8 Hours At Wimbledon 2025 In London

When I found out I’d be going to Wimbledon this year, my packing plan for London immediately got more complicated. The world-famous tennis tournament is known for being a major fashion moment, with attendees wearing crisp linen suits, white dresses, and preppy stripes galore. This is basically the opposite of my tomboy femme city girl wardrobe... but it’s not every day Wimbledon comes calling. I needed to make this work.

After settling on an oversized moto jacket and mini skirt — in all black, because I am who I am — I was ready for a day of watching tennis in the sunshine. I got the invitation courtesy of American Express, which has been an official partner of Wimbledon since 2019. Our day passes gave us access to seats in Court 1, plus the entirety of the tournament grounds, including food courts, fan activations, and a private balcony viewing area.

I went in not knowing what to expect (other than hopeful celeb sightings, since Olivia Rodrigo, Andrew Garfield, and Glen Powell have all been spotted in the stands this year). For anyone curious, here’s a breakdown of how I spent the day in this Challengers-coded fantasy world.

Thursday, July 3

12 p.m. Arrive at Wimbledon

Wimbledon is located at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in the suburbs of southwest London, about an hour by car or train from the city center. We had cab service to take us out there, but you can get there on the Tube — just expect crowds and about a mile of walking to get from the stop to the entrance point.

We arrived to a throng of people wandering the grounds, and a few matches that had already started at 11:00 a.m. The dress code is generally described as smart casual, but many people take it up a notch, wearing pastel suits or flowy dresses with heels. The players are required to wear white, which looks crisp and sleek against the bright-green grass courts.

After battling our way through the crowds, we made it to the AMEX lounge, where cardholders and two of their guests can hang out, have drinks and snacks, and enjoy some shade between watching the matches (since many of the courts are in full sun). There are various other shaded spots for non-AMEX members to go, including the awnings under the courts and the covered eating areas. The team gifted us with a bag of Wimbledon/AMEX goodies, including the official play booklet for the day and a handheld radio to listen to commentary from the different courts.

1:30 p.m. Sit down for the first match

We were a little late for our first match, which started at 1 p.m. on Court 1. Russian player Mirra Andreeva played Lucia Bronzetti from Italy. Andreeva is ranked No. 7 in the world at just 18 years old, and it showed in her form — we were all captivated watching her play. She won two out of three sets to cinch a victory in the match (and she’s since advanced to the quarter finals).

2:30 p.m. Grab a snack at the food court

It was a rare cloudless day in London, and I needed a break from the direct sun, so I popped down to the food court between matches to fuel up for the afternoon. Between the four restaurants, a pizzeria, and multiple food courts, there’s pretty much any type of food you could want, including markers to denote dietary restrictions. I picked up a wrap, chips, and a water from the grab-and-go station, along with the famous Wimbledon strawberries and cream.

If you eat one thing while you’re here, make it this — the sweet dish, made with strawberries from a local farm, has been a Wimbledon tradition for decades.

3:00 p.m. Watch the second match of the day

After eating, we settled back down in our seats for the second match on Court 1: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan versus Maria Sakkari of Greece. Rybakina, a former Wimbledon champ who’s currently ranked No. 11, handily won her match in two sets — though she’s since lost in the third round to Clara Tauson from Denmark.

4:30 p.m. Check out the AMEX pavilion and fan experience

Hot tip: You can only exit the stands during certain moments in a match, like during a changeover or when a game has ended, so as not to distract the players. We took advantage of the moment to sneak out and walk around before watching our final match of the day.

The Wimbledon lawn is located on the hill directly outside the court area, and it’s where spectators can sit for the day and watch the matches on a giant screen. Lawn tickets are less expensive and more plentiful than tickets to sit in the stands, and you can get them by buying hospitality packages in advance or joining the queue on the day you want to attend.

At the top of the hill is AMEX’s pavilion, which is open to the public and serves four flavors of soft-serve ice cream along with an exhibit about Wimbledon history. There’s also a trivia game where you can win prizes, and for cardholders, an upper terrace to have a drink away from the crowds.

Before heading back to Court 1, we walked through the AMEX fan experience, which was basically a giant area set aside for games and crafting. You could pick out tennis-core charms, personalize a tennis ball with the Wimbledon logo, send postcards to loved ones, and play games for the chance to win merch.

One more thing: If you’re a shopper, don’t miss the massive gift shop, located directly underneath Court 1. It’s filled with every Wimbledon-themed item you can think of, from striped rugby shirts to journals to tea sets. I walked away with a Wimbledon strawberry magnet for 10 pounds (~$14).

5:30 p.m. Watch the third (very exciting!) match

It was time for our third and final match on Court 1: UK player Jack Draper versus Marin Čilić from Croatia. Draper was the favorite to win because of his No. 4 world ranking, plus the support of his home country. But Čilić, an experienced player who made the Wimbledon final in 2017 and won the U.S. Open in 2014, proved to be a dangerous opponent.

Though Draper fought hard to come back from two losing sets, Čilić ultimately bested him in the fourth set after a very tense two and a half hours. Earlier, our group had talked about leaving early to get to dinner at a reasonable time, but as soon as this match was underway, we couldn’t imagine moving until the end.

8:00 p.m. Head back into London for dinner

We left Court 1 alongside a disappointed British crowd, who had largely been rooting for Draper. But nothing could bring my vibes down after getting to see so many world-famous athletes doing what they do best. I’ve always enjoyed watching tennis on screen — Challengers is one of my favorite movies for a reason — but this made me appreciate just how special it is to be in the room where it happens.

Wimbledon 2025 continues through July 13, so if you’re in the London area and have a chance to snag a last-minute ticket, I highly recommend it. If not, there’s always next year — come prepared in preppy pastels to blend into the crowd better than I did.