This year’s Wimbledon tennis championships has begun with the hottest opening day on record, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures reached a provisional high of 29.7C at Kew Gardens in west London on Monday afternoon, surpassing the previous record of 29.3C set in June 2001.
Temperatures have risen to 29.7C at Kew Gardens, so it is provisionally warmest start to Wimbledon on record 🎾 pic.twitter.com/Icf5CCWZdZ
— Met Office (@metoffice) June 30, 2025
Spectators queued from the early hours to enter the All England Club in south-west London, with many using fans, umbrellas and sunscreen to cope with the heat.
Vicki Broad, 57, a retired nurse from Swansea, who was the first person in the queue, said: “The sun has been tough but we’re in the shade now.”
Paul Jackson, from Stockport, told the PA news agency: “We were a bit worried about the heat, but it’s been manageable.”
“We’ve been drinking water, wearing hats, and making the most of the shade.”
The competition has drawn crowds from across the globe – some managing the weather better than others.
Maria Iniesta, 47, a physician from Madrid living in Houston, joked: “It’s been funny to watch the British people sweating – it’s been easy for us.”
