Joe GallopThe All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has said this year’s Wimbledon tournament is likely to go ahead with a reduced number of spectators inside the grounds.
Although it said this is the “most likely outcome”, the event operators said it is “taking every step” to ensure it is flexible and reacts to changing circumstances that may allow an increase or decrease in the number of fans.
The AELTC added that it wants to ensure it can leave decisions on spectator capacity as late as possible in order to welcome the maximum number of people and manage ticket distribution accordingly.
The AELTC said the public queues and ticket resales for the tournament will not operate this year due to the likelihood of social distancing measures still being in place.
With an absence of a ballot, tickets for the event are likely to be available online at the beginning of June.
The operators said it will put in place a series of infection control measures for players, including mandatory official hotels for all participants and their support teams.
But the operators said they have not been told that restrictions are required for spectator movement around the grounds.
AELTC Chairman, Ian Hewitt, said, “Although the promise of a return to a more normal existence is on the horizon, we are not there yet. As such, we have taken some key decisions in order to provide us with some certainty in our planning, and yet also to retain flexibility where we need it the most.
“In line with the UK government’s roadmap, we are cautiously optimistic that the championships will play an exciting role as the country begins to embrace a return towards normality. We remain humbled and heartened by the passion for Wimbledon shown by our fans around the world, and we so look forward to seeing the world’s best tennis players setting foot on our courts once again.”