Emma Raducanu has taken a significant stride in her recuperation from wrist and ankle surgeries, as she made her return to the practice court for the first time.
The 20-year-old had to skip both the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments due to surgeries on both of her wrists and one ankle, which were conducted in early May.
Although she has been undergoing rehabilitation in recent weeks, Raducanu achieved a significant milestone by resuming hitting practice at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on Wednesday.
Raducanu shared her practice session on Instagram, where she was seen hitting the ball gently with a practice partner. She captioned the post with, “August 2nd, THE FUN PART. 1st time back on court.”
Due to persistent injuries that have followed her remarkable victory at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu will not be able to participate in the upcoming tournament at Flushing Meadows. Instead, her return is anticipated during the autumn period, potentially in the Asia or European indoor swing.
Andy Murray secured victory in his first match since his early exit from Wimbledon last month, allowing him to confront past challenges in Washington.
Following his defeat in the Wimbledon second round on July 6 against Stefanos Tsitispas, Murray returned to the court just four weeks later. This time, he aimed to enhance his readiness for the upcoming US Open and succeeded in defeating Brandon Nakashima in a straight-sets victory.
Ranked 44th in the world, Murray competed at a venue he is familiar with and managed to achieve his first win at the Citi Open since his emotional appearance there in 2018.
Five years ago, following a win against Marius Copil, a tearful Andy Murray limped off the court and was forced to withdraw from a scheduled quarter-final match against Alex de Minaur due to exhaustion.
In 2018, Murray’s persistent hip injury troubled him during his time in Washington, ultimately leading to hip resurfacing surgery that revitalized his career a few months later.
Last year, the two-time Wimbledon champion faced a first-round defeat to Mikael Ymer at the Citi Open. However, he managed to break his losing streak at the tournament by securing a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory over Brandon Nakashima in the round of 32.
Fellow British player Dan Evans also achieved a victory in Washington, joining his compatriot in the winning column.
— Mubadala Citi DC Open (@mubadalacitidc) August 2, 2023
Dan Evans displayed a resilient performance as he rallied from a set down to defeat Gregoire Barrere, securing his spot in the next round. The 33-year-old managed to secure a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, breaking his streak of three consecutive defeats in the first rounds of Queen’s Club, Wimbledon, and Atlanta over the past two months.
However, Liam Broady was unable to replicate the success of Murray and Evans as he faced a defeat at the hands of Tallon Griekspoor, with a final score of 6-4, 6-2.
A gun salute will be fired in honour of Queen Camilla‘s 76th birthday today in London.
On May 6, she will turn one, and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery Battery will fire a 41-gun salute in her.
Gunshots will continue to ring out in Green Park every ten seconds until the historic ceremony begins at noon.
Dogwalkers have been advised to avoid the area during this time as the noise ‘is very loud and can be startling’ for animals.
Camilla has seemingly had a good week in the run up to her birthday.
She and her sister Annabel Elliot made a surprise visit to Wimbledon on Wednesday.
Her Majesty spoke to a ball boy and two ball girls as well as staff working at the grounds before heading to the royal box to watch the tennis on Centre Court.
The following day, Camilla and Charles visited St Ives, in Cornwall, where they were greeted with applause from cheerful crowds who lined the streets to meet them.
Their trip included museums and an art sculpture garden, ending with Camilla visiting the Women’s Centre Cornwall.
The charity provides specialist support to women and girls who have survived domestic or sexual abuse.
Just under two weeks ago, Charles and Camilla were presented with the Scottish crown jewels in a lavish ceremony in Edinburgh.
The Red Arrows performed a special flypast as they watched from the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
It’s one thing to carry a nation’s burdens on your back. It is a whole continent to Ons Jabeur.
The Tunisian pioneer made history at Wimbledon last year by becoming the first African and Arab woman to play in a Grand Slam final during the Open Era.
Elena Rybakina battled back fiercely to deny Jabeur her first major championship after she had won the opening set and appeared to be on the point of making further history.
It was fitting, then, that Jabeur would meet Rybakina at Wimbledon again this year, getting revenge in the last eight before booking her place in Saturday’s final.
That has allowed Jabeur to have a second shot of writing her name in the history books as she bids to become Africa’s first Grand Slam women’s singles champion.
Not only that, but if she does lift the trophy at this year’s Championships, Jabeur will also become the first Arab Grand Slam winner across both men’s and women’s tennis.
‘For me there is one goal: I’m going for it,’ Jabeur said. ‘I will prepare 100% per cent. Hopefully I can make history not just for Tunisia, but for Africa.’
Jabeur, the highest-ranked African and Arab tennis player in WTA and ATP rankings history, is not only loved in Africa and Tunisia though.
The 28-year-old sixth-seed, dubbed the ‘Minister of Happiness’, has become a fan favourite across the globe and is adored by the Wimbledon crowds for her ability and grace on the court as well as her shining personality off it.
Jabeur has produced some stellar results on her way to Saturday’s final and she is the first woman to defeat three top 10 players at Wimbledon since Serena Williams 11 years ago.
Her impressive run in 2023 has seen her beat two-time champion Petra Kvitova in straight sets as well as comeback victories over both current champion Rybakina and world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka – the latter arguably the favourite for the title.
Jabeur’s popularity has soared even further since starring on Netflix tennis documentary Break Point but there is one player left standing in her way in SW19.
That woman is Czech world No.42 Marketa Vondrousova, who is looking to create her own history.
Vondrousova is attempting to become the first-ever unseeded Wimbledon champion in women’s singles and is already the second-lowest ranked player to reach the final of the tournament since the WTA rankings were introduced.
Like Jabeur, Vondrousova is seeking the first Grand Slam title of her career and has also played in big finals – with a runner-up finish at the French Open in 2019 before a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Vondrousova has normally found it more difficult on grass than Jabeur but has made tweaks to her game and everything has clicked for her this year with the 24-year-old beating four seeded players in a row on her way to the last four.
That run included a stunning victory over fourth-seed Jessica Pegula while in the semi-finals she eliminated Elina Svitolina – the player who knocked out world No.1 Iga Swiatek.
Vondrousova has the upper hand in recent battles against Jabeur, too, beating the North African at the Australian Open and Indian Wells this year.
Overall, Vondrousova and Jabeur have played each other six times and their head-to-head record is locked at 3-3 ahead of their Centre Court showdown.
Jabeur heads in as the heavy favourite due to her higher ranking, better suitability to grass courts and superior results at previous Wimbledon tournaments but Vondrousova has already proven that it would be foolish to write her off.
‘When I saw the draw, it wasn’t easy,’ Vondrousova said about her run to the final. ‘I was like, ‘Let’s try’ – I beat Kudermetova, Vekic. They are great on grass. I was like, ‘Okay, maybe, you know, I’ll get better and I can do something here’ – for me it’s really crazy this is happening. But I think anything can happen in tennis.’
It will be a fascinating encounter between two stars who are known for their drop shots and slices and Vondrousova has admitted that she sees being a left-handed player as as advantage against Jabeur, who plays with her right.
Whoever wins, Wimbledon chiefs can breathe a sigh of relief that there will not be a Russian or Belarusian women’s champion.
The All England Club banned players from those nations from last year’s Championships amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and tournament organisers were concerned over the idea of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, handing this year’s trophy to a Russian or Belarusian.
Belarus star Sabalenka crashed out in the last four, though, meaning the 2023 champion will be a Tunisian or a Czech, as Jabeur and Vondrousova look to come out on top in a women’s singles final that will be historic no matter the outcome.
Queen Camilla shared an interesting detail about her past, revealing that she once worked as a ball girl during her attendance at the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The 75-year-old monarch had the opportunity to meet three young participants, including a ball boy named Sean, and two ball girls named Larissa and Cassie.
Inquiring about their experience, the Queen asked if they had previously been involved in the tournament and if they were enjoying their roles.
She said: “You have to be very agile. I remember doing it one hundred years ago at Queen’s (Club). It is quite difficult.”
Her Majesty looked like she was having fun as she waited for Wednesday’s quarter-finals to start CREDIT: Victoria Jones/PA
The Queen asked Sean if he was working across all of the courts during the Grand Slam, adding: “You must be feeling very fit.”
One of the ball girls, Cassie, mentioned that she had worked at a previous championship. In response, Camilla made a lighthearted remark, jokingly saying, “So you are a bit of an expert?”
The Queen was accompanied by her younger sister, Annabel Elliot, for the outing, which took place during the second week of the Championships.
The Queen made friends with search dog Flo CREDIT: Victoria Jones/PA
Prior to occupying her seat in the royal box, Queen Camilla had the opportunity to meet several individuals at Wimbledon.
Among them were former British number one Johanna Konta, detection dog handler Mark Mills, and his search dog, Flo. Additionally, she had a meeting with Teresa Harris, the founder of Learn to Love to Read, a literary charity that was established in 2014 and receives support from The Wimbledon Foundation.
The Queen has been a regular attendee of the tennis championships and is frequently photographed there, often accompanied by her friends or her sister, Ms. Elliot.
The Queen was joined by her sister Annabel Elliot CREDIT: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
During a visit in 2013, the then Duchess of Cornwall said she feared she was “too old” to play tennis herself.
Asked by former world number one John McEnroe if she played, Camilla, then 65, replied: “Oh, very badly … I would love to start again but maybe I’m too old.”
The Queen looks up to the sky as grey clouds threaten the match CREDIT: Karwai Tang/WireImage
The three-times Wimbledon champion reassured her: “Never too old, never too old!”
During the same visit, the then Duchess told former British number one Virginia Wade: “I have got my sister here today. We used to come to watch you year after year. And if we can’t see you, we watch you on the telly.”
Meanwhile, Tim Henman raised eyebrows as he was recorded greeting the royal visitor with the words: “Y’all right Your Highness?”
Zara and Mike Tindall also attended day 10 of the Championships CREDIT: Karwai Tang/WireImage
The Queen’s latest visit comes after the Princess of Wales, patron of the All England Club, paid a visit last Tuesday.
Zara and Mike Tindall were also spotted at the event on Wednesday.
In London, a car crash into a school building resulted in the death of a youngster.
A Land Rover collided with a wall at The Study Preparatory School on Camp Road in Wimbledon soon before 10am.
View the most recent developments on our live blog right here.
‘This is devastating news, and our sympathies are with the girl’s family and friends, as well as everyone affected today,’ said Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, local police commander for south west London.
“We continue to investigate the full circumstances of the incident at the scene,” the statement reads.
A woman aged in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Pictures from the scene show a picnic mat and table set up outside the school, suggesting the children had been enjoying an end-of-term party.
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Witnesses to the crash reported hearing a large bang which sounded ‘like a bomb going off’.
The Camp Road site of the school caters for younger children between the ages of four and eight.
The Land Rover outside the school this morning – a significant section of the school’s wall appears to be damaged in the picture (Picture: Sky News)The Study, on Camp Road in Wimbledon, offers places for girls aged 4-11-years-old (Picture: PA)Emergency services on the scene this afternoon (Picture: EPA)
The Study Preparatory School, which costs £16,000 a year to attend, offers education for girls aged four to 11-years-old.
Scotland Yard said in a statement earlier: ‘Officers remain at the scene of a serious collision at a primary school in Wimbledon.
‘Police were called at 09:54hrs on Thursday July 6 to reports that a car collided with a building at the school in Camp Road.
‘Officers attended, along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.
‘At this time nine people are reported injured, these include two adults and seven children. We await further updates on their conditions.’
The driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene, the force added. There have been no arrests.
The Study is located less than a mile from where the Wimbledon Tournament is taking place.
Stephen Hammond, the Conservative MP for Wimbledon, described the crash as an ‘Extraordinarily distressing and tragic incident on the last day of term… there has actually been a major incident declared.
‘The air ambulance, the ambulance, the fire services, and the police are all in attendance.’
Speaking to BBC News, Mr Hammond added: ‘The size of the response tells you how serious the incident is and there are a number of casualties, and I understand that a number of those are being treated as critical.’
Fire services have also sent several services to the scene, with two engines and two rescue units outside the school.
Video from the scene shows a picnic display outside the school, with a table and yellow picnic blanket laid out on the grass.
Part of a nearby fence seems to be missing in the footage.
In a tweet earlier, the Met said: ‘Officers are responding to an incident at a primary school in Camp Road, Wimbledon.
‘We were called at 09:54hrs to reports that a car collided with a building at the school. Several people are being treated at the scene.
‘We will share further updates when we can.’
The London Ambulance Service has been contacted by Metro.co.uk for comment and, like the Met, said further updates would be available shortly.
Cllr Max Austin, who represents the Wimbledon Village ward, posted on Twitter: ‘Thank you to emergency services for attending. I hope all receiving treatment make a speedy recovery.’
People have been told to avoid the area to allow emergency services to access the scene.
Spain’s top-ranked player, Carlos Alcaraz, has expressed humility despite a strong start to his Wimbledon journey with a convincing win.
The 20-year-old, who secured the US Open championship, downplayed his status as the best player of his generation. Alcaraz’s ambition is to become the third youngest male player to clinch the Wimbledon singles title.
In a remarkable performance, he defeated veteran Jeremy Chardy with an impressive score of 6-0, 6-2, 7-5.
“There are a lot of great players in my age there right now – we are going to share great moments,” said Alcaraz.
Jeremy Chardy first played at Wimbledon in 2008, when Carlos Alcaraz was just five years old
On a rain-affected second day at Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz’s match stood out among the few that were completed. Due to the inclement weather, play was halted on the outside courts after midday, leaving only Centre Court and Court One, equipped with roofs, to host matches.
However, Alcaraz made the most of his opportunity, delivering an impressive performance against 36-year-old Jeremy Chardy, who played his final competitive singles match. Alcaraz displayed his dominance by conceding only seven games and wrapping up the victory in under two hours.
Despite his recent triumph at the US Open and reaching the French Open semifinals, where he faced the formidable Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz humbly addressed the question of being considered Djokovic’s successor.
Instead, he acknowledged the talents of 21-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner and 20-year-old Dane Holger Rune, currently ranked eighth and sixth in the world, respectively, as potential successors to the Serbian tennis great.
“I don’t feel I’m the best of my generation,” said Alcaraz.
“Sinner is there. Rune, as well. They are playing a great level.
“It’s 1-0 head-to-head against Rune, he’s up on me right now and I’ve had great matches with Jannik.”
Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer retired in September and was watching on from the Royal Box on Centre Court, with Alcaraz disappointed he did not see his match on Court One.
“I saw that Roger Federer was here and I was a little bit jealous,” added Alcaraz. “Honestly, I want Roger Federer to watch one of my matches obviously.
“I wish to talk a little bit with him and for me it would be amazing so I hope to see him around more than once.”
Carlos Alcaraz reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2022, his best run at the Championships
Jeremy Chardy, who had previously reached the last 16 in 2014, announced that Wimbledon would mark the end of his singles tournament career. This marked his 14th year participating at Wimbledon, and he had achieved a career-high ranking of 25th in the world.
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Queen’s champion, has set his sights on becoming the third youngest male player in the Open Era to secure the Wimbledon singles title.
The two players currently holding those records are Boris Becker, who won the title at the age of 17 in 1985, and Bjorn Borg, who triumphed at 20 years old in 1976.
Alcaraz’s performance in the first two sets against Chardy was almost flawless. Chardy struggled to handle Alcaraz’s powerful serve and committed several crucial double faults.
The Spaniard dominated, taking the first set in just 22 minutes and breaking Chardy’s serve in the opening game of the second set.
Despite being down two sets, Chardy managed to regain some pride in the third set. He broke Alcaraz’s serve in the sixth game, but the young Spaniard quickly retaliated, leveling the match again.
In the 11th game, Alcaraz broke Chardy’s serve and successfully closed out the match, setting up a second-round encounter with another French player, either Alexandre Muller (ranked 84th in the world) or Arthur Rinderknech (ranked 82nd).
Due to concerns that environmental activists may stage a protest at this year’s tournament, Wimbledon organizers have advised all spectators to “be considerate.”
A Just Stop Oil protester leapt on the table during the World Snooker Championship and threw orange powder all over the court. This was just one of many high-profile sporting events in the UK that have recently come under attack.
According to event director Hugh Brasher, a “handful” of Extinction Rebellion activists were going to “block” the London Marathon on Sunday, but a pre-race conversation with organizers helped to put a halt to any disturbance.
Meanwhile, this year’s Grand National was delayed by animal rights protestors, who tried to run onto the racetrack and climbed fences at Aintree with at least two fixing themselves to a jump using glue and lock-on devices.
Quizzed specifically about possible Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion protests at Wimbledon 2023, chief executive Sally Bolton said: ‘I think the first thing to say is that front of mind and paramount for planning for the Championships every year is the safety and security of those attending and indeed their enjoyment.
‘Every year we work with the Metropolitan Police and other agencies in planning for the Championships. As part of that, we do a very thorough threat and risk assessment.
‘Our arrangements for security are planned around those and that is an ever-changing environment.
Wimbledon held their pre-Championships spring media conference on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)
‘There have been some incidents recently that will inform the planning we will undertake. The picture is still emerging and our plans are evolving as time goes on.
‘What I would urge anyone attending the Championships to do is to be considerate of those who are also attending the Championships.
‘Our grounds conditions that apply to everyone are very much about the safety and security of everyone attending, but more importantly the enjoyment of everyone attending.’
The Laver Cup in September was interrupted by a climate change activist who burst onto the tennis court and lit his right arm on fire.
The incident occurred during Stefanos Tsitsipas’ singles match against Diego Schwartzman – with both players, match officials and fans left unharmed.
The protester wore a white t-shirt which read ‘end UK private jets’ and he was dragged off the court at The O2 in London by members of security.
Emma Raducanu’s attempt to defend her US Open title was unsuccessful when she was defeated by Alize Cornet of France in straight sets.
The 19-year-old Raducanu shocked the world by winning the major as a teenage qualifier, but her subsequent appearance on the court at Flushing Meadows was less noteworthy.
The British number one was out-hustled and out-scrapped by the experienced Cornet, who won 6-3 6-3 in New York.
Raducanu seeded 11th, will tumble down the rankings after losing the points she earned with the title last year.
“This one obviously hurts a bit because it’s my favourite tournament and there are a lot of emotions in the past year,” she said.
“I’m proud for putting myself out there every match, every day, knowing I’m pushing myself to be the best I can.”
The teenager has found her full-time transition to the WTA Tour a testing one, with the season punctured by niggling injuries that have contributed to inconsistent results.
Even her build-up to the US Open was not without bumps. A poor practice session on Friday was described as “one of those bad days”, although she played down the significance of a wrist injury that needed treatment.
Drawing Cornet, a wily and talented player with some notable results at the majors, in the first round was also about as tough as it could have been.
Cornet, 32, is ranked 40th in the world and narrowly missed out on a seeding.
At Wimbledon, she ended world number one Iga Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak and reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open at the start of what could be her final year as a professional.
A warm ovation greeted Raducanu’s arrival for Tuesday’s night session at Louis Armstrong Stadium, despite the match being far from a sell-out, and she was given plenty of vocal support throughout.
There were the odd signs of Raducanu’s quality as she traded blows with Cornet, particularly in a tussle of a first set, but the reality was she made too many mistakes against an opponent simply in better form.
Raducanu had her service broken seven times and an overall tally of 31 unforced errors illustrated her current position.
That was in stark contrast to the teenager’s clean and free-swinging approach last year in New York, where she did not drop a set on the way to lifting the trophy.
A gusty wind whipping around the court made conditions tricky for both players, but Cornet initially handled them better as Raducanu struggled on serve and also to find consistent rhythm in her groundstrokes.
“Alize’s defence was pretty good. Like, I thought she was just scrapping everything back. There were junk balls in the middle of the court.
“With the wind blowing around, it was really difficult. She just kept getting it back.”
Spraying wayward returns from both sides, Raducanu fell 4-2 behind in the opener and, after breaking back, threw in another poor service game for 5-3 to allow Cornet to take the opener.
Raducanu called for the physio at the end of the set, wincing as she received treatment for blisters on her hand.
“I’ve been getting some blisters throughout the weeks in the States. But I think that’s just down to humidity and stuff,” said Raducanu, who also suffered from them during her Australian Open defeat in January.
After returning to court with more tape, things looked ominous when she was broken in the first game of the second set.
But she showed more resilience to break back and, assisted by a string of double faults by Cornet, move 3-1 ahead.
Many of the American fans leaped to their feet, showing their support for the Briton, but the atmosphere quickly dampened as Cornet rediscovered her level to swing the match back in her favour.
Wimbledon looks certain to be scrapped for the first time since World War II by tournament chiefs on Wednesday as the coronavirus wreaks further havoc on the global sporting calendar.
The cancellation of the only grasscourt Grand Slam tournament at the All England Club would leave the tennis season in disarray after the French Open was controversially moved and all events cancelled until June 7.
Wimbledon, in leafy southwest London, is due to run for two weeks from June 29, with Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep set to defend their singles titles.
A decision to scrap the tournament is widely expected, with the world struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 840,000 people worldwide and killed over 40,000.
Lead-up tournaments in the short grasscourt season are also likely to be scrapped following talks on Tuesday, understood to have involved Wimbledon chiefs and the game’s governing bodies.
Organisers had earlier ruled out playing the Grand Slam behind closed doors and postponing the event would also create its own problems.
Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker on Tuesday pleaded for tournament chiefs to wait longer before making a decision.
“I really hope Wimbledon will wait until the end of April for decision!” he tweeted. “The tourney is first week of July… patience is a virtue.”
But former women’s world number one Amelie Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon champion, said the 2020 season would probably need to be scrapped.
“I think that we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season,” she tweeted.
The cancellation of Wimbledon could mean multiple champions Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Venus Williams have played at the All England Club for the final time.
Federer and Serena will be nearly 40 by the time of the 2021 championships and Venus will be 41.
Serena, beaten in last year’s final by Halep, is stuck on 23 Grand Slam singles titles — agonisingly one away from equalling Margaret Court’s record.
The conditions required to play on grass in England mean a postponement is impractical and a date later in the summer or early autumn would mean much shorter evenings.
“Each week that passes, you get less and less light to play the tournament,” doubles specialist Jamie Murray told the BBC.
American giant John Isner, who won the longest-ever tennis match over three days at Wimbledon in 2010, said the scrapping of the tournament would be a “tough pill to swallow”.
“We may have to come to grips with the fact that we may not be playing Wimbledon this year,” he told ESPN on Tuesday.
“Wimbledon sort of has to be played this (same) time of year,” Isner said.
“With that surface, the event, it seems, has to be played this time and there’s a good chance it won’t be.”
The French Tennis Federation provoked widespread anger with its unilateral decision to move the French Open from its original May 24 start date to begin on September 20.
That puts the start only one week after the planned date of the US Open men’s final.
A series of emergency meetings is under way to decide whether Wimbledon can go ahead this year.
The All England Club says a final decision is yet to be made, but the cancellation of the Championships for the first time since the Second World War now seems inevitable.
The Wimbledon Championships are due to run for two weeks from Monday 29 June.
The French Open has already been pushed back four months to late September because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I guess everyone’s been waiting on it,” Britain’s seven time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“It’s obviously the next big event in the tennis calendar that’s still on the calendar for the moment.”
BBC Sport understands a decision to abandon this year’s grass court season is likely be made in conjunction with three governing bodies – the Lawn Tennis Association, the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association – within the next 48 hours.
The All England Club admitted last week that a postponement would not be “without significant risk and difficulty,” and Murray says there are many practical reasons for that.
“I think for them, it’s difficult to move the tournament back because you’re running into other tournaments that are for the moment still on the schedule,” he explained.
“And also just things like daylight to host the event. Each week that passes, you get less and less light to play the tournament. And obviously they play until nine and 10 o’clock each night at Wimbledon.”
The All England Club is confident it will be able to refund ticket and debenture holders through the insurance policies it has in place.
But tennis will be denied its annual chance to showcase the sport in the UK, and to encourage people to take to the courts.
The preceding grass court tournaments in Nottingham, Birmingham, Eastbourne and at Queen’s Club in London will also be affected.
There is likely to be no professional tennis played anywhere until at least 13 July, which leaves players like Murray in the same boat as everyone else.
“I’m just at home, taking the necessary precautions, and trying to stay as active as I can,” the Scot continued.
“It’s different. We’re used to being on the road all the time, used to being in different cities every week, and you kind of become institutionalised to that.
“So even when I’m at events, come Friday, Saturday, when you’re starting to play for big prizes, your mind’s kind of like, ready to go to the next event because that’s just what you’ve been programmed to do.”
