Keeping Time At Wimbledon: Rolex's Legacy On Centre Court
3 min read
Once again, the theatre of Tennis is set to welcome spectators to one of the most anticipated championships of all time, the Wimbledon. As one of Tennis’ premiere tournaments, the world’s best players will compete on Wimbledon’s hallowed lawns for the 137th time, all striving to etch their names into sporting history. From 1st July to 14th July, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club will stage one of the most important events on the Tennis calendar.
Rolex and tennis have a rich legacy of tradition and excellence dating back almost half a century, when the Swiss watchmaker first partnered with The Championships, Wimbledon, in 1978 and continues to support leading tournaments and tennis talent ever since. First played in 1877, Wimbledon is the epitome of elegance and tradition and, as Official Timekeeper, Rolex supports its commitment to tennis excellence and the tournament’s treasured legacies. Wimbledon is the only one of the four Grand Slam tournaments to be played on grass. Requiring meticulous year-round preparation, its pristine lawns are mown daily to an exact height of eight millimetres; a surface reserved for the select few who are privileged to hold a racket on these courts. If players are to realize their dreams and become a Wimbledon champion they must display the utmost skill, speed and technical precision during the fortnight of tennis.
In keeping with tradition, the reigning gentlemen’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz will start play on Centre Court on Monday 1 July. Rolex Testimonee Alcaraz, who recently won his third Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros, says: “Honestly, the way that I played in that final last year, having all my closest people there and the atmosphere around the whole day, was a beautiful moment. At times, overcoming my emotions felt like a bigger challenge than winning match point. To win while representing Rolex was even more special because the brand is such an important part of Wimbledon. I’m really looking forward to playing the first match on Centre Court next week. It’s the only tournament where the defending champion starts play on the Monday, so it’s a great honour.”
The Centre Court has witnessed history in the making when the legendary Roger Federer began his spree of victories at the Wimbledon. Having joined the Rolex family in 2001, the Swiss maestro went on to forge an extraordinary career, winning a record eight Wimbledon singles titles and 20 Grand Slam tournaments in all. Federer reflects: “From the very first time I walked out on court at The All England Club as a junior, I felt that Wimbledon was special. When you look around and see the Rolex crown it gives you a familiar feeling, a sense of being at home. I remember saying that lifting the trophy was like holding the sun because it’s golden and was shining on that beautiful day in London. It feels extra heavy because of the weight of history that it carries.”
Among those standing in the way of Alcaraz also claiming back-to-back glory are several Rolex Testimonees, including Taylor Fritz, Holger Rune, Ben Shelton, Jannik Sinner and Stéfanos Tsitsipás. Fresh from winning an historic fourth Roland-Garros title earlier this month, Iga Świątek will compete for the Venus Rosewater Dish alongside fellow Rolex Testimonees Coco Gauff, Caroline Wozniacki and Qinwen Zheng in the ladies’ singles draw.
