They travelled nearly 5,000 miles to be at Wimbledon and got their first at 10am on Friday. But despite arriving a whole three days early for the Wimbledon championships first day Linda Jacobs and Aleta Cole, from Houston did something pretty special. Having taken in the surroundings amid sweltering temperatures on Friday morning they started setting up camp in the world-famous queue in Wimbledon park.

Tennis -playing friends Linda, 62, and Aleta, 46, were the first on the scene but a few hours later queue experts Vicki and Nigel Broad from Neath in South Wales rocked up.

They all got chatting and once Linda and Aleta realised they were talking to seasoned Wimbledon queue experts in Vicki and Nigel they allowed the Brit pair to pitch their tent first.

Linda, who plays tennis with Aleta in a tennis team called Hotshots in Houston, explained: “We just don’t want to be first so we let them go ahead.”

While Linda admitted this was actually a bit of a tactic for them to avoid the full glare of media scrutiny on Monday morning, they were also happy to let some Brits be first in line in the 10,000 strong queue.

“It’s a British tournament right, so we just felt it was the right thing to do for them to go first. They have also been here many times before so it was good having them here to tell us what to do – they are the experts and have been extremely helpful.”

The friends, who are hoping to stay for 3 days at the tournament and are keen to watch fellow American Coco Gauff and raved about the queue organisation.

“Everything is so beautifully organised and we have been very well looked after. We have felt completely safe ever since we arrived.

And the Houston pair will have no problems with the 35C Wimbledon heat expected. “This is great for us,” said Aleta. “It’s actually quite cool for us! We will be fine.”

For retired nurses Nigel, 59, and Vicki, 57, this is not a new experience. This is their 20th year in the Wimbledon queue with their first camping trip to the park in 1980.

As parents of two and grandparents of four they have made this a bit of a family outing in previous years but are here on their own this time.

“We have slept out for two weeks before to see as many days as we can as we just love it,” said Nigel. “It is the greatest tournament in the world. We would have stayed longer this time but we need to back for our grandson’s birthday.”

They will watch world number three Carlos Alcaraz, but also plan to cheer on Mimi Xu, the British wildcard taking on Emma Raducanu on Court 1.

“She’s from Swansea, so we have to show our support,” Vicki said.

Nigel added: “We don’t mind who we see though to be honest – Carlos Alcaraz, Katie Boulter – we are just here to watch great tennis.”

Another pair who are queue veterans are sisters Suzanne Pyefinch, 59, and Michele Jennings, 57, from Gorleston, Norfolk who have camped for tickets for the last 39 years.

Nearby, dozens of Alcaraz fans from Spain and the US were camping out in matching red-and-yellow bucket hats ready to cheer on the defending men’s champion.

Maria Iniesta, 47, a physician from Madrid, queued with her husband, sister and three children aged 13, 16 and 18.

Now living in Houston, the family had travelled nearly 5,000 miles for a chance of securing Centre Court tickets.

“We’ve been queuing since Saturday,” she said. “We’ve had air mattresses, sleeping bags – everything.

“For us the weather is fine because we’re from Spain but we live in Houston.

“It’s been funny to watch the British people sweating – it’s been easy for us.”