Wimbledon release fresh heatwave statement as tournament chiefs use new rule

Daily Mirror

18 hours ago

Temperatures are set to soar in SW19 on the opening day of Wimbledon, with a heat rule likely to be in place for the players as they take to the court
Wimbledon chiefs are gearing up for a scorcher as they prepare for potentially record-breaking June temperatures, with the mercury set to soar past 30C in SW19 on the tournament's opening day.
Sally Bolton, the Chief Executive, has reassured that while the heat may be intense, especially for those unaccustomed to such weather in Britain, measures are in place to protect players, fans, and staff. She said: "Obviously it's a very warm day. The first obvious point to make is that the athletes compete in temperatures like this all year on the tour. For us Brits here at the championships it feels very hot. We do have the heat rule available to us, which is well used on the tour."
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The anticipated heat has prompted the implementation of a special heat rule for players, allowing an additional 10-minute break between certain sets, and officials will closely monitor heat stress readings throughout the day. If conditions exceed a heat stress reading of 30.1C, the rule will come into effect.
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Bolton also highlighted the support for the younger participants: "Beyond that we've got protocols in place for the ball boys and ball girls on court," she said. "They've got cooling scarves, we'll be rotating them more if we feel we need to."
Staff welfare is also a priority, with Bolton noting, "For colleagues working around the grounds we've got plenty of changes in shift patterns to make sure they're getting regular breaks.
"And for the guests that will be joining us we're offering the same advice as lots of the medical professionals – come prepared, bring a hat, wear sunscreen, wear light clothing if you can, take breaks out of the sun.
"We've got over 100 water points around the grounds so definitely stay hydrated, and keep an eye on your friends and others around you. If people look like they're suffering a little bit from heat stress, we've got a really significantly sized medical team here so we've got people to help if that's needed.
"We're not used to these sort of temperatures but we're absolutely ready for it and actually delighted that it's sunny and not wet like it was last year."
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One significant change at this year's tournament is the absence of line judges, with all courts now exclusively using electronic line calling. The decision has sparked controversy among officials and traditionalists, but Bolton insisted it's not a cost-cutting measure.
"The technology investment we've had to make to deliver ELC is not insignificant," she said. "I think it will be a little bit different and I think it will take us all a little bit of time to get used to that but we felt very much that it was time to move on."
Spectators attending on the first few days will have a wide selection of British players to support, with 23 in action across the main singles draws, the most since 1984.
By 10am on Monday, the queue had swelled to such an extent that organisers were advising against any further travel to join it. "I'm sure that the number of Brits in the draw is contributing to that general excitement," Bolton remarked.