
Sue Barker hails 'iconic creation' as Wimbledon-themed gin launched
In celebration of five years as the Official Gin Partner of The Championships, Sipsmith has unveiled its most iconic creation yet: Top Seed Gin – a limited-edition spirit distilled with real Wimbledon Centre Court grass seeds.
Crafted as a 'spirit for champions,' Top Seed Gin pays homage to the pursuit of tennis excellence and Sipsmith's commitment to craftsmanship.
This first-of-its-kind gin incorporates authentic grass seeds from Wimbledon's meticulously maintained Centre Court as one of its botanicals, blended through the same process used in the brand's renowned London Dry Gin.
The gin has been distilled precisely to 41.03% ABV, as a nod to Centre Court turning 103 this year.
The gin was officially unveiled at an exclusive event hosted by tennis legend and former Top Seed, Sue Barker CBE, celebrating the unique blend of sporting heritage and innovative distilling.
Sue Barker said: 'Top Seed Gin perfectly captures the essence of Wimbledon: a celebration of tradition, excellence, and innovation. It's a winning blend that celebrates skill and craftsmanship, both in tennis and in distilling.'
Sipsmith co-founder Sam Galsworthy said: 'It's an honour to launch this creation alongside the legendary Sue Barker. Our partnership with Wimbledon has always been rooted in shared values of excellence, heritage, and dedication to craft. With Top Seed Gin, we've bottled the spirit of Centre Court – quite literally.'
To complement its fresh and distinctive character, Sipsmith recommends enjoying Top Seed in its signature serve; a refreshing cocktail mixed with cloudy apple juice, elderflower cordial, Supasawa or lime juice, and a splash of soda, making it the perfect toast to a summer of tennis.
This exclusive gin will be available as a secret serve at Wimbledon's Pergola Bar during The Championships.
Fans in the know can order The Top Seed cocktail off-menu and will also receive a bag of Wimbledon grass seeds, enabling them to grow their own botanicals at home.
For those unable to attend in person, the gin is exclusively available to members of Sipsmith's exclusive Sipping Society, which can be joined via the website or by visiting their Chiswick distillery: https://sipsmith.com/product/sipsmith-sipping-society-annual-membership/
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The Sun
18 hours ago
- The Sun
Sue Barker returns to Wimbledon in new role a year after legendary BBC presenter's emotional Andy Murray interview
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Metro
20 hours ago
- Metro
Why are there no line judges at Wimbledon?
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'For the players, it will offer them the same conditions they have played under at a number of other events on tour. 'We take our responsibility to balance tradition and innovation at Wimbledon very seriously. 'Line umpires have played a central role in our officiating set-up at The Championships for many decades and we recognise their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.' The chair of the Association of British Tennis Officials, Malgorzata Grzyb, added to BBC Sport: 'There is a bit of sadness of course – it is the end of a tradition at Wimbledon, but it is something we anticipated. 'We have watched the developments in major tennis events around the world – two of the Grand Slam tournaments already use electronic line calling. I think this was inevitable it was going to happen.' Wimbledon's move means the clay-court French Open is the only major yet to replace line judges. 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'So I think for many of them they had expected this change to come along and for those that will be joining us for the Championships in the match assistant role obviously they're delighted still to be part of delivering the Championships. 'The time is right for us to move on.' Sally Bolton, Chief Executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club 'When you look at the technology within the sport, every event on the ATP Tour is going to have electric line calling this year,' he said in a roundtable which Metro attended. 'If Wimbledon took a decision to keep line judges I think that would have looked very bizarre at just one event. 'Look, I completely appreciate, and Wimbledon is very aware, of the eco-system with line judges. Where do our umpires come from? Where do the referees at junior tournaments come from? 'That is a very important eco-system so we all need to be aware of that. But when you look at the tech that's available with electric line calling, I think it's absolutely the right decision.' The move will, theoretically, end controversy over tight calls and stop players expressing anger at nearby line judges. Last year, Russian player Andrey Rublev was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for unsportsmanlike conduct after screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call. But some players have complained that they have been unable to hear the automated calls from ELC, especially in matches with raucous atmospheres. AELTC chief Bolton said: 'I think they — and I wouldn't speak for them individually — probably recognise that with the evolution of the technology and the consistent change across many of the other tournaments that this is probably inevitable. More Trending 'So I think for many of them they had expected this change to come along and for those that will be joining us for the Championships in the match assistant role obviously they're delighted still to be part of delivering the Championships. 'The time is right for us to move on.' Despite the introduction of ELC technology, there will still be 80 'match assistants' at Wimbledon assigned to matches in all the courts. They will support the umpires and will resume their role as line judges if the technology goes down. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: How to become a Wimbledon ball boy or girl and how much do they get paid? MORE: Wimbledon 2024 winners: Full list of champions from last year MORE: What time are Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz playing at Wimbledon today? Order of play for day one


Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Wimbledon line judges - New era begins as SW19 boss explains change to tradition
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