Four tournaments dominate the tennis season each year: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. They are known as The Majors, each has a distinct character, and all of them are extremely important to the career of a professional tennis player. Win all four in the same year and you have a Grand Slam.  As an American, I would say that the US Open is the best. However, there is no experience like Wimbledon. It has an atmosphere that is far beyond tennis. Perhaps it’s the beautifully manicured grass courts, the disciplined British formality, or the obligatory white attire. To some the all whites rule may be stuffy, but I find that it negates the distraction of garish outfits and puts tennis alone in the spotlight.

Wimbledon renews my respect for human competition. For me, tennis is a platform for civilized behavior, showing respect for others while striving passionately to prevail and win. Sport at its best promotes honesty and compliance to rules. We Americans admire passionate intensity and striving to win always, but the Old World dignity of Wimbledon shows us that it can be done with dignity. As we watch another Wimbledon, take a moment to appreciate what a phenomenal experience this is, not only for the players, but all the  fans. It’s definitely more than just tennis.