Tennis enthusiasts must be aware of the Wimbledon curfew, but for many, it is still something that they haven’t heard of.
A recent nail-biting match between Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas’ was halted before the second round, and people are still guessing why? Here, this is what happened on the Center Court.
A strict set of regulations govern Wimbledon matches, one of which states that any match must end at 11 p.m. London time. Along with that, the weather in London isn’t supportive of the matches. It seems like this season’s rain will wreak havoc on the dreams of the players and sports lovers.
Why Does Wimbledon Have a Curfew?
It is extremely uncommon for international sports to follow a strict curfew. The reason behind this is the streak on which the player is playing, which may hinder any halt. However, Wimbledon managers think otherwise.
Since 2009 the center court opened its roofs, they have been following a strict 11 p.m. London time rule for Wimbledon. The curfew for Wimbledon is for local residents. More importantly, the brains behind Wimbledon want to balance the scale of international tennis events with local residents.
It becomes quite challenging for the residents to reach home safely if the tournaments continue until late at night. Thus, it was decided to imply a cool period at 11 p.m. midnight.
However, the curfew also had an exception in 2012. The match between Andy Murray and Marcos Baghdatis lasted until 11.02 p.m. Another match that ran close to the curfew was between Novak and Olivier Rochus, which closed at 10.28 p.m. London time.
What Else Is Wreaking Havoc in Wimbledon?
The weather conditions in London are causing more trouble than anticipated. The untimely rains are causing delays and, ultimately, suspension of the matches. According to a popular tabloid, recently, on July 03, the rain postponed almost 69 matches.
The same was repeated on July 8, which caused chaos among the audience. Also, it is almost impossible to play once the rain starts pouring. The officials call off the match and cover the court until it becomes suitable to play.
This season is truly testing the patience of the players and the audiences. The rain is still continuing, making it difficult for the officials to continue the matches. The closing date for Wimbledon is July 16, but it seems too difficult for the management to close the season on time.
What is your take on the delays and curfew at Wimbledon? Will there be a timely closure of the season?
Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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