The 2026 Wimbledon Championships are officially underway at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, with the opening day bringing together the tournament’s biggest stars, famous faces and highly anticipated matches.
The Royal Box and VIP areas welcomed a host of celebrity arrivals, while on court, British hopes were put to the test. This week, British player Jack Draper will face a tough opening match against sixth seed Taylor Fritz, while Emma Raducanu begins her campaign against Croatia’s Antonia Ružić.Â
Adding to the excitement, Serena Williams will make a headline-making return to SW19 at 44 as she steps back onto the Wimbledon lawns. The tennis champion has not competed in singles since she officially retired from professional tennis at the US Open in 2022.Â
Take a look at all the opening-day arrivals below…
© GettyDame Mary Berry
Dame Mary Berry looked lovely in a V-neck dress with pleated detailing on the skirt and puff sleeves. The former Great British Bake Off star’s elegant attire was accessorised with a pearl necklace – and a pair of ballet flats for comfort.Â
The 91-year-old chef has just shared her top summer hosting tips with HELLO! – and we’ll be using them for our next BBQ.Â
© GettyCarol Kirkwood
Carol Kirkwood was living her best life at Wimbledon alongside her husband, Steve Randall. Making the most of her retirement from BBC Breakfast, former weather presenter Carol donned a beautiful blue floral dress for her big day out.Â
Carol and Steve, who live in Berkshire, first met in 2017 and have been making the most of her newfound free time since leaving her job of 28 years.
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins went hand-in-hand with her husband Andrew Levitas as they arrived in SW19.
The classical singer was a summer style muse in this season’s hottest trend, polka dots, opting for a cute white co-ord complete with ditsy blue dots and a neck scarf. Her husband of 11 years was suited and booted for the occasion, looking smart in a double-breasted suit.
© GettySir Mark Rylance
Mark Rylance put in a dapper appearance on day one of Wimbledon, rocking a grey suit and straw hat. The Wolf Hall star was accompanied by Lisa Barnard, an artist, researcher and teacher.
© GettyAJ Odudu
AJ Odudu was a vision in cream as she arrived at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in style. Wearing a figure-hugging dress with soft ruching detailing on the hip, the Big Brother host put her best foot forward in the thigh-split number.
AJ appeared to be attending solo without her handsome fiancé, who tends to avoid the limelight.
© GettyMaura Higgins
How stunning did Maura Higgins look? The Love Island star donned her tennis whites in an adorable shift mini dress, accessorising to perfection with a bow in her hair and white-rimmed cat-eye sunglasses.
But it was her footwear that really stole the show – a pair of white stilettos with a mini tennis ball affixed to the heels. Game, set, match!Â
© AFP via Getty Images1. A lot of tennis ballsÂ
Throughout the tournaments, Wimbledon goes through over 50,000 tennis balls! After the first seven games, the balls are replaced and refrigerated to maintain bounce.Â
2. Strawberries and cream
Tennis and strawberries are never apart throughout Wimbledon, and in fact, they only get the fruit from one supplier. Last year, Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent provided around 1.5 million strawberries over the two-week tournament.Â
3. Rufus the Hawk
Rufus, the hawk, has been the protector of the Wimbledon courts for the past ten years. He flies above the grounds in the early AM to chase away any pigeons to maintain a pristine court condition.Â
4. Prize moneyÂ
The winners of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles championships will each receive £2.2 million. Additionally, the winners of every round will also receive money, ranging from £1500 for the winner of the first round of mixed doubles, up to £1.1 million for the runner-up in the final.
5. Longest match in history
In June 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut battled for 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days, with the longest match in professional tennis history. The match totalled 183 games, and John eventually won 70-68.Â
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