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Wimbledon is British ELITISM at its worst…

If we want more Murrays and Raducanus, we need more courts and less exclusivity in tennis

Goodbye Glastonbury, hello Wimbledon with its strawberries, blazers and perfectly symmetrical lawns. Our two-week annual summer obsession is a highlight of what is still called The Season – a peculiarly British blend of champagne-fuelled events and inherited privilege.

But let’s call it what it is: Wimbledon is the crown jewel of one of the most elitist periods in Britain’s social calendar.

And unlike Glastonbury, which pretends to be for everyone, SW19 makes little attempt to hide its pedigree. From the Royal Box to £2,000 debenture seats and corporate hospitality, plummy commentary, it is less sport, more class performance where being seen to be there matters almost as much as who you see.

Tennis is still too elitist, British star Harriet Dart says as Wimbledon kicks off
Lydia Chantler-Hicks
1 July 2024

Briton Harriet Dart said she believes tennis remains “an elitist sport” and more must be done to open it up to everyone.

The 27-year-old grew up in Hampstead, and began playing tennis aged seven at Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club, where her parents first met one another while playing.

“If we’re able to change anything, especially at these female-only events, in my opinion I think tournament organisers should have to do better in approaching schools and other people to be able to give them opportunities to come and watch for free.

“Because tennis unfortunately, as much as everyone wants to say it’s not an elitist sport, it is.

“At the end of the day, it’s a very expensive sport and it’s very difficult to get into.”