Wimbledon is in full swing, with tennis fans eager to watch their favourites battle it out on the court. One man decided to join the long queue to get a ticket on the day and shared how it went
The queue to buy tickets for Wimbledon on the day is infamously long, full of tennis fans hoping to nab a last-minute seat. One man who joined it has shared if it was really worth it. Unless you’re a household name, getting a ticket to this tennis tournament isn’t easy.
Some lucky people manage to secure their spot through the Wimbledon Public Ballot – first launched in 1924 – while others have to face the long queue that forms each day. Alex Dodman, an internet personality known for reviewing attractions and events in the UK, shared a video on TikTok on Monday (July 7) showing what it’s really like to wait in line in the hopes of getting a ticket.
In the clip, he explained: “So if you weren’t lucky enough to get a ticket in the ballot this year, or gifted one like some unbearable influencers, the only other way you’re going to have a chance at getting in is by joining the famous Wimbledon queue.”
Alex said that before he joined the queue, he did some research and found out the first 1,500 people get tickets to either Centre Court, Court 1 or Court 2. Anyone after that gets Grounds only tickets to the outside courts.
With this in mind, he knew getting there earlier is better, so he decided to leave his house at 1:45am. After a two-hour drive, he parked his car and joined the queue at 3:50am.
He shared that the “good thing about it” is when you arrive you get a queue ticket with your place on, stopping people who came after you from getting further ahead in the queue.
Alex added: “Some people do decide to camp out overnight,” but he was hopeful he would get a ticket as he got there “before any of the first trains.”
However, Alex found out he was number 2,900 in the queue and began to lose hope.
He waited on a “pathetic little spot” of grass from about 3.50am to 9am, which he said is when the queue begins to move.
Alex noted you can leave the queue for half an hour to go to the toilet or buy food.
He continued: “As it got to 6am this place was absolutely rammed. People were everywhere. Champagne corks were popping and groups were having a laugh, but when I say having a laugh it was 6am and none of it was funny to me.”
As it got to 9am, he started moving forwards – but only ended up “just winding round the field a bit and then queuing again for another 45 minutes until we got going again where we made our way through the first gate.”
He revealed that you “keep queuing and queuing until your last opportunity to drop your bags off,” and after that you’ve “finally made it to get your ticket.”
Alex got a Grounds only pass for £30, but joined the queue for resale, where he was put on a waitlist.
He was number 1,970 and felt like there was “no way” he would get one of these tickets.
The reviewer remarked: “So onto the next queue to actually get into Wimbledon. This was about another half an hour that just wound its way round a field but then you’re through the gates and actually in.”
By this point it was 11am – meaning it took Alex more than seven hours to get into Wimbledon.
He bought some of the iconic Wimbledon strawberries and cream for £2.70 and explored a gift shop selling items like keychains before braving the “massive crowd” trying to find a seat for any court – but there were queues for all of them.
He was able to watch a few matches on Court 15 in the end, but admitted that by mid-afternoon he was “starting to fall asleep.”
The tennis fan kept checking his resale number, but gave up at around 7pm.
Alex ended: “Would I try the famous Wimbledon queue again?”, then issued the two-word verdict: “Absolutely not.”