Your ultimate guide to the Wimbledon Championships 2016

The Wimbledon Championships – often just called "Wimbledon" – is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, hosting its first event in 1877. Held annually, it usually begins in the third or fourth week of June and runs for two weeks.

Wimbledon is the third of four Grand Slams held each year, following the Australian Open and Roland Garros in France, and preceding the US Open.

This years’ event is the 130th running of the tournament.

Details

Dates Monday, June 27 to Sunday, July 10

Venue All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, SW19, London

Surface Grass; all courts are outdoors, although Centre Court has a retractable roof.

Courts 19

President HRH The Duke of Kent

TV Schedule OSN will be providing multi-match coverage, with details of the finals being releases nearer the time. Check here for daily match schedules.

The event

Main events There are five main events: Gentlemen’s Singles, Ladies’ Singles, Gentlemen’s Doubles, Ladies’ Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

Players and seeding Both Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles tournaments comprise 128 players in each. Both main events include 32 seeded players each, with their seeding based on international performances.

Both Singles tournaments also include eight Wild Card entrants. Wild Card entries are chosen based on several reasons, which can include anything from a unique talent to someone whose image may be of interest to fans.

The remaining entrants are decided through qualifiers, which are played a week before in nearby Roehampton.

There are 16 seeded teams for the Doubles matches.

Junior events There are five junior events: Boys’ Singles, Girls’ Singles, Boys’ Doubles, Girls’ Doubles, and Disabled Doubles.

Players and seeding To play in the Junior events, players are admitted based on recommendations of their respective Tennis Federations.  There is no formal seeding.

Invitation events There are five invitation events: Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles, Senior Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles, Gentlemen’s Wheelchair Doubles, Ladies’ Invitation Doubles, and Ladies’ Wheelchair Doubles.

Players and seeding The event organisers decide who should be invited to play. There is no seeding.

Match and tournament format All events are single-elimination, with every winning player progressing to the next round, until there are two players (or teams) left in each.

The Gentlemen’s Singles are best-of-five sets, while all others are best-of-three sets. If the score reaches 6–6 in any set except the fifth (in a five-set match) or the third (in a three-set match), a tie-breaker is played. A two-game lead must be reached if it is the last set.

2015 Wimbledon Champions

Customs and traditions

Colours and kits The official colours of Wimbledon are green and purple, and the courts are decorated elegantly to this doctrine.

Players, however, must wear white or off-white. This extends to footwear, headbands, and socks. Small elements of colour, such as single pin stripes, are acceptable.

Sponsors Wimbledon adopts a very strict policy of no sponsorship.

Ball Boys and Girls The Ball Boys and Girls (BBGs) are traditionally selected from schools in neighbouring boroughs, including Merton (in which Wimbledon is a part of), Kingston-upon-Thames, Sutton, and Wandsworth.

The BBGs are responsible for collecting stray and out balls quickly, quietly, and without any interference. To have been a BBG is considered an honour.

Etiquette Unlike other tournaments, Wimbledon refers to the Single’s classes as “Gentlemen’s and Ladies” as opposed to “Men’s and Women’s”.

Players must also bow if Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II or HRH The Prince of Wales is in attendance.

Queuing Queuing is indeed a tradition, as getting tickets to Wimbledon can be phenomenally difficult. Most show tickets have to be applied for at the start of the year, with successful applicants chosen at random. To gain entry otherwise, you will need a tent and a great degree of patience.

Strawberries and cream Only strawberries and cream are permitted to be consumed while watching matches.

Awards

Trophies The winner of the Gentlemen’s Singles receives the silver cup, which has been awarded since the tournament’s inception in 1877. The Ladies’ Singles champion is presented with the Venus Rosewater Dish, a platter 48cm in diameter and decorated with figures of mythology.

Prize money The prize money differs from year to year. The breakdown in 2016 is as follows and total GBP 28.10 million (more than Dh152 million) which is up by 5 per cent from last year.