Last Updated on June 17, 2025 by Karis Tavernier-Nicholas
The scent of freshly cut grass may tickle my nose, but in the months of June and July it also heralds the start of tennis grass court season. The shortest season in the tennis calendar (just 41 days) brings with it style, elegance and, of course, strawberries and cream.
Sandwiched between the French Open and the start of the hard court season from the end of July, the world’s top players descend on historic tournaments, including some in London. With that said, here’s your guide to grass court tournaments held in the city.
The Queen’s Club Championships
A long-running tournament in the ATP calendar, The Queens Club Championships is largely considered the warm-up tournament to Wimbledon. The venue, the Queen’s Club, in West Kensington was opened in 1887. It took its name from its first patron, Queen Victoria, with the Championships held there for the first time in 1890. 2025 has seen the return of the women’s tournament, the first for 75 years, while the men’s take place a week later, from 16-22 June 2025.
The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic
An exhibition tournament, the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic is held at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, South-West London. The event is held the week before Wimbledon, and plays host to top ATP players. Beginning in 1994, the tournament has seen the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray participate.
Lexus British Open Roehampton
The world’s top wheelchair and junior tennis players descend on Roehampton for the Lexus British Open. It’s a week of high-quality tennis, with the likes of Grand Slam champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid.
The Wimbledon Qualifying Competition
As the name suggests, this tournament is the qualifying event for Wimbledon. It takes place a week before the Championships at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre in Roehampton. Tickets here cost £15 and they’re very much worth every penny; there are many courts in action, with the final day seeing best of five sets for the men and best of three for the women’s, just like the Grand Slams. It’s a great day out, especially if you didn’t manage to get tickets for Wimbledon.
The Wimbledon Championships
The grand finalé of grass court season, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. The Championships were launched in 1877, with the women’s Championships beginning in 1884. The historic tournament is the pinnacle for those who appreciate aesthetics; the all-white kit attire (slightly relaxed a couple of years ago for female players) looks picture-perfect against the grass. Tickets for Wimbledon are highly coveted, so there’s a public ballot to try and make things as fair as possible. In addition to this, those seeking a ticket can join the queue, with some even joining overnight to ensure they secure a ticket.
