Wimbledon, long associated with depressing rain delays, is introducing emergency playing rules for hot weather for the first time today, as temperatures are expected to reach the mid-30s.
Organizers say a heat rule, which allows for a 10-minute break between the second and third sets of women’s matches, can be used when temperatures rise above 30.1?C.
However, the rule — which has been adopted by Wimbledon after lobbying from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) — does not apply to men, even though they have to slug it out over the best of five sets.
Yesterday’s heat hovered around the 30?C mark, but is expected to surge to around 35?C today.
RECORD HEAT
The highest-ever temperature recorded at Wimbledon was 34?C in 1976.
Despite the heat, the All England Club said that the Centre Court roof would not be closed, to preserve the tournament’s integrity as an outdoor event.
Maria Sharapova, the highest earner in women’s sport and the 2004 champion at Wimbledon, said it was wrong to describe the heat index rule being invoked only for women as sexist, but said the men too should be allowed the same courtesy.
“I think if it’s something that they’re concerned about it, they can reevaluate,” the Russian said. “If it does get quite hot for us, we’re able to use it, then why not?”
‘THIS WILL BE OK’
Women’s world No. 1 Serena Williams, who like Sharapova is scheduled to play today in the second round, said the heat would not concern her, as she regularly trains in temperatures higher than 40?C at her Florida home.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played in 34, 35 degrees here, but I do in other countries. I just was training in Florida — it was like 42 degrees. This will be OK,” said the American, a five-time champion at Wimbledon.
In a country often overly fixed on day-to-day climate fluctuations, there is a mass of data reflecting the tournament’s highs and lows.
HIGHS AND LOWS
The hottest average maximum daily temperature — 30.8?C was recorded in 1976, while the lowest minimum recorded was 4.9?C on June 24, 1999.
Only five Wimbledon tournaments have seen no rain whatsoever, the most recent of which was in 1993.
Spectators more accustomed to a wet and cooler Wimbledon can rest easy, with rain expected tomorrow and temperatures set to drop by about 10?C.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to