Wimbledon Reschedules Finals Amid Rain Delays

Wimbledon officials have unveiled a revised plan to manage the tournament’s backlog caused by persistent rain delays. They have postponed the mixed doubles final, originally scheduled for Thursday, to Sunday due to the extensive match backlog. As of Tuesday afternoon, players had yet to complete nine first-round matches, with rain affecting play on seven of the tournament’s first nine days, particularly impacting the doubles events.

Tournament director Jamie Baker announced adjustments, including moving the women’s doubles final to Saturday to accommodate the mixed doubles final on Sunday. Baker emphasized that these changes aim to ensure the Championships finish on time and that all finals take place on Centre Court. Chief executive Sally Bolton expressed confidence in Wimbledon’s resilience despite the weather challenges.

With an extra day and two roofed courts available, organisers are optimistic about completing the tournament by Sunday evening. However, they have contingency plans, including using an indoor tennis centre with hard courts across from the main site, should playing on grass become impractical. Two years ago, Wimbledon extended the event from a 13-day to a 14-day schedule, introducing play on the middle Sunday to manage backlog situations.

They have also adjusted the mixed doubles format, with matches now decided by a 10-point tie-break if teams are tied after two sets, aiming to expedite match completion. Attendance for the first week slightly decreased compared to last year, largely attributed to adverse weather conditions. Despite the challenges, forecasts suggest potential relief ahead with fewer rain interruptions and more dry spells forecasted for SW19 in the coming days.