London, Great Britain, 2 July 2023 | Ellen Perez

After reaching the ladies’ quarterfinals alongside American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez at Wimbledon last year, world No.9 Ellen Perez returns to the All England Club with happy memories and high expectations. 

I’m really excited about returning to Wimbledon.

Nicole and I have reached the semifinals or better in three of the last four events we’ve played. Our form and game are in a great place.

The grass surface suits our aggressive playing style, allowing us to come forward and execute volleys, which is a crucial strategy for success on grass.

Coming back to a Grand Slam where we’ve previously achieved success instills us with added confidence and belief in our abilities.

Wimbledon 2022 holds a special place in our hearts, as it marked the beginning of our success as a partnership. Now, we’re just eager to create more memories and enjoy the moment.

Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez during their ladies’ doubles quarterfinal at Wimbledon 2022. Picture: Getty Images

My earliest Wimbledon memories

Surprisingly, I don’t have many Wimbledon memories from my younger years.

I believe it’s because I wasn’t the biggest tennis fan growing up and didn’t fully appreciate the game as much as I should have.

However, I do, of course, recall Serena and Venus Williams as the greatest of all time, dominating the sport and in particular Wimbledon.

While Roger Federer on the men’s side epitomised the quintessential grass-court player. He pretty much embodied the essence of Wimbledon.

Why Aussies love Wimbledon

For Australians, our affection for Wimbledon stems from various factors.

Many of us grew up playing on synthetic grass, which closely emulates the real thing.

Some Australians even have firsthand experience playing on natural grass, given the considerable number of clubs across Australia with it. We even host junior nationals on this surface annually.

Notably, back in the day we held the Australian Open on grass, further reinforcing our familiarity with this court type and honing our grass-court skills.

> READ: Perez among 13 Australians competing in doubles at Wimbledon 2023

As Australian supporters, we tend to be more reserved and respectful, which aligns well with the atmosphere at Wimbledon.

Over the years, Australians have enjoyed significant success at Wimbledon, fostering a sense of tradition which allows the Australians to feel like it’s a second home.

All-in-all though, Wimbledon holds this prestigious name and aura around it no matter what country you’re from. It’s so aesthetically pleasing to view and be around that it’s hard not to love.

Why Wimbledon is special to me

First and foremost, it’s so pristine and elegant.

The grass is green and immaculate, the strawberries are perfectly ripe, the locker rooms are clean and modern, the spectators are so prim and proper and the sound of a champagne bottle being popped during a match never fails to bring a smile to my face.

I also just enjoy the creativity and grass court playing style everyone has to adopt.

I can’t wait for this year’s tournament to start!

Ellen Perez’s life on tour

Read more of the 27-year-old Australian’s exclusive blogs:
> April 2023: “I’ve learnt how crucial it is to play the big moments well”
> May 2023: Counting the clay-court positives
> May 2023: Relishing a Roland Garros return
> June 2023: Finding a winning balance

Book online, play today: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!