Wimbledon announced Tuesday the end of one of the world’s oldest championship traditions. Novelty will only come for the championship of the 2022 season.
It will be the end of Mid-Sunday, or Middle Sunday, which is the day off, a tradition since the event began in 1877. The explanation will not only be to rest the athletes, but also to prepare the turf for the second week of the tournament.
Mid-Sunday was used only four times due to the rainy years at the championship in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016.
With the end of tradition, the tournament will be able to offer the Round of 16 matches mid-Sunday and Monday. There will be a total of 14 game days.
Ian Hewitt, President of All England Club hosting the tournament commented: “Thanks to the increase in technology and maintenance over the past five years, as well as other measures, we are comforted to say that the interest in the stadiums, especially the central, is without a day and this gives us the opportunity, at an important time, to increase the possibility of Reaching the fan base in the UK and around the world. It will also give greater flexibility and fairness to the tournament schedule for our competitors and create a different atmosphere in the East. Sunday with a focus on the local community in particular. “
25% public
For this year’s tournament, the organization confirmed that at least 25% of the audience will be allowed, but it will confirm with local government and health authorities the exact number closest to the event that starts on June 28. The prediction is that by June 21, the total number of fans and sanitary measures in place will be confirmed.
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