Wimbledon 2015: When is it, what time does it start, which TV channel is it on, how do I get tickets and who should I be watching?

A look ahead to this year's tournament

Tuesday 23 June 2015 17:15 BST

A view of Wimbledon (GETTY IMAGES)

When is it?

The Championships, Wimbledon runs from 29 June to 12 July at the All England Club, with play on every day, except from the ‘Middle Sunday’ rest day on 5 July. Qualifying rounds take place from 22 June to 25 June. The draw for the first round will be 26 June.

Key times

Gates open at 10:30 daily, with Courts 2-19 scheduled to start for 11:30. Centre and No. 1 Courts are scheduled to start for 13:00, except for the men’s (12 July) and women’s (11 July) finals at 14:00. Junior matches from Saturday, 4 June will start at 11:00.

Play closes at approximately 21:00, subject to weather, light and match conditions. The grounds close one hour after the close of play or at 23:00, whichever is earlier.

The order of play will be available the evening before match days between 20:00 and 22:00.

How do I get tickets?

Ballots for tickets to the 2015 Championship have closed with all Debenture tickets, granting a Centre Court seat for each day of The Championships for five years (priced at £50,000 for the period 2016-2020), sold out.

Tennis fans can still purchase on-day grounds admission passes and show court tickets by queuing at the Gate 3 turnstiles. Grounds passes grant access to unreserved seating and standing on Courts 3-19, and are discounted after 17:00. Visitors are advised to queue for grounds passes several hours before the grounds open, though on later match days camping overnight is essential. Water and toilet facilities are available for campers and it is recommended that, ‘due to space constraints’, tents should accommodate ‘a maximum of two persons’. Visitors are not allowed to bring or erect gazebos for The Queue.

A general view of the crowds entering the site at Wimbledon (GETTY IMAGES)

The All England Club publishes a 25-page ‘Guide to Queueing’ for The Championships, including the ‘Queue Code of Conduct’ and information on tickets, food and drink, and reserved seating for wheelchair users.

Prices for grounds passes vary but become cheaper as the competition progresses.

Entry is subject to crowd capacity. At peak visitor numbers, spectators may only be admitted as people leave. Tickets are sold on a one per person queuing basis and payment is by cash only.

Entry for children under 5 is free, though children under 5 are not allowed into show courts (Centre Court and Courts No. 1, 2, 3, 12 and 18). Children between 5 and 12 years old are allowed into all courts ‘provided they are accompanied by an adult at all times’, with children younger than 16 required to attend with an adult.

How do I get there?

The nearest Tube stations are Southfields and Wimbledon, both on the District line and within 20 minutes of the All England Club.

Buses direct from St Pancras, Euston, Baker Street, Marble Arch and Victoria underground stations to The Championships depart every 30 minutes. A paid shuttle bus service runs throughout the tournament direct to The Championships from Wimbledon Station. Buses run all day until late evening.

The shuttle bus service from Southfields has been temporarily suspended, following concerns over traffic congestion along Wimbledon Park Road. The station will host a mobility service for visitors with disabilities.

Huge numbers descend on SW19

What is the prize money?

The total 2015 Wimbledon prize fund is £26.75m, a seven per cent increase on last year (£25m).

Singles champions will receive £1.88m in this year’s Championship, £120,000 more than the prize offered in 2014. Doubles champions stand to win £341,250 per pair, with mixed doubles and wheelchair doubles pairs receiving £100,800 and £15,360 respectively.

Who should I watch?

Following his Australian Open victory last year, the Swiss 30-year-old Stan Wawrinka won his second Grand Slam trophy by beating Novak Djokovic in this year’s French Open final. The No. 4 seed and 2014 Wimbledon semi-finalist will look to bring home his first grass court title.

Stan Wawrinka savours the moment after winning the French Open (EPA)

Kyle Edmund, the South-African born British No. 3, will hope to achieve a career best and advance past the opening round following knockouts in 2013 and 2014. The world No. 102 seed, aged only 20, has shown promise by winning in junior Grand Slam doubles titles in America (2012) and France (2013).

Former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt will be making his last appearance at the All England Club before his retirement next year. The 34-year-old Australian gained a wildcard entry to the tournament earlier this month and will hope to prove his prowess on grass after an early loss to Kevin Anderson at Queen’s.

Third and fourth round exits at the Australian and French Opens will not trouble two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová. The Czech world No. 2 won her sixteenth career singles title with a straight set victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Madrid Open final, having beaten Serena William’s 27-match unbroken run in the semi-finals.

A Wimbledon victory for Serena Williams would mark her sixth singles titles at the All England Club since 2000. Williams is fast approaching Margaret Court’s all time record of 24 major singles titles with consecutive victories in the Australian, French and US Opens.

World No. 208 seed Naomi Broady joins brother Liam for a wildcard place at The Championships this year. The Stockport native won her first ever Grand Slam match at the All England Club in 2014 against Wimbledon doubles finalist Timea Babos before losing to Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

How much will strawberries and cream cost?

A punnet of ‘not less than 10’ strawberries with cream cost £2.50 in 2014.

Should I bring an umbrella?

Yes, according to statistics. Whilst dry, sunny weather is expected for the tournament only seven Championships since 1922 are recorded as taking place ‘without rain interruptions’: 1931, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1995, 2009 and 2010.

Should I bring a selfie stick?

No. Selfie sticks and flasks are listed among the prohibited items that will not be allowed into the grounds during The Championships. Under club rules, guests in possession of prohibited items may be ejected or refused entry from the grounds.

A selfie stick (GETTY IMAGES)

Where can I watch it?

TV coverage is on the BBC in the UK (details below) and TG4 in Ireland.

Day 1 – Monday, 29 June:

11:30-20:30, BBC 2 and 13:45-18:00, BBC 1