For two weeks every July, Centre Court at Wimbledon becomes the center of the celebrity universe. Constellations of stars from Hollywood, the royal family and of course the sports world dress up and shine brightly in the stands.
In the opening days of the tournament, Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer was spotted, along with Joely Richardson and Supergirl actress Amy Jackson. Singer Ellie Goulding brought a celebrity high note to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, as did perennial Wimbledon attendee and British rock royalty Sir Cliff Richard.
Halcyon Day One: Singer Ellie Goulding watches opening day matches at Wimbledon. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
With hockey in the off-season, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist traded in ice for grass to attend the matches. And an early exit from the World Cup, allowed Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué to attend Wimbledon—with a prime seat in the royal box next to Carole Middleton, mother of the Duchess of Cambridge, who officially became the patron of Wimbledon last year.
Best Seats in the House: Carole Middleton and soccer star Gerard Piqué sit in the royal box on day three of Wimbledon. (Photo by Karwai Tang/Karwai Tang/WireImage )
As for the tennis, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal enter the tournament as the favorites—yet again. Five years ago, it seemed the Big Two were in decline, but amazingly these old timers (Nadal is 32 and Federer is an ancient 36) have won the last six consecutive majors. About the only question facing Federer, who is seeking his 9th Wimbledon title, is how he will fare wearing gear from a new sponsor. After 20 years with Nike, Federer signed a 10-year deal with Uniqlo, worth a reported $300 million.
Courtside Cool: New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and his wife, Therese, attend day three of Wimbledon. (Photo by Karwai Tang/Karwai Tang/WireImage )
On the women’s side, the big question is how Serena Williams will play as she continues her comeback after her pregnancy. Williams withdrew from the French Open earlier this year before facing Maria Sharapova, but the grass surface should be better for her game. There is also some controversy with her low seeding—despite 23 singles Grand Slam titles and being a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, Williams comes into the tournament as the 25th seed because of her maternity leave hiatus.
Team Serena: Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian cheers on his wife, Serena Williams, on day one of Wimbledon 2018. (Photo by Karwai Tang/Karwai Tang/WireImage )
No matter the seeding, Williams has tremendous support at Wimbledon. Her husband, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, has been seen cheering from the stands. And of course tennis fans are waiting to see if Serena will get some royal support in her quest for an eighth Wimbledon title. Earlier this month, Meghan Markle brought Williams—a guest at her wedding—to watch Prince Harry play polo in a tournament outside London. So it’s reasonable to assume the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will return the favor and come to Wimbledon to cheer for the queen of tennis.
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