Wimbledon Tennis 2015

Wimbledon Tennis court

In the late nineteenth century, women played tennis in corsets and their clothes weighed about 10 ½ lb – the equivalent of nearly five bags of sugar.

Wimbledon tennis 2015 court

I went to Wimbledon to explore the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and to see the courts ahead of the start of the championships next week (settings for exciting athleticism are never usually anything to do with my normal Thursdays!).

Wimbledon Tennis court 2015

I was lucky enough to be given a private tour of the courts.

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The scoreboards haven’t changed since Djokovic beat Federer and Bouchard was defeated by Kvitovà last year.

Wimbledon tennis courts pictures

Wimbledon tennis score

It all seems so quiet at the moment.

Wimbledon Tennis courts

Transfixed by the perfect lawn…

Wimbledon Tennis lawn

The calm before the storm!

Wimbledon panorama

In the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum the history of tennis, tennis kits and equipment is laid out.

Wimbledon Tennis museum

Of particular note is the current exhibition: ‘Powerful Posters: Tennis and Advertising 1893 – 2015’.

Tennis posters

Over 600 striking posters are on display, most of which are adverts for tennis gear, although interestingly some demonstrate how images of glamorous and sophisticated tennis players appeared on posters that promoted everything from fashion to mountain resorts and even milk!

Wimbledon Tennis posters exhibition

Powerful Posters Tennis and Advertising 1893 – 2015’.

This letterpress poster is the oldest in the museum:

Lawn Tennis Championships All England Club Wimbledon. Edwin Trim, 1893
Lawn Tennis Championships All England Club Wimbledon. Edwin Trim, 1893

Even one of my favourite films, ‘Les Vacances de Mr Hulot’ used the famous tennis scene to promote the film!

mr hulot poster

Wimbledon Tennis museum

Back in the main museum you can see the Gentlemen’s Changing Room from 1901.

Wimbledon tennis museum

And you can walk your way through the different tennis kits of each decade.

Wimbledon tennis museum

old tennis kits

Wimbledon tennis museum

Recent tennis uniforms

Keep your eyes on the prize: the trophies!

Wimbledon tennis trophies

It’s an amazing place to visit.

Tennis museum

Museum tennis

Wimbledon tennis museum

I’m very much looking forward to Wimbledon now!

Wimbledon tennis museum

Tennis… tennis… Tennyson. I’ve involuntarily recalled the last few lines of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem ‘Rosalind’:
‘My Rosalind, my Rosalind,
Because no shadow on you falls,
Think you hearts are tennis balls
To play with, wanton Rosalind?’

Wimbledon tennis court selfie

For those interested, my tennis dress is from Joules (it’s so comfortable! A must-have for this Summer)
And my fun strawberry silk scarf is from House of Fraser (in the sale!)
And my minty-blue colour jumper is from Hobbs (it makes the perfect Summer knit and very soft thanks to the cashmere)

To fully embrace Wimbledon Tennis mode, bake these delicious Lemon Tennis Biscuits.

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