided to introduce a new format this year.

For the first time, the famous Wollman Rink in Central Park will be transformed into a ‘pop-up grass’ court. The surface will be installed and maintained by SW19’s expert ground staff, helping recreate an authentic experience.

And as anticipation continues to build for the grass-court major, Wimbledon has already released the qualifying entry list, adding another layer of excitement ahead of the start of this year’s tournament.

Matteo Berrettini and Maja Chwalińska leads Wimbledon qualifying round

Even though the French Open has not yet reached its conclusion, attention has already started shifting toward SW19 and its qualifying competition.

The qualifying fields for this year’s grass-court Grand Slam have now been released, featuring several notable names from both the WTA and ATP tours. Among the WTA entrants are Roland Garros semifinalist Maja Chwalinska, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, and 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Lulu Sun.

The ATP qualifying field is also packed with recognizable names. Among those entered are the Italian Matteo Berrettini and Grigor Dimitrov, two players with significant experience on the biggest stages of the sport.

Other entrants include Jesper de Jong and Spain’s Pablo Llamas, both of whom will be looking to secure their spots at The Championships through qualifying.

Away from the player entries, Wimbledon has also announced an important technical change for this year’s event.

For the first time in the history of Wimbledon, both WTA and ATP players will be allowed to request Video Review technology for specific chair umpire decisions. The system can be used to review calls including “not-up” “foul shot” and “touch”.

Video Review will be available on selective courts as players may request reviews on point-ending calls, when play is immediately stopped, or directly after a point in hindrance situations.

As the countdown to this year’s grass-court major continues, excitement is steadily building. With high-profile names entering qualifying and new innovations arriving at SW19, the stage is already being set for another memorable edition of The Championships.