PICK OF THE WEEK

6 June / TennisThe ChampionshipsWimbledon

The 20-year plan of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to improve facilities at The Championships is well under way. The new No 1 Court in Aorangi Park is already partially built, though all the facilities normally there are still retained. This year's tournament starts on Monday week.

Tickets for Wimbledon are always in demand. Apart from the allocation to All England Club members, lawn tennis associations and debenture holders, a public ballot, closing in December, for seats on Centre Court and No 1 Court is held annually. However, about 600 tickets for reserved seats on the Centre Court are available each day, except for the last four days of The Championships. Prices start at pounds 20 for the first day, rising to pounds 41 for the second Wednesday, the men's singles quarter-finals.

No 1 Court has 600 seats and 820 standing tickets available daily. Seats start at pounds 17 (pounds 11 restricted views); standing costs pounds 10. Tickets for No 2 Court can be obtained at the turnstiles; prices start at pounds 14. Ground admission costs pounds 8 (pounds 6 after 5pm) for the first week and pounds 7 (pounds 5) for the second, and gives access to 16 courts. Middle Saturday again provides reductions on all daily tickets. Two thousand unreserved seats at pounds 25 (a saving of pounds 5) on the Centre Court will be available at the turnstiles.

The grounds open at 10.30 and expect long queues for daily tickets at the main entrances in Church Road and Somerset Road, though television monitors provide scores and results. Spectators with ground-only tickets can watch play on the Centre Court on a large television screen in Aorangi Park, next to the Club. To receive a ballot form for the 1996 tournament, visitors can leave their names and addresses at one of the information desks, though forms must be returned by the end of December.

Sportsworld, of Abingdon (01235 555844), and Keith Prowse, a member of the Wembley plc group (0181 795 2222), are the official hospitality companies. Prices start at pounds 295 plus VAT.

How to get there: British Rail (0171 928 5100): Waterloo to Wimbledon. Underground: District Line to Southfields and Wimbledon. Special bus services and taxis run from stations to ground. Car parks: There are nine official car parks, of which Nos 4 (entry from Somerset and Bathgate Roads), 8 (Wimbledon Park Golf Club, Church Road) and 10 (Wimbledon Park Road) are unreserved. Play: Ground opens 10.30am; play starts at 2pm on Centre and No 1 Courts and at noon on all other courts for the first week. Information: 0181 946 2244.