Inside the secret gifting suite that's become players' favorite Wimbledon stop
Hard Court obtained a rare look inside the invite-only event where players, brands and creators come together before Wimbledon.
Just before the strawberries are served on Centre Court and the first white-clad players walk through the gates of the All England Club to kick off the Main Draw, another Wimbledon tradition quietly gets underway a few streets away.
Every year on the Saturday before the tournament begins, dozens of IMG’s tennis players, their coaches, families, and increasingly, a handful of tennis creators, make their way to a private house tucked into Wimbledon Village. Inside, nearly every room has been transformed into a miniature storefront. Beauty products line bathroom counters. Luggage fills hallways. Jewelry sparkles across dining tables. Recovery tools, protein snacks, skincare, hair products, electronics and wellness brands spill into virtually every corner of the house.
It’s called the IMG Player Gifting Suite. But, unless you’re one of the people invited inside, you’ve probably never heard of it.
Despite becoming something of a Wimbledon institution, the event has remained remarkably under the radar. IMG rarely talks publicly about it, yet year after year it draws many of the agency’s biggest stars just days before one of the sport’s most important tournaments.
Hard Court obtained a presentation deck from last year’s gifting suite from a brand that was involved and spoke with multiple people familiar with the event to better understand how one of tennis’s most coveted annual gatherings actually works.
Sign up for a paid subscription to learn more about the gifting suite and the surprising reason it was started in the first place (it’s about more than just spoiling players).
