Novak Djokovic has supported calls urging The All England Lawn Tennis Club to reconsider the start time of their matches.
During this year’s tournament, there has been a series of matches ending close to the curfew or having to be suspended until the next day. Djokovic’s fourth round encounter with Hubert Hurkacz was one of those matches that was affected. He played the first two sets last night before ending it today in what were two separate conditions.
“Two different matches: last night and today. Completely different conditions,” Djokovic said during his press conference.
“Playing under the roof was more humid and more slippery. A bit easier for the rhythm of the serve. At the same time a bit slower from the back of the court, more rallies.’
“Toda it was completely different. Very, very windy. Difficult to get the rhythm and tempo on the toss.”
Under current scheduling, matches begin at 1:00pm on Court One and at 1:30pm on Center Court. Allowing a 10-hour window for matches to start and finish. No play can occur after 11:00pm due to an agreement with the local council due to the venue being in a residential area.
Djokovic argues that the most logical thing to do would be to bring the start time forward. Something officials at the tournament are hesitant to do due to deals with TV broadcasters around the world. However, on the outside courts play usually begins at 11:00am.
“Obviously the curfew is probably something that is much more difficult to change because of the community and the residential area we are in,” Djokovic commented.
“I think the matches could be pushed to at least start at 12:00. I think it would make a difference.”
Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton has denied that the resistance to time change is due to the influence of the BBC who have exclusive TV rights to the tournament in the UK. Instead, she said ‘Historically over many, many decades we’ve always started play on our show courts around early afternoon’ in order to make the courts as full as possible.
“Once the time is after 8:00pm you know that there’s a high probability you won’t finish your match. That was my case against Wawrinka and Hurkacz,” Djokovic points out.
“I warmed up for both of those matches around 1:00pm. Should you go back to the accommodation, the house nearby, or should you stay? Yesterday I decided to stay. I stayed basically for seven hours waiting for my match to start.’That’s a lot.’
“That’s the unpredictability of tennis in a way. You have to be ready for both scenarios.”
In a separate development, Djokovic said he is also against allowing some players to practice on Center Court before the tournament begins. The world No.2 says he appreciates the gesture but has concerns about the impact it could have on the surface.
“Wimbledon has been so attached to its tradition and history in not changing certain things, which I respect a lot. I think they’re wonderful things to keep with history, like the defending champion going out on the first day,” he said.
“Even though it was nice for us to get a chance in the last couple of years to practice on the Centre Court before the tournament starts, I have to say I’m not a fan of that. I would rather have no practice at all on the Centre Court before the tournament starts. I think that would help the court.”
Djokovic will play Andrey Rublev in the next round.
