Life & Style
Match Points
Unless you’ve been lucky enough to nab a ticket, or invited to Wimbledon as a guest, your chances of sitting court-side in SW19 are slim. But there are plenty of great places to catch a match, and we’ve picked the winning screens in London and New York.
Where to Watch In London
Portman Square, Marylebone
The usually-private Portman Square Garden once again opens to the public for a few days, for Summer in the Square. Entry is free, and alongside the tennis, you can enjoy the selection of quality street-food stalls and the “Guest Kitchen”, where popular local restaurants will be on rotation, serving their most delicious dishes.
Merchant Square, Paddington
Just a short walk from Paddington station, a giant outdoor screen will be erected in Merchant Square in bustling Paddington Basin. You’ll find plenty of canal-side restaurants and bars nearby, and during the summer, Game, Set, Beach organise beach tennis alongside a range of free activities, including social games every Monday and Tuesday, 5pm-9pm.
The Piazza, Covent Garden
Head to the East Piazza in this central London location, where’ll you’ll find a huge screen broadcasting the tennis, plus deckchairs to sink into. Screenings are free and strawberries and Pimm’s are usually available to buy nearby.
Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf
As part of the Summer Screens series of events, Wimbledon matches are being broadcast free in this park in the City. In addition to the catching all the grass-court action, you can enjoy an essential glass of Pimm’s from the Grandstand Bar, set up close to the screen.
Granary Square, Kings Cross
A comfy spot to catch the tournament, you’ll find lawn-effect steps by the canal scattered with oversized pillows and chairs – perfect for whiling the hours away in tennis heaven. Post-matches, the screens double up as cinemas, with films shown every night. View the movie listings here.
Eccleston Yards, Belgravia
All the Wimbledon action is being broadcast here on a large, open-air screen. Best of all, there are 100 seats – from beanbags and deckchairs to picnic benches – available free on a first come first served basis. Its makes for a picturesque spot, decorated by Boodles with classic, colourful bunting.
Where to Watch In New York
The Hill
For the third year in a row, Wimbledon will be hosting The Hill in New York from 12-14 July, and this time it’s at a new location by Brooklyn Bridge. To launch the show, Nicole Scherzinger is hosting a free concert on the Friday night. Throughout the rest of the weekend, large screens will broadcast live tennis action from Centre Court, including the ladies’ singles and men’s doubles finals on Saturday, and men’s singles and ladies’ doubles finals on Sunday. What better way to catch the matches than in this beautiful space that mirrors to mood of The Hill at SW19. To go, apply for a free ticket through the online ballot.
