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The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Wimbledon's curfew rule: Explained
Few sporting events have a bedtime - the Wimbledon tournament is one of them. The hallowed tennis tournament has a strict curfew for play, shutting down by 11 p.m. each night. It is the only one of the four Grand Slams to have such a rule in place. Before the curfew was in place, play would stop at sundown, when players could no longer view the ball, or umpires were no longer able to make accurate line decisions. In 2009, the All England Club installed a retractable roof on Centre Court. This meant that matches were no longer at the mercy of the sun. However, the 11 p.m. curfew rule was introduced as the local council in Merton did not want the game to extend late into the night. 'The 11 p.m. curfew is a planning condition applied to balance the consideration of the local residents with the scale of an international tennis event that takes place in a residential area,' Merton Council said, as quoted by he New York Times. Another key factor was constraints associated with transportation in and around the sports venue. Public transport options for fans diminish later in the evening, BBC Sports noted in its FAQ about the tournament. It is a 15-minute walk from the site to the nearest London Underground station, and on weekdays, the Tube shuts down service by midnight local time. The three other Grand Slams suffer from no such curfew. The French Open regularly commences play post-8 pm, so that people can watch the matches post-work. The Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park, away from the city and residential areas. The U.S Open at Billie Jean King Tennis Center frequently sees late matches. Both the U.S and Australian Open have matches scheduled later in the evening as well. Notable instances The Wimbledon curfew was recently in the spotlight after it resulted in the postponement of the final moments of play between World No. 4 Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their first round match on June 30, 2025. The two players had finished playing the fourth set of what had now become a five-set match, with each player having won two sets. After Fritz won the fourth set 7-6(6), the clock stood at 10:18 p.m. While Fritz wanted to continue the match, Perricard did not want to stop the match well into the fifth set, which may have occurred due to the 11 p.m. curfew. The decision came down to the supervisor, who suspended play. Fritz was visibly upset. The match resumed the next day, and Fritz won the final set 6-4 to post a victory after being two points away from elimination the previous night. (The final result stood at 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-4). In 2019, Novak Djokovic's semifinal against Rafael Nadal began around 8 p.m. local time. Play was halted after the completion of the third set tiebreak at 11:02 p.m., and the match was finished a day later. The tournament made an exception once in recent history, during a match between Andy Murray and Marcos Baghdatis in 2012. Murray had won three sets and was up 5-1 in the fourth set when the clock struck 11 p.m. With Murray about to serve for the match, play was continued till 11:02 p.m, allowing him to clinch the set and the match. Other time limits at Wimbledon Matches are also stopped in evenings due to poor visibility after sundown. But unlike the curfew, there isn't a designated stop time for bad light. On July 3, the Wimbledon match between Ben Shelton and Rinky Hijikata was postponed since the darkness was about to prevent the electronic line calling (ELC) system from operating properly. After 147 years of having (human) line-calling judges, the ELC was introduced at Wimbledon this year. Floodlights usually enable play well into the night for other sporting events, like cricket or football matches. This is not, however, a solution for Wimbledon's outside courts; the grass courts become slippery once night falls and the temperature drops, leading to the formation of dew. Broadcasting scheduling also has little impact on Wimbledon— either on the curfew or on the starting times. The Centre Court matches start at 1:30 pm local time, later than the other tourneys, allowing for spectators to get lunch. The No. 1 Court sees matches start at 1 p.m, while outdoor court matches start the earliest, at 11 a.m. Despite its seeming inconvenience, some view the curfew positively. Former British No. 1 tennis player Laura Robson has supported the curfew, telling Metro that she thinks 'the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' Ending early also has health benefits for the players, who risk injury the next day if they play late into the night.
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Laura Robson names the Wimbledon rule that should never change despite backlash
Wimbledon organisers have attracted some criticism from players and spectators this year over the tournament's strict curfew, but Laura Robson believes it's spot on Former British No.1 Laura Robson has come out in support of Wimbledon's 11pm curfew after it drew criticism from players and tennis fans. Wimbledon is unlike the other Grand Slams, which often continue late into the night, because it has a strict rule that it will not budge on. American star Taylor Fritz needed five sets to see off the big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a first-round match that left him fuming at Wimbledon's curfew. Fritz was taken off the court before the curfew, despite believing he had enough time to complete his match – and he nearly fell foul of the rule in the next round too. Late finishes are ingrained in the culture of the US Open, Australian Open and French Open, but Wimbledon works differently. Play only starts at 11am on the outside courts and at 1.30pm on Centre Court and the 11pm curfew isn't about to be changed, despite moans every year from players who want to finish their matches and fans who are enjoying the action. It came into effect in 2009 when the All England Club put a roof on Centre Court, with Merton Council keen to reduce the potential impact on local residents. That is quite right, according to Robson, who is now working as a pundit and commentator at Wimbledon. 'No. Wimbledon follows [Merton Council's] rules and it is what it is,' Robson told Metro when asked whether the 11pm curfew should be changed. 'Honestly, I think tennis has become way too much of a late night sport. Why are we playing at 2am? Why are we playing at 3am? 'It's not normal and no other sport does it. Sure, you want to have the opportunity to finish the match. If it's 10.30pm and you're going to be 15 minutes over, of course that makes sense. 'In general I think the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' Fritz was dragged off the court well before 11pm against Perricard and was bemused by the umpire's decision. 'It was more just like I felt like we had the time to play. I was mentally in the head space of, like, we are finishing this match tonight,' he said. His US compatriot Ben Shelton was also irritated last week when bad light forced him off right at the end of his match against Rinky Hijikata. That was due to the darkness impacting the electronic line calling system, rather than the curfew. "He had match point, didn't he?" tournament director Jamie Baker admitted the next day. "I would be pretty unhappy as well.' Shelton himself understands the curfew. "I mean, it's tradition, I understand," he said. 'It's also in a neighbourhood. If it was in my neighbourhood and they're playing till 2 a.m. every single night and going completely ballistic, I'd be like, 'I probably don't really want to live here.' I completely understand the curfew, for sure." The curfew is basically set in stone, although there is a little wiggle room for common sense. Back in 2012, when Andy Murray was 5-1 up against Marcos Baghdatis in the fourth set at 11pm, he was allowed to serve out the final game to wrap things up at 11:02. 'The 11pm curfew is a planning condition applied to balance the consideration of the local residents with the scale of an international tennis event that takes place in a residential area,' Merton Council have explained. 'The challenge of transport connectivity and getting visitors home safely is also a key consideration.'
Metro
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Laura Robson names the one Wimbledon rule that should never change
Former British No.1 tennis star Laura Robson has named the one strict Wimbledon rule which should never change and remain as a tradition. This year's Championships are the first without line judges in 148 years – a decision which split opinion – and has even led to some fans protesting. Up to 18 cameras, developed by Hawk-Eye, have been placed around each court to track the progress of the ball and determine whether it is in or out, with Wimbledon now using the same technology as other Grand Slams. But there is one rule that Robson never wants to see removed – the 11pm curfew – with play unable to continue past that time at the All England Club. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam that has a night-time curfew and it is in place to protect local residents from late-night disturbances in SW19. The curfew came into effect in 2009 when Centre Court's roof opened, introduced by Merton Council, to obtain planning permission for the roof. The curfew can't currently be removed – due to the agreement with Merton Council – but there has long been a debate about whether it should remain in place or be extended until later, given that other Grand Slams like the Australian Open let play continue into the early hours of the morning. Robson, when quizzed if the strict 11pm curfew should be lifted, told Metro: 'No. Wimbledon follows [Merton Council's] rules and it is what it is. 'Honestly, I think tennis has become way too much of a late night sport. Why are we playing at 2am? Why are we playing at 3am? 'It's not normal and no other sport does it. Sure, you want to have the opportunity to finish the match. If it's 10.30pm and you're going to be 15 minutes over, of course that makes sense. 'In general I think the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. 'So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' If a Wimbledon match reaches 11pm, it must be paused and resumed on the following day of action. There has only been one occasion in which the curfew rules have been pushed very slightly – with British legend Andy Murray able to finish off a match in 2012 at 11.02pm. Merton Council's leader Stephen Alambritis said that 'flexibility and common sense prevailed' given that Murray was a game from victory over Marcos Baghdatis when the clock hit 11pm in south west London. Meanwhile, speaking at Wimbledon this year, Jessica Pegula, the world No.3 in women's tennis, said that men should be playing best of three sets instead of five. It has long been the case at the Grand Slams that men play best of five sets with women playing best of three sets. Robson, the Tournament Director for the women's WTA 500 event at Queen's Club, when asked if men should be playing best of three sets at Wimbledon, said: 'My view on it is that all matches should be best of three until the quarter-finals, and then make everything best of five. 'Logistically, best of five in the early rounds is a nightmare to schedule and I see it from a tournament director point of view now. The first few days, some matches can be four and a half hours, some close to five hours. 'So yeah it would certainly make the schedule a lot easier if it was best of three until the quarters. 'I've always thought that [best of three women's finals] are unfair [in comparison to the men] because if you're a first-time finalist, you're feeling nervous, you're half an hour into the match – you might already be a set and a break down and it's almost over. 'It's like you've not been able to sink your teeth into it. If you're playing best of five, you've got at least an hour and a half to get into the match and make sure you're playing your best tennis. So yeah I'd love the women to play a best of five final. Not everyone shares my view – that's for sure!' Alongside Jamie Murray, Robson has just smashed the Guinness World Record for the longest tennis rally of 101 strokes between two moving cars and fastest tennis serve of 46.67 km/h on the roof of a moving car. 'It was a really cool day,' Robson added. 'We had no expectations of what it was going to be like because it was unlike anything else we'd ever done. More Trending 'Jamie was bricking it for the first run that we did! In the end we smashed it. The stunt crew were amazing. 'Probably one of the most fun parts for me was that we'd go down the runway one way for filming and then on the way back to the top of the runway, I'd sit on the top of the car and they'd gun it – 40mph – I felt like I was in the Titanic or something. 'I felt a bit windswept by the end of the day!' Robson was speaking to Metro via Lexus as part of their record breaking Served at Speed campaign. MORE: Andrew Castle snaps back at John McEnroe over controversial Wimbledon decision MORE: Pat Cash calls for 'emergency solution' after 'absolutely ridiculous' decision at Wimbledon MORE: 'This is unusual' – Cameron Norrie's Wimbledon opponent accuses him of breaking 'rule'
USA Today
02-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What is the Wimbledon curfew? What to know of tennis major cutoff time
Tennis is not always played until there's a winner in a match at Wimbledon. The Wimbledon curfew can cut off a match just when it is getting good in certain cases. A match between Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard was paused on June 30 in the first round of the fifth set with the curfew time approaching. The match between Fritz and Perricard was resumed on July 1, with Fritz ― the 2024 US Open runner-up ― winning the fifth set to complete a comeback after losing the first two sets. The match was paused 45 minutes before the curfew, so it would not run over. Here's what you need to know about the Wimbledon curfew: REQUIRED READING: What surface is Wimbledon played on? What to know What is the Wimbledon curfew? The Wimbledon curfew time is set for a strict 11 p.m. BST (British Summer Time), which would be 6 p.m. ET. The rule came into place in 2009, when the Centre Court's roof opened. According to The Independent in 2018, Wimbledon issued a statement about the curfew: "The 11 p.m. curfew is a Planning Condition applied to balance the consideration of the local residents with the scale of an international tennis event that takes place in a residential area. The challenge of transport connectivity and getting visitors home safely is also a key consideration.' The curfew is generally strictly enforced, but has also been broken. In 2012, Andy Murray scored a final point to finish off a victory over Marcos Baghdati at 11:02 p.m. An umpire made the call to allow Murray to finish the final game instead of waiting until the following day to complete it. Merton Council's leader, Stephen Alambritis, praised the decision at the time: "Flexibility and common sense prevailed."
Express Tribune
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Wimbledon crowd boo as organisers suspend Taylor Fritz match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Chaos unfolded at Wimbledon on Monday night as organisers paused Taylor Fritz's first-round match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with 40 minutes remaining before the tournament's curfew. The decision left the No. 4 seed visibly frustrated and prompted boos from the Court 1 crowd. Fritz, fresh off title wins at the Boss Open and Eastbourne, was building momentum after recovering from two sets down. He came back from 1-5 in the fourth-set tie-breaker, winning seven of the next eight points to force a deciding fifth set. However, the match was paused with the chair umpire announcing: "Ladies and gentlemen, due to the late time of the day, we will not be able to finish the match. Therefore, the match will be suspended until tomorrow. Play is suspended." Under the All England Club's agreement with Merton Council, play must end by 11 p.m. But the call to halt the match came while there was still 40 minutes left on the clock. Over at Centre Court, the last match of the day between Alexander Zverev and Arthur Rinderknech was also paused at 10:54 p.m. Commentator Todd Woodbridge said, "Well, if I was Taylor Fritz, I'd want to keep going here, try to keep the momentum." Co-commentator Ronald McIntosh noted that the pause could benefit Perricard, saying it would allow him to "regroup, refuel, rehydrate, rest and to come back tomorrow for what is effectively a one-set shootout." Fritz will resume the decider on Tuesday as he seeks to advance at Wimbledon 2025.
