Wimbledon roared into life on Monday as the All England Club flung open its gates to thousands of eager fans, many of whom had queued patiently for hours under gentle morning sunshine. However, the pleasant early conditions were not expected to last, with forecasters warning of a looming heatwave that could see temperatures hit record highs for the start of the tournament.
Meteorologists predicted that this year’s Championships could experience the hottest opening in its long history, with the mercury poised to surpass the previous first-day record of 29.3°C set in 2001. Should temperatures rise further, the event may even challenge the all-time Wimbledon high of 35.7°C recorded during the 2015 edition.
“It’s obviously a very warm day,” said Sally Bolton, Chief Executive of the All England Club. “The first point to make is that the athletes compete in temperatures like this all year on the tour. So for us Brits at the Championships, it feels very hot.
“We do have the heat rule available to us, which again is well used on the tour. So we will be taking heat stress monitor readings half an hour before play, at 2pm and 5pm today.”
Under Wimbledon’s extreme heat policy, players are permitted a 10-minute break if the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reaches or exceeds 30.1°C.
Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz is no stranger to the sun and will be hoping to thrive in the heat as he begins his quest for a third consecutive title. The Spaniard faces Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Centre Court in one of the day’s headline matches.
Over on Court One, world number one Aryna Sabalenka takes on Canada’s Carson Branstine, with sizeable crowds also expected for the all-British clash between Emma Raducanu and Mingge Xu. Earlier on the same court, local favourite Jacob Fearnley faces Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
Off the court, a pro-Palestinian protest was taking place outside the grounds. Organisers assured the public that security measures were in place, with close coordination between tournament staff and the Metropolitan Police.
“We’re expecting protests today, as we’ve had protests for most years in some way, shape or form,” Bolton added. “That will be managed as it always is outside the grounds. We work closely with the Metropolitan Police on facilitating that.
“As regards flags, Palestinian flags are not banned. It’s about ensuring those who have bought a ticket to be on the grounds have the opportunity just to enjoy the tennis.”
As play got under way, the buzz of excitement mingled with the rising heat — a reminder that Wimbledon 2025 might well be making history before a ball has even bounced in anger.