Wimbledon Week One
Surprises, letdowns and inspirations
WIMBLEDON – The All England Club used to give everyone a chance to catch their breath.
Not anymore.
Retractable roofs have ended rain delays on the two main show courts and eliminated whatever demand remained for Cliff Richard (or anyone) breaking into courtside song.
The traditional day of rest on the first Sunday of the tournament was abandoned in 2022, turning Wimbledon into an uninterrupted 14-day event. We will see how long that lasts with the other majors at 15 days. But for now, Wimbledon’s move – driven by improvements in grasscourt maintenance and interest in more revenue and continuity– has neatly divided the world’s oldest tennis tournament into two full weeks.
While the English — and not just the English — recover from staying up too late to watch the World Cup, let’s look at week one:
BIGGEST SURPRISE
It was a tight race, and, for me at least, it does not include Alexandra Eala beating defending women’s champ Iga Swiatek, or a resurgent Naomi Osaka rumbling past No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
