Thousands of tennis fans gathered outside the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the start of Wimbledon, with over 8,000 people reportedly in the queue by 6 a.m. on the opening day. The iconic queue, described by the club as an "iconic part of The Championships" that "symbolises a sense of community and camaraderie," saw dedicated fans camping for days to secure tickets for the prestigious tournament.

Among the early-day attractions, defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner was scheduled to open play on Centre Court at 1:30 p.m. against Miomir Kecmanovic. Sinner, who won his first Wimbledon title last year, aims for a strong showing after a recent unexpected exit at Roland Garros. Following Sinner's match, top female seed Aryna Sabalenka was set to face Teodora Kostovic. Sabalenka is among several prominent players limiting media appearances to 15 minutes to protest prize money structures at Grand Slams.

Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, was also expected on Centre Court after 4 p.m. to play against Wu Yibing. Djokovic is seeking his first Wimbledon title since 2022.

There were rows of tents lined up in south west London for the queue, which The All England Lawn Tennis Club said was 'an iconic part of The Championships'

However, British tennis fans received disappointing news as the nation's No. 1 player, Emma Raducanu, was forced to withdraw due to a leg injury that has worsened to a stress fracture. Raducanu, the 30th seed, was slated to play Croatian Antonia Ruzic on Court One. Her withdrawal marks a significant blow to British hopes in the tournament.

But British No.1 Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from the tournament after a leg injury worsened to become a stress fracture

Cameron Norrie, seeded 26th, is scheduled to compete on Court Two against Michael Zheng of the United States. Meanwhile, other notable players like Grand Slam winner Alexander Zverev and 23-time major champion Serena Williams are set to feature later in the tournament. Carlos Alcaraz, last year's Wimbledon champion, has withdrawn due to a persistent wrist injury.

Wimbledon has increased its overall prize money by 20 percent this year, the largest annual increase in its history, bringing the total prize fund to £64.2 million. Despite the increased prize money, discussions continue among players regarding revenue sharing and benefits.

Staff and stewards woke campers at 6am this morning, when they had to pack up their sleeping arrangements and form a line

The ticket allocation for those in the queue includes 500 seats for Centre Court, Court One, and Court Two daily, with grounds passes also available for access to other courts and viewing areas like Henman Hill. The queueing process is managed by a 24-hour team of staff and stewards.