09 July 2023 , 18:58
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Although for many tennis fans, Wimbledon is all about watching superstars compete at the very top of their game, it's also very much about enjoying a certain "vibe".
Now an umpire has left people giggling away after delivering what has since been dubbed the "most Wimbledon warning ever" during today's match between Anastasia Potapova and Mirra Andreeva.
Addressing those watching in the stands one point into the first set, Australian umpire John Blom urged fans to hold the bubbles for the time being, after a popping sound was heard from the crowds.
Blom, who ranks among the most esteemed umpires anywhere in the world, warned: "Ladies and gentlemen if you are opening a bottle of champagne, don't do it as the players are about to serve."
Audible chuckles could be heard from spectators, while even Potapova, who was preparing to serve, smiled and nodded. The broadcast team also appeared thoroughly amused, with one announcer hailing it as "the most Wimbledon warning I ever heard".
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A clip of the brilliant warning has since gone viral after being shared on Twitter, clocking up more than 1.3 million views and counting, plus many amused comments from those keeping up with the action at home.
One person remarked: "I wish the world was permanent Wimbledon"
Another recalled: "Wimbledon is such a vibe. I love it."
A third person tweeted: "My work colleagues asked me last Friday why I love Wimbledon - this is a quintessential answer."
Along with Pimm's, champagne has long been a popular drink of choice for those watching the Wimbledon proceedings, ideally accompanied by a dish of fresh strawberries and cream.
Bowls of strawberries and cream were served up at the very first Wimbledon, back in 1877, as previously reported by Sporting News. However, the sweet treat is understood to have originated during Tudor times, being a favourite of King Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.
According to figures published by The British Hamper Company, each year Wimbledon attendees will sip their way through an average of 235, 000 glasses of Pimm's and 28,000 bottles of champagne.
For many, the sound of popped corks is nowadays just as much a part of the Wimbledon fun as the ball being whacked back and forth across the court, and they wouldn't have it any other way.
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