Photo credit: AELTC/Tom Lovelock
Wimbledon began today, but Katie Boulter and Jack Draper are already winners.
The Wimbledon Foundation, the official charity of The All England Lawn Tennis Club and The Championships, announced Katie Boulter and Jack Draper as its first official Wimbledon Foundations Champions today.
In their first engagement as Champions, the British tennis players met four young people from charities nominated by the Wimbledon Foundation, who will perform the coin toss ceremonies at The Championships during finals weekend.
In their new role, the British standouts will help raise awareness of the Wimbledon Foundation’s work, particularly in the local communities of Merton and Wandsworth, where the Foundation supports around 100 charities a year. Examples of this work include projects helping those experiencing homelessness and reducing social isolation amongst older people.
Draper is already a supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society and has spoken publicly about the devastating effect the disease has had on his own grandmother, while Boulter is a supporter of Age UK, and visited their walking tennis project in Sutton in November 2024.
“I’m delighted to be named as a Wimbledon Foundation Champion,” Boulter said. “Wimbledon has always been a very special place to me.
“I’m excited to deepen my relationship with the All England Club by becoming a Champion for the Wimbledon Foundation, which does such important work helping people facing a wide range of issues in their lives, both in the local community and beyond.”
Indian Wells champion Draper said his grandmother’s experiences inspired him to get involved.
“I’m incredibly proud to become a Wimbledon Foundation Champion,” Draper said. “Growing up very close to the All England Club, it’s important to me to give back to my local community.
“Inspired by my grandmother, I feel strongly about supporting older people, and with the Foundation, I’m able to do this as well as helping to inspire young people to achieve their goals too.”
The Wimbledon Foundation donates more than £4 million a year to local, national and international charities to support projects which strengthen the local community, inspire the next generation through sport, build healthy communities and respond in times of need.
In the 50th anniversary year of Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, and the 20th anniversary year of wheelchair tennis, the Wimbledon Foundation has nominated four charities which aim to remove barriers from young people accessing and participating in sport for the coin toss ceremonies. Sophie Kneen will represent AFC Wimbledon Foundation’s Women and Girls Inclusion Project at the Ladies’ Singles Final; Ambrose Caldecott will represent Junction Elite Project at the Gentlemen’s Singles Final; Lydia Lowe will represent the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust at the Ladies’ Wheelchair Singles Final; and Temi Johnson will represent Disability Sports Coach at the Gentlemen’s Wheelchair Singles Final.