Queueing at 7am? It’s too late to get in!
OFFICIALS said yesterday’s crowds were the biggest for years – with fans being turned away by 7am because there were more people waiting than could fit into the grounds.
The All England Club said the fine weather coupled with a strong British performance had created the long queues.
‘This year is definitely more popular and there is more demand for tickets than there has been for a good few years, but people still have a hope of getting a ticket,’ a spokesman said. ‘This year we have seen four British players in the third round for the first time in 20 years and that, combined with the good weather and the presence of other marquee players, has resulted in people queueing for tickets days in advance.’
The sunshine saw temperatures at nearby Heathrow hit highs of 86.2F (30.1C) yesterday, according to the Met Office.
Tennis fans were seen applying sunscreen between points as they were reminded to stay hydrated.
Umbrellas were in use – not for rain but for protection against the strong sun – while others fanned themselves with Wimbledon pro- grammes. Several days of scorching sunshine at SW19 have seen Wimbledon chiefs being forced to defend the quality of its grass.
French player Kristina Mladenovic and American Alison Riske even tried to postpone their game on Court 18 on Thursday, with Miss Mladenovic saying: ‘The colour of the court, the fact that there’s no more grass, the fact that the baseline where we are running, it’s very slippery. There’s no grass.’
A Wimbledon spokesman said: ‘It is usual for the baselines to start to be showing signs of wear and tear four days into the championships.’