Real-life resilience - Wimbledon

Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, known for its grass courts, all-white dress code, and rich traditions. Held annually in London since 1877, its a blend of heritage and world-class athleticism. One of its most resilient moments on the court came in 2008, when Rafael Nadal overcame five-time champion Roger Federer in a five-set epic, widely hailed as one of the greatest matches in tennis history.

But we’re not here to talk about the resilience on the court. Let’s dive into the event itself.

Wimbledon is famously the most traditional of the Grand Slams.

• The oldest.

• Grass courts.

• Compulsory white clothing required.

• No billboards, banners, or courtside signage allowed.

• Strawberries and cream as the popular treat.

• 275,000 glasses of Pimms served up each year!

It even has a Royal Box for the monarchy for goodness sake! The tournament is steeped in tradition.

But it doesn’t come without it’s own controversy, mostly related to the rigidity associated with the traditions the event aims to maintain.

The white clothing rule has created plenty of debate over the years, with several players copping hefty fines by neglecting to follow the rules. And Andre Agassi boycotted the tournament for 3 years because of the all-white rule (he preferred to rock neon!). He eventually relented and won the tournament in 1992.

Additionally, in 2008, there was a problem with pigeons disrupting players. After hawks proved ineffective, marksmen were hired to shoot the pigeons that were interfering in play. This, of course, provoked public backlash, action from PETA and media criticism. The club initially defended the decision as necessary to minimize distractions, but later reneged on their policy and pigeons were no longer in danger.

Wimbledon was also the last major tournament to level the playing field with player earnings in 2007, eventually paying the same prize money to female players as male players. .

But despite that nostalgic shell that embodies Wimbledon, the tournament has quietly evolved in some ways:

• Introduced Hawk-Eye for electronic line calls (2006).

• Added a retractable roof to protect play from rain (2009).

• Allowed coloured undershorts for women in 2022 (acknowledging period anxiety).

• And most recently, this year in 2025, it quietly eliminated line judges altogether, relying fully on AI-generated calls (the French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament still using human linesman).

Wimbledon doesn’t shout its changes, but it certainly makes them.

So it raises the question as to how we honour the past without becoming prisoners to it? How do we evolve without losing who we are?

Wimbledon shows us that evolution doesn’t have to mean complete overhaul. You can evolve with dignity, with purpose, and with identity intact.

And what about us?

If we're busy professionals, trying to navigate rapid workplace change, this Wimbledon perspective might him home.

Because, the truth is that we often cling to old ways.

We’ve all heard the phrases such as: “It’s how we’ve always done it.” or “It worked before.” 

But growth requires adaptation. And the question is whether it’s possible to do so while preserving what matters most.

Because, despite Wimbledon’s rigid stance on certain ideals and values, it is still one of the most distinct sporting events in the world.

So here’s a question that is worth some reflection: what’s our “white uniform” that’s worth preserving? These are our most important values, our leadership style, perhaps even the way we show up for the team.

And what’s our “line judge” that needs to go? Perhaps its outdated processes, micro-management, fear-based leadership.

And, of course, we can always look at this individually too. At any time, there’ll be things we never want to lose, and also the things that need freshening up.

Practical approaches to balancing old-school and new world.

Before I get into the practical tools available to us, I want to mention a term that I think fits the Wimbledon approach nicely. It’s a term I associate with meditation practice and our ability to be present to the moment, while also flexible.

“Flexible alertness” is our ability to stay focused and aware, while also being open and adaptable. It’s like being fully present, but not rigid, ready to respond rather than react. We’re alert to what’s happening around us, yet not locked into one fixed plan or mindset. Fittingly, this is like a professional tennis player - they are not tense, but fully engaged and prepared to adjust at any moment.

One could argue that Wimbledon is demonstrating flexible alertness in action: not panicking or rushing to modernize, but also not resisting progress blindly. A steady hand, tuned in, willing to adapt. We can always do the same.

Here’s how we can do it.

1. Define non-negotiables. What’s truly essential about our identity (both personally and professionally)? Let’s write down our top 3 values and commit to them as our version of “all white clothing.”

2. Adopt micro-modernization. We don’t have to overhaul everything. Start small. Update one outdated process. Introduce a new feedback tool. Just take tiny steps because they compound over time. If we want to evolve with some pace, the hack here is to add consistency. Consistent small evolutions over time will lead to enormous benefits more quickly.

3. Ritual vs routine. We can conduct an audit and ask ourselves and our team whether we’re operating in a ritual that builds culture and cohesion, or just a routine we’ve outgrown? Routines are things we do when we get lazy. Rituals are things that have real meaning to who we are.

In a world where many like to shout changes and “move fast and break things,” Wimbledon doesn’t apologize for upholding tradition and moving at it’s own pace. But it also doesn’t let tradition stop progress.

We can hold on to what makes us us, while staying open to what makes us better. Because that’s what resilience is all about.

Until next time friends, stay resilient.

Carre @ Resilient Minds

PS - I run workshops on the power of change, which can be powerful for companies who are getting ready to go through a period of change management. For more info, just reply here.

PPS - if you liked this one, you might like another piece I did specifically on Andre Agassi.