Wimbledon to be held in London amid strict COVID protocols

Wimbledon is one of the most prominent athletic events of the year. The tennis championship is returning next week after being forced to cancel in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Various reforms have been made to the championship to make it more secure for the spectators and to ensure their compliance with the regulatory rules.

Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), said: “It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that we are putting the finishing touches to our preparation for The Championships this year, and the return of the world’s best players to our grass courts, with ticket-holders in the stands.”

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Limited capacity

Wimbledon will only be able to accommodate 21,000 spectators each day, which is half of its regular capacity. For the women’s and men’s finals, the Centre Court can accommodate around 15,000 spectators. Face coverings will be required for all ticket holders when roaming about the premises, but not while seated on the court. The food and beverage areas will be open to the public, with proper social distancing protocols in place.

No queues

This year, instead of the traditional postal ballot, all tickets will be sold online, and ticket holders will be required to confirm their COVID status — either fully vaccinated or a negative test for those aged 11 and up.

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Henman Hill

The technicalities for broadcasting matches on the huge screen in front of Aorangi Terrace — popularly known as Henman Hill since its installation in 1997 — are now being worked out. As a result, it’s still unknown whether or not masks will be required on the hill, or how many spectators would be permitted.

Players’ bubbles

All of the players will be put in a bubble at the All England Club or their assigned lodgings.  Players are not allowed to sign autographs or take photos with fans alongside the court.

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Wimbledon has been played at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877, and is the oldest tennis event in the world.

The 2020 Wimbledon Championships were scrapped owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, although the 2021 championship has been approved as a trial event in the third stage of the Government Events Research Programme, and will begin on Monday, June 28.