The Wimbledon Championship is set for a considerable overhaul in its biggest matches, starting from this year. The men’s and women’s singles finals are moving to a later time slot, a decision confirmed by the All England Club. The move aims to maximize global viewer engagement, with the finals set to begin at 4 pm from 2025 onwards.
The schedule alteration comes with precisely 100 days remaining until the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam event commences. The doubles finals, traditionally held post the singles finals, will now precede them, unfolding earlier in the day.
The All England Club elaborated on the revised schedule: “Following the announcement in October last year, we have adjusted the provisional schedule for The Championships finals weekend. The gentlemen’s and ladies’ doubles finals will kick off at 1pm, succeeded by the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals at 4pm. This will take place on the second Saturday and Sunday respectively.”
Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club, stated that the new schedule enhances the experience for everyone involved. With certainty over their schedule, the doubles players competing in the finals will benefit. The fans too, will relish the day’s play, which will escalate towards the climax of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals. The champions will then be crowned amidst the biggest possible worldwide audience.
However, the singles semi-finals and mixed doubles final schedule are expected to remain as is. The championship match in the mixed event is slated to be the third match on the second Thursday, following the women’s singles semi-finals.
Previously, the singles finals were held at 2pm on the tournament’s last weekend. The change in scheduling comes in the aftermath of a significant dip in the TV viewing figures for the 2024 finals. The 2024 championship match, which saw Barbora Krecjikova emerging victorious over Jasmine Paolini, garnered 400,000 fewer viewers than the 2023 final, won by Marketa Vondrousova. The men’s final also witnessed a massive drop in viewership, despite Carlos Alcaraz defeating Novak Djokovic for the second consecutive year. The 2023 final drew 3.8 million more viewers.
The 2025 edition of Wimbledon will also introduce electronic line calling on all courts, eliminating the need for line judges. The All England Club has justified this decision citing the successful completion of extensive testing during last year’s Championships. This move builds on the existing ball tracking and line calling technology that has been in operation for many years.
In terms of amenities, players are set to enjoy an expanded restaurant, while the spectators can look forward to new dining options in Court 1 with the introduction of ‘The Cavendish’. With these changes, Wimbledon continues to evolve, ensuring an enhanced experience for all stakeholders involved.