'The Hill in New York' delivers a Grand Slam weekend—no passport required

Who says you need to travel all the way to London to experience Wimbledon?

Over the weekend, a slice of New York City was transformed into the All England Club—part of a three-day Wimbledon finals watch party at The Hill in New York.

Set on the banks of the East River at Brooklyn Bridge Park, The Hill is a reference to the fan favorite “Henman Hill” at Wimbledon, welcoming thousands to celebrate tennis and enjoy the action from the men’s and women’s singles finals. The event was stocked with strawberries and cream, Pimm’s cups and Champagne Lanson, offering a true taste of Wimbledon for tennis fans and New Yorkers alike.

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Tennis fans and Tri-State residents earned free passes through ballot entries, with many more eager to join the “queue” and walk up as space allowed—on Championship Sunday, the line wrapped around the park up to three blocks away.

Rita Ora was the headlining artist for this year’s opening ceremony on Friday night. Dressed for the occasion in an all-white tenniscore cropped top, pleated skirt and high socks, the British singer ran through her biggest hits as she kicked off New York’s tennis weekend in style.

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Park grounds opened hours ahead of the singles championships on Saturday and Sunday, giving fans a chance to watch doubles action and participate in interactive games. Champagne carts, giant Babolat racquets, and more sponsored activities adorned The Hill, while the food areas were a blend of London and New York: Junior’s strawberries and cream cheesecake joined the traditional treat on the menu, which also featured bagels and scones.

The most popular tent was clearly Wimbledon’s official merchandise store—where the tournament’s viral strawberry bucket hat was on sale—and it was sold out before the end of the weekend.

Of course, there were also plenty of photo-op spots all over—including a recreation of the All England Club’s iconic gates, complete with the “AELTC” inscription and covered in purple wisteria. (Pro tip: The ‘ball boys,’ who are dressed in the authentic Polo Ralph Lauren uniform, are happy to help take photos of your group.)

Just as tradition goes at Wimbledon, picnic blankets and shade umbrellas dotted the lawn as fans camped out for an epic conclusion to the grass-court major. Under the iconic bridge, the massive stage and screen commanded attention as fans saw Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek be crowned first-time champions.

The Hill in New York City first launched in 2022, and was such a success that it’s become an annual tradition, with the AELTC stating that it intends to keep expanding and possibly take the event to different locations.

But it’s not just a new staple of the summer social calendar. It’s also an example of international relations at work, says Alan Gogbashian, the Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America at the British Consulate-General in New York.

“I’ve been to the All England Club three times, and I think they’ve managed to capture what I think is the best of Wimbledon,” Gogbashian told Tennis.com on Sunday. “You’ve got the branding, you’ve got a great crowd, and of course you’ve got the strawberries and cream, the scones, the Pimm’s.

“It really does feel like they’ve captured the essence of it in the middle of New York, which feels crazy. And then you add in things like a Junior’s strawberries and cream cheesecake and the bagels, and you've got a New York touch as well. I love it. I think it's a huge success.”

“Sports are a great example of where soft power, the business and people-to-people links all come together in a really special way, like today,” he added. “New York and London, the U.S. and the U.K., our ties are so strong, including in sports, so to me this is a natural fit.”

The All England Lawn Tennis Club takes this event just as seriously as Wimbledon’s all-white dress code, evident in every detail that comes to life at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

After getting the full "tennis in an English garden" Wimbledon experience, New Yorkers are officially ready to start counting down the start of the North American hard-court swing—and the US Open.