Wimbledon's viral towels have an Indian connection

When it comes to Wimbledon, it's not just Naomi Osaka's fashion game or Novak Djokovic's phenomenal performance that grabs attention. The iconic towels used on court are part of the spectacle too.

Used by players throughout the Championships, these official towels have become one of the tournament's most recognisable accessories.

But these are no ordinary towels. They have become prized keepsakes, with many players happily taking them home as souvenirs after the games. And... these Wimbledon towels have an Indian connection.

Since 1987, luxury home brand Christy has produced the official Championships towels. While they were originally manufactured in Britain, production shifted to Vapi, Gujarat, after Indian textile giant Welspun acquired the brand more than 15 years ago and gradually moved manufacturing to India.

Every year, the design process begins nearly 18 months before the tournament, with Christy's design team studying seasonal colour palettes, design movements and evolving trends before finalising the look. Reportedly, it takes almost seven days to produce each towel.

This year's heritage towel is woven in Wimbledon green with the tournament's signature purple stripes, staying true to the colours tennis fans instantly associate with Centre Court. There's also a playful strawberry colourway - an ode to the Championships' most famous indulgence: strawberries and cream.

Now, you may wonder what the big deal is. They are just towels, right? Players use them during the match, and they probably end up in some corner of the court.

Well, not quite.

'Not just towels'

According to Christy, players are expected to return their towels after every match. But many don't. Around 2,500 towels leave the All England Croquet Club each year – tucked into players' kit bags, gifted to ball boys and girls, or thrown into the crowd after a memorable win.

In fact, only about 15 per cent of the towels are returned during the tournament.

Last year, Polish player Iga Swiatek was caught on camera gleefully stuffing her tennis bags with these towels. She does it almost every year, turning the ritual into a fan favourite and earning herself the tongue-in-cheek nickname of the "Wimbledon towel thief."

"Every time I come back from a Grand Slam I have like 10 friends and 10 family members wanting towels. So, sorry guys. Sorry Wimbledon. I don't know if I'm supposed to do that," she had told Reuters.

Novak Djokovic is a fan too. A few years ago, he also joked about taking the towels home for friends and family.

How are these towels made

Clearly, these towels are more than just courtside essentials. Crafted using Christy's signature short-loop terry weave, they are exceptionally soft, highly absorbent and quick-drying.

They are made from premium cotton yarn, and are built to last, retaining their plush feel even after repeated washes. Beyond the courts, they fit seamlessly into everyday life, whether at the beach, by the pool or in the bathroom.

Christy also has an heirloom collection that transforms surplus towels from previous Championships into tote bags and robes.

Unsurprisingly, when the collection was launched for the first time, the tote bags sold out almost instantly. The official Championship towels, meanwhile, are still available online for around £40 (approximately Rs 5,114).

Wimbledon's tryst with India

The Championships have recently leaned into their Indian fanbase in more ways than one. The tournament's Instagram game has struck viral gold by pairing iconic tennis moments with beloved Bollywood and Indian tracks.

Imagine, Roger Federer gliding across Centre Court to Pehla Nasha, Novak Djokovic matched with Divine's Baazigar, or Naomi Oska making a fashionable entrance to Jalwa from Fashion. It's the kind of crossover nobody saw coming, but everyone happily replayed.

Then came the sweetest collaboration yet.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, the All England Lawn Tennis Club joined hands with Delhi's iconic over 100-year-old Kuremal Kulfi to create a limited-edition strawberries-and-cream kulfi.