Wimbledon preparing to go ahead in 2021 even if fans are not permitted
Wimbledon is set to go ahead next year even if the tournament has to be staged behind closed doors.
The Championships was cancelled this summer for the first time since World War II because of the coronavirus pandemic and the All England Club is planning for several scenarios for 2021.
Chief executive Sally Bolton said: “Staging the Championships in 2021 is our number one priority and we are actively engaged in scenario planning in order to deliver on that priority.”
The AELTC i s developing plans for a full- capacity tournament – which appears highly unlikely – a reduced- capacity event as well as one held with no fans.
Wimbledon will have been closely watching the recent US Open, played behind closed doors, and the French Open, where 1,000 fans a day were eventually admitted. Both tournaments were deemed overall successes, with very few positive Covid- 19 cases.
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Wimbledon is the AELTC will now be unable to secure pandemic insurance, which was put in place a number of years ago and ensured losses from this year’s cancellation were minimised.
Former Great Britain Davis Cup player Jamie Baker has been appointed head of professional tennis and tournament director and will take on the role of liaising with the player community, ATP, WTA and International Tennis Federation over Wimbledon’s plans.
A Wimbledon s t atement read: “Our overriding priority will continue to be the health and safety of all of our stakeholders, i n par t i cular our guests, our staff, and our competitors."
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie was well beaten by third seed Andrey Rublev i n the quarter- finals of the St Petersburg Open. British No 3 Norr i e r e ached t he l as t e i ght with wins over Taylor Fritz and Miomir Kecmanovic but was no match for world No 10 Rublev. The Russian broke Norrie’s serve five times and saved the only break point he faced in a 6- 2, 6- 1 victory. Norrie will go up five places in the rankings to No 70 on Monday.