Grand Slam tennis returns to England’s grass

Roger Federer recalls feeling “just shocked, more than anything.”

Chris Evert found the news “devastating.”

The tennis world was shaken when the All England Club announced on April 1, 2020, that Wimbledon would be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic — the first time since World War II it was called off for any reason.

The oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament ends a two-year absence on Monday, with 50% capacity attendance at the outset and a full Centre Court of 15,000 allowed for the singles finals on July 10-11, the latest signals things are moving closer to normal.

“It’s going to be an incredible event,” said American pro John Isner, a 2018 semifinalist at Wimbledon and winner of the longest match in the sport’s history there in 2010. “You know, a lot of people say it’s the Mecca of our sport, it’s our Augusta National . ... It’s going to be great to have it back. I think the fans all over the world are going to be eager to watch it.”

If so, they will have plenty of storylines to follow on the grass courts.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic tries to pull even with Rafael Nadal (who won’t be there) and Federer (who will, in his last Slam before turning 40 on Aug. 8) at 20 major championships, the most for a man. Djokovic also hopes to add to his 2021 titles at the Australian Open and French Open to extend his bid for the first calendar-year Grand Slam by a man since 1969.

Serena Williams, at age 39, seeks her 24th major singles trophy to equal the all-time mark

Associated Press BACK IN PLAY Security guards are shown at the gate in front of Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, after the 2020 tennis championships were canceled on June 29, 2020. Wimbledon begins on Monday.