SW19 REFUSE TO SWITCH DATES
WIMBLEDON chiefs have no plans to try to move this year’s tournament back into the now vacant Olympics slot — despite it offering two more weeks for the coronavirus crisis to lift. Sources at the all england Club suggested yesterday that, amid the huge uncertainty, it makes little sense now to postpone The Championships from their current start date of June 29. The delayed window is not considered significant enough extra time to warrant the enormous upheaval of rescheduling the big fortnight. For now the official policy is to stick with the current arrangements, even though major sports events are falling like nine pins. British No 1 Jo Konta, an influential member of the WTa’s Player Council, is aware of the realities but is not yet prepared to give up on the prospect of Wimbledon happening. ‘I think more than anything it’s important to be hopeful, there’s nothing wrong with being hopeful,’ she said. according to Konta there is unity among the leading women about adapting to what she admitted was ‘a bad position in general’. ‘We’re looking to find the best possible solution,’ she added. according to several sources, there is not the same agreement among the top male players. Novak Djokovic, president of the aTP’s Player Council, is said to be in favour of a more decisive lockdown for the season. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer — whose laver Cup project is likely to have to find a new date due to the abrupt French Open switch to December — are counselling a more wait-and-see approach. Officially, it is felt there are weeks left before a final decision on the grass-court season needs to be made. The cut-off will be the latter part of april, when stands need to start being built at Queen’s Club, and physical preparations begin in earnest at SW19. Having been partially open, the all england Club and National Tennis Centre were yesterday shut, though grounds workers continue to make sure the grass courts would be ready at the latter.