Wimbledon 2021: Probably no queue, fewer spectators
The All England Lawn and Tennis Club wrote a letter to Wimbledon residents explaining three possible scenarios for the third Grand Slam tournament in 2021.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Feb 01, 2021, 01:51 pm
The organizers were able to get over the cancellation of the Wimbledon tournament in 2020 due to a pandemic insurance, at least financially, this year this option no longer exists. The All England Lawn and Tennis Club in London, which is currently so badly shaken by Corona, has to slowly make plans as to how the traditional event should take place in 2021. According to the Daily Mail, there are currently three scenarios in the room.
First of all, a "regular" version, that is, with full audience capacity. This seems extremely unrealistic. Because even in Australia, where the pandemic is relatively well under control, a maximum of 50 percent of the usual number of fans are allowed at the Australian Open in Melbourne, which starts next Monday.
Wimbledon hopes to have 10,000 fans a day
The other extreme would be, like the US Open 2020, to forego spectators entirely. At the moment, however, the middle ground seems most likely, that is: limited contingents for tennis fans. And the break with an old tradition: the sale of day tickets via the legendary “Wimbledon Queue”. This would probably not be feasible in times of social distancing.
# IMG2 #
According to the Daily Mail, the organizers hope for up to 10,000 viewers a day. Such ambitious plans were shipwrecked at the French Open last year. There the French Tennis Association reduced the number of fans admitted almost every day until it was only 1,000 per day at the start of the tournament. The Australian Open is currently expecting up to 30,000 visitors per day.