Wimbledon has wrapped up for another year, and while the champions have their trophies, what stays with us is the day itself. Held from 29 June to 12 July, this year's Championships delivered exactly what you hope for from a summer afternoon in SW19: warm sunshine, world-class tennis and that easy, unhurried atmosphere that makes Wimbledon feel less like a sporting event and more like a proper day out.
The grounds fill up quickly once the gates open, and there's a real buzz as the crowds make their way around the tennis centre, in this case towards the Centre Court.
Getting close to the action
The magic of Wimbledon is on the smaller outside courts, which don't have reserved seating. There are only a few rows of seating, so it’s best to turn up early, join a queue, and you can end up just a few metres from a serve.
Court 18 is another popular court with good views over the court.
Wimbledon is unpredictable, and the draw is only clear for the first day. Anything after that depends on who gets through to the next round and you never quite know who you'll catch. We watched Marcos Giron take on Alexander Zverev on Court 1. The winner of the match, Zverev, went all the way to the final.
There was excellent tennis on the women's side too. We caught Elise Mertens getting the better of Elena Rybakina in a tight, high-quality match.
A summer's day in SW19
Between matches, half the fun is simply finding a spot in the sun. Henman Hill was packed with people watching the big-screen action, glass in hand, soaking up the weather. The facilities are very good, and there’s plenty of food, drinks and souvenirs available. On a hot day, it’s important to stay hydrated, and water points are provided in several locations around the tennis centre.
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When the sun got a little too generous, there was always some welcome shade to retreat to.
And no trip to Wimbledon is complete without a traditional bowl of strawberries and cream, which is still a bargain at £2.85 a portion.
This year's champions
In the men's final, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner came from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, defending his title and taking back-to-back Wimbledon crowns.
The women's final a day earlier was an all-Czech affair, with Linda Nosková beating Karolína Muchová 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to claim her first Grand Slam title.
We're already hoping to be back next year for another sunny day at the tennis.
