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Monday, 19 June 2006, 00:43 GMT 01:43 UK

Wimbledon venue guide

Find out all you need to know about the home of tennis by clicking on the different icons above.

Where can you find "The Graveyard of Champions"? Where do you queue up to buy a ticket? How do you get on Centre Court with only a ground pass?

These questions and many more are answered in this special interactive guide to the SW19 venue.


Centre Court 1. Centre Court

Ivy-clad structure housing the most famous court in tennis.

Maintains an intimate atmosphere throughout and Centre Court tickets are among the most sought-after in the world of sport.

Traditions, such as bowing to the Royal Box, have helped steep the arena in history, although bowing is no longer mandatory.

The arena is set for a multi-million pound redevelopment that will see capacity increased to 15,000 and a retractable roof put in place for the 2009 championships.


Court One 2. Court Number One

The purpose-built bowl of a stadium sunk into a hillside replaced the old Number One Court.

One of its advantages is that spectators are afforded an unobstructed view.

The adjoining concourses in the four-storey structure include restaurants, shops and hospitality suites.


Court Two 3. Court Number Two

Court Number Two is often known as "The Graveyard of Champions" due to a series of shock results down the years.

Consequently, many top players are unhappy to be sent to play there, though those fans queuing all night for tickets are often more likely to get a seat on this court rather than the two main arenas.


Maria Sharapova in action on a practice court 4. Players' practice courts

Without a show court ticket, one of the best places to see the big names is at the practice courts.

These are to the north of Court Number One at Aorangi Park ('Henman Hill') and are worth a look to see players warming up.

And if you want to get your favourite player's signature, go to Autograph Island, between the practice courts and the giant screen, where spectators queue to get souvenirs of their visit.


'Henman Hill' (Aorangi Terrace) 5. 'Henman Hill'
(Aorangi Terrace)

Aorangi Terrace (as it is really known) is the main site for spectators to eat picnics and relax with a good variety of restaurants which cater for all tastes.

Fans without show court tickets can watch the matches live on a giant television screen on the side of Court Number One, an area that has been dubbed "Henman Hill" in recent years.

And with the arrival of a new British star on the scene 12 months ago, the years to come could see it renamed "Murray's Mount".


Broadcast Centre 6. Broadcast Centre

If the likes of Sue Barker and John McEnroe tickle your fancy, then the Broadcast Centre is where they will be.

The building contains journalists from all around the world with facilities mainly used by television broadcasters such as the BBC and NBC from the United States.

Impressive roof gardens are often put to use by television anchormen because of the panoramic backdrop which affords views of the whole Wimbledon complex and the landscape out towards central London.


Millennium Building 7. Millennium Building

Hang outside the Millennium Building for long enough and you are bound to see a few famous faces of past and present.

Built on the site of the former Number One Court, it houses the players' and members' facilities.

Also it is used in part by print journalists as an international press centre.


St Mary's Walk 8. Ticket resale office

If you have missed out on tickets for the main show courts this may be your last chance, but remember it will involve yet more queuing.

Wimbledon operates a ticket resale system, with tickets surrendered during the day resold and the proceeds donated to charity.

When spectators decide to leave before the end of a day's play, they are encouraged to place their ticket in special boxes located around the ground.

These tickets are then re-printed and sold at the resale kiosk, which opens mid to late afternoon.

However, demand again outstrips supply and obtaining a ticket before every player has packed up and gone home can depend on luck and patience.


Queue to Gate Three 9. Gate Three
(buying tickets on day)

While a few lucky or influential individuals waltz straight into the grounds with their pre-purchased tickets, most of the general public will head to the back of two very long queues for Gate Three.

There are gates all around the grounds but anyone looking to buy a ticket on the day of play will have to enter via this gate.

Each queue, one from the north and one from the south, has an equal allocation of tickets for Centre Court, Court One, Court Two and ground admission.

Play starts on the outside courts at 1200 BST and on the show courts at 1300, while the gates open to the public at 1030 until one hour after the close of play (no later than 2200)

Approximately 500 tickets each - for Centre Court (except for the last four days), Court One and Court Two - are specifically reserved for sale at the turnstiles, prompting many fans to camp out all night just to be first in the queue.

Approximately 6,000 ground tickets are available each day, and can be used in Court Two's standing enclosure, as well as the unreserved seating and standing on Courts 3-19.




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