Latest news with #MiddleSunday
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Very expensive tournament, you know!' Jannik Sinner laughs at Champagne cork incident in Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner had to stop his serve to pick a champagne cork that fell on the court from the stands in the fourth game of the second set of the Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner would quietly pick it up and hand it to the ballgirl, while Alcaraz was visibly upset, spreading his arms in exasperation. 'Only here at Wimbledon, but that's exactly why we love playing here,' said Sinner about the champagne incident in the post-match chat on court. 'It's a very expensive tournament, you know.' The curious incident occurred with the score in the second set with Jannik holding the advantage 2-1, and looking to close out his service. A noise popped out, and Sinner pulled out of his service motion. He turned, bent down to pick something up from the grass and hand it to the ball-girl. It was a champagne cork that had flown down from the stands. The chair umpire issued a warning, urging those present to behave more politely: 'Please don't open bottles while the players are about to serve.' If you want to know who can afford Wimbledon tickets, …a spectator just popped a champagne bottle, the Cork landed on the court and stopped play#Wimbledon #sinner #alcaraz — pat (@PatelBropodcast) July 13, 2025 Incidentally, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. During the match between the American Amanda Anisimova and Czech Linda Noskova, a fan had opened a bottle of champagne. It had occurred just before the Amand was about to serve and she said aloud, 'Why are you opening it now?' The All England Club's conditions of entry to the grounds state: 'All corked bottles, including bottles of champagne and sparkling wine, must be opened prior to being taken into the stands of any court.' The fans popping champagne in the stands, though, is a regular event at the Wimbledon tournament. In 2023, just as action got underway between Anastasia Potapova and Mirra Andreeva on Court Three, one fan decided to mark Middle Sunday by uncorking a bottle of champagne. 'Ladies and gentlemen, please, if you are opening a bottle of champagne, don't do it as the players are about to serve,' Australian umpire John Blom had said on the microphone. For the 138th edition of Wimbledon this year, the champagne brand Lanson, which holds the right for this tournament, had unveiled a new case for its two brands of champagne that it sells here: Le Black Création and Le Rosé Création. At the launch, the promotional line had read: 'A nod to the immaculate elegance of Wimbledon, to be savored at your most sparkling moments'. It turns out of one such sparkling moment is when Sinner is about to serve in the Wimbledon final.
Daily Mirror
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Wimbledon scrapped 'Middle Sunday' for key reason with matches played today
Wimbledon decided to scrap a long-running tradition for the 2022 tournament, allowing tennis fans another day to enjoy the action at the All England Lawn Tennis Club Wimbledon is a tournament defined by its traditions, but as we've seen this year, the All England Lawn Tennis Club is not afraid of evolving. One of the main talking points this year has been the scrapping of human line judges in favour of HawkEye technology. It has caused a ripple, with 300 line judges losing their jobs and players like Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper questioning the accuracy of the system. Along with its well-dressed line judges, strawberries and cream and Henman Hill, Wimbledon used to be known for its Middle Sunday. Previously, play used to cease at the end of the first week during the two-week tournament, providing a lull in the frantic action. That contributed to Manic Monday, when all men's and women's fourth-round matches would take place on the same day. But all that changed in 2022, when Wimbledon organisers decided to drop the day off. Previously, since the Grand Slam's inception in 1877, Middle Sunday had only hosted play on only four occasions, in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016. Those were all down to wet weather, which had washed out play earlier in the week, meaning time was required to catch up. But back in April 2021, the All England Lawn Tennis Club took the decision to scrap Middle Sunday, preferring to spread the action out over 14 days, rather than 13. Explaining the call, the AELTC said that advances in grass technology had led to improved courts and no need for a rest day. 'It's important at this stage of the development of the sport that Wimbledon should be even more accessible to the people who want to access it and at the times at which they are best able to,' AELTC chairman, Ian Hewitt, said. 'We consider that it's in the best interests of the tennis fans that Wimbledon should be available to be watched and attended throughout that middle weekend.' Chief executive Sally Boulton added: "Over time Wimbledon has continuously evolved to meet changing demands and behaviours of our fans – always changing, always staying the same is something we talk about often. We want more of this wonderful event to be available to more people around the world to share in the joy of the Championships. "Including Middle Sunday permanently in our schedule will allow us to do just that and become a new tradition which we hope we can become immensely proud of. It enables us to do more with the second Monday, which is known as 'manic' for good reason." Having another day of play obviously also has a financial incentive for the AELTC, who can welcome tennis fans into the venue for an extra day. This year, there will be some great matches on offer on Sunday, with Sonay Kartal playing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Centre Court before world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz take to the court.
