Tennis fans were given a shock on Monday morning after being told to stay away from Wimbledon as it is already ‘at capacity’.
Earl’s Court tube station in west London, a popular changeover point en route to Wimbledon, was packed with tennis fans who had flown in from all over the world.
And theMet Officesuggested today was‘the warmest start to Wimbledon on record’.
But an announcement over the PA system quickly put a dampener on the excitement after it was revealed the grounds were already ‘at capacity’ before 9am.
The All England Club queue is incredibly popular in the opening week and fans had been in it since the early hours of the day, to make it into the grounds for Day One.
Those who had opted for a slightly later lie-in faced disappointment when they were told that non-ticket holders risked not getting in.
There were also warnings that travellers faced at best ‘several hours’ waiting in the queue with temperatures soaring for the rest of the day.
An update from Wimbledon’s official website on Monday read: ‘Please be aware that the Queue for Day 1 – Monday 30th June – is very busy and to avoid disappointment we strongly advise you not to travel to the Grounds today.
Fans have been in the Queue at Wimbledon as they bid to get in on the tournament’s first day
Hundreds waited overnight with Wimbledon telling fans that the queue is ‘at capacity’
The tournament is set to have its hottest ever opening day with temperatures reaching 34C
‘Please note there is hot weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday. In both The Queue and the Grounds there may be periods where shade is not available.
‘Please plan appropriately, including bringing water, suncream and a hat. Water refill points are available in the Queue and around the Grounds.’
The queue offers fans the chance to buy limited Show Court tickets or a Grounds ticket, which are sold on a best available, one-per-person queuing basis.
A total of 500 tickets for Centre Court – excluding the last four days – No.1 Court, and No.2 Court are available for the days that they are in play.
Ahead of the tournament, organisers warned fans to check the status of the Queue before travelling.
The tournament has a maximum grounds capacity of 42,000 spectators.
One fan in the queue claimed more than 9,000 people were in the line for day one just after 7am this morning.
Fans in the queue could be faced with predicted temperatures of 34 degrees as they aim to enter the grounds for the first day of play.
Umbrellas were being used not to protect from the rain but instead shield from the sun on the opening day of Wimbledon – said to be the warmest start to the annual tennis tournament ever
Spectators are seen soaking up the morning sunshine as this year’s event got under way today
The Met Office provisionally described today as the ‘warmest start to Wimbledon on record’
This cameraman took special measures to try to keep cooler courtside at Wimbledon today
Tennis fans soak up the sun on a hill within the Wimbledon Championships tournament setting
Earl’s Court tube station was packed with tennis fans as they travelled to the All England Club
Ons Jabeur of Tunisia needed medical assistance during her match against Varvara Gracheva of France in their first round women’s singles match today
Also feeling the heat was Britain’s Oliver Crawford (pictured) during his men’s singles first round encounter at Wimbledon with Italy’s Mattia Bellucci
Wimbledon organisers have warned about parts of the queue and the grounds lacking shade
Hundreds of fans camped on Wimbledon Park overnight to secure places in the queue
Fans in the queue could be faced with intense heat with temperatures predicted to reach 34C
Some in the queue have already taken to using umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun
Tennis fans lie and rest as they queue for tickets on the first day of Wimbledon 2025
Tennis fans protect themselves from the sun as they queue for tickets
Tennis fans dressed as Sweden’s tennis player Bjorn Borg (L) and US tennis player John McEnroe (R)
Tennis fans line up hoping for admission on the first day of the 2025 Wimbledon tournament
A record was expected to be smashed for the hottest start to the tournament, with the previous highest of29.3C being recorded back in 2001.
The queue starts in Wimbledon Park and fans were allowed to begin lining up on Sunday at 2pm, 20 hours before the grounds officially opened for the opening day.
Wimbledon has a dedicatedQueue Village, an area where fans can have refreshments, take part in partner activations and watch the tennis on a big screen as they await entry.
Those at the front of the queue are invited to the village when the grounds have reached capacity, while waiting for tickets to become available.
Screen messages are displayed inviting guests to buy tickets from the ticket sales kiosk when there is room in the grounds.
Among those queuing today were Britons Brad and Ben, who befriended a US group next to them while shading themselves with Union Jack umbrellas.
Ben travelled down from Northampton and Brad, a Wimbledon first-time, came over from south-east London.
Cohen, Kiah and Bart travelled from Milwaukee in the US and have been travelling around Europe for the past fortnight.
Britons Brad and Ben have befriended a US group next to them in the queue shading themselves with Union Jack umbrellas
Wimbledon has a dedicated Queue Village, an area where fans can have refreshments, take part in partner activations and watch the tennis on a big screen as they await entry
Fans have wielded placards protesting against the replacement of line judges by AI
Among the celebrity guests have been 2004 women’s singles champion Maria Sharapova and former England football captain Sir David Beckham
Bart decided to add Wimbledon as a last minute pitstop after starting in Switzerland and travelling through France to Britain – having last come to Wimbledon five years ago but wanting to return ever since.
He described how he took another two days off work with permission from his boss to come to Wimbledon, adding: ‘It was her idea.
‘I told her about the trip and I said, “If i was to stay two days longer to go to Wimbledon…” and she said, “Then you go to Wimbledon!”
Meanwhile, Gabriel Paul and Harry Robson – two university students from London studying advertising – held placards protesting against the loss of line judges and their AI replacements from this summer’s Wimbledon onwards.
They received a positive reception when walking around the park and up and down the queue.
Harry said: ‘Line judges were a big part of the game, especially here at the oldest grand slam.
‘It’s a shame we got rid of them – replacing them with technology is part of a wider problem in society, replacing people’s jobs with AI.’
Gabriel said: ‘It takes away the tension of challenges in a game over if something was in or out.’
Wimbledon fans are seen covering themselves from the sun’s glare within the grounds
Caroline Bowser and her son Chris have pitched up their tent, hoping to get Wimbledon entry
Gabriel Paul and Harry Robson, two university students from London studying advertising, have been holding placards protesting against the loss of line judges and their AI replacements
Britain’s former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, pictured here during a practice session on this year’s Wimbledon opening day, is among the home favourites
Among those sitting in the Royal Box on Centre Court today were former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate (left) and ex-Three Lions captain Sir David Beckham (right)
A member of the public is seen walking along one of the alleys amid the Wimbledon courts
A fan attending showed her appreciation for men’s singles defending champion Carlos Alcarez
Caroline Bowser and her son Chris pitched their tent, hoping to get a spot in tomorrow’s games.
She said it was always been her dream to come to the grand slam, with neither of them having ever been to the Wimbledon tournament before.
Chris has to wake up at 5.30am this morning and his mother, who was awake at 4.30am.
She said: ‘We were lucky because we got here so early we got to go in the first row of tents so we get the breeze.’
Chris added: ‘And we’ve got our neck fans, hand fans and umbrella.
‘It feels like a little holiday really.
‘I’ve always wanted to do it. I’ve been watching tennis since I was a kid – this is my dream.’
The high temperatures could lead to Wimbledon applying a heat rule for matches during the day, which would allow players a 10-minute break when theWet Bulb Globe Temperature is at or above 30.1 degrees Celsius.
Also there today were Bart, Kiah and Cohen, who travelled from Milwaukee in the US and have been crossing Europe for the past fortnight – and who mingled with Britons Brad and Ben
One fan claimed over 9,000 people were in the Queue just after 7am on the opening day
Fans potentially face a long wait to enter the grounds amid the record opening day temperature
Wimbledon could be forced to implement their heat rule for matches on the opening day
The heat rule could allow players to have a 10 minute break during the matches
Wimbledon fans donning strawberry hats hoping to get tickets this morning
Spectators wait in the baking sun in Wimbledon Park
One group of six best friends from the US are set for another two or three hours in the queue after joining at 7am and flying eight and a half hours to the UK Pictured: Laurie, Jennie, Amy, Sandra, Lydia and Lindy
A few people try and find shelter from the heat under umbrellas
People queue at the entrance on the first day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
Maria and her family in the overnight queue on day one of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships
People queue at the entrance on the first day of the Wimbledon tennis tournament
A spectator in the overnight on day one of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London
A view of the Wimbledon queue of tents close to the All England Club in south-west London
Much of England is experiencing a fourth day of a heatwave, forecast to be hotter than holiday spots in Barbados, Jamaica and Mexico
A second amber heat health alert in two weeks came into force on Friday
People enter the queue at Wimbledon park
A man brushes his teeth this morning ahead of the queue opening
The heat index is a measure, which factors together the air temperature, the humidity and the surface temperature and is measured by a heat stress monitor.
Readings are taken 30 minutes prior to the start of play and then at 2pm and 5pm.
Only one of the players participating in the match needs to request the break for the rule to be implemented.
Wimbledon state that the rule willapply after the second set for all best of three set matches, and after the third for all best of five set matches.
‘Players may leave the court during the break, but they may not receive coaching or medical treatment.’
The heat rule will not apply to matches played under the roofs.
There have been health warnings issued by experts amid the rising temperatures, with Dr Leslie Mabon, senior lecturer in environmental systems at the Open University, saying: ‘The extreme high temperatures we are seeing in the UK are being exacerbated by the same phenomenon that is causing the heat dome across Europe.
‘The “heat dome” happens when an area of high pressure air stays over the same area for days or weeks, trapping hot air below it which then expands outwards like a dome.
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‘In the UK, heat-related illnesses, greater risk for this with pre-existing conditions, and wildfires can all come about because of heatwaves.
‘This is another reminder that climate change makes extremes like this more frequent or intense.’
Dr Chloe Brimicombe, climate scientist at the Royal Meteorological Society, said: ‘Heatwaves and hot spells in the summer are increasing in duration, how often they occur and intensity, how hot temperatures get to.
‘We also think they are growing in area so more people are exposed every time they occur.
“Beyond heat killing people, they cause a rise in hospitalisations especially in the vulnerable groups.’