SW19 defends moving women off top courts

WI MB L E D O N d e f e n d e d shunting top women players onto the outside courts for yesterday’s “Manic Monday”, saying the big four of men’s tennis were the marquee matches demanded by broadcasters and spectators.

Andy Murray and Roger Federer’s matches were put on the 15,000-seater Centre Court, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Court One on the second Monday, when all the men’s and women’s matches are played on the same day.

Former champion Venus Williams made it on the Centre Court bill, while British home f a v our i t e Johanna Konta rounded out the order of play on Court One, which holds 11,000.

That meant current world No1 Angelique Kerber was to play out on t he 4,000-seater Cou r t Two f a c i ng f e l l ow for mer r u n ner-up Ga rbi ne Mug u r u z a , f o l l o w e d b y for mer world No1 Victor ia Azarenka against world No2 Simona Halep.

On the 2,000-seater Court Three, former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska faced two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, followed by ex-world No1 Caroline Wozniacki.

Meanwhile, the new French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was on the 1,000-seater Court 12 show court.

All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said the nature of Wimbledon’s Manic Monday – unique among the four Grand Slams in that all last-16 matches are played on the same day – meant big name players would not get on the main courts.

“You’ve got four of the alltime great male players: Rafa, Roger, Novak and Andy. You’re left with some difficult choices,” he told reporters.

“We absolutely respect that Angelique is No1 in the world, Muguruza is a former finalist, a Grand Slam winner. It was a tough decision.

“But we are spoilt for choice. There are matches on Courts Two and Three . . . that would grace Centre on any other day.”

Defending the Manic Monday format, Lewis said it gave fans with cheaper outside court tickets the chance to see b i g g e r- n a me p l a y e r s i n action.

“It’s a great day. A former player said to me they think it’s the best day in the tennis annual calendar because there’s so many great matches. Fans are spoilt for choice,” he said.