A proposal by Wimbledon organizers to expand the site of the Grand Slam tournament with 39 new tennis courts has been given the green light by local authorities.
The All England Club’s plans — which include a new 8,000-seat show court with a retractable roof — were approved on Friday by the Greater London Authority despite protests by local residents.
The planned expansion in Wimbledon Park, which is adjacent to the All England Club, would allow Wimbledon’s qualifying tournament to be held on-site rather than at nearby Roehampton Community Sports Centre.
Photo: AP
However, some locals have objected to the plans because of concerns about the environmental impact.
Protesters assembled outside London City Hall ahead of the hearing on Friday and a number spoke in the chamber during a morning session lasting more than three hours.
Deputy Mayor of London for Policy and Planning Jules Pipe said that “the proposed development would facilitate very significant benefits. I agree with my officers that these benefits clearly outweigh the harm.”
All England Club chairperson Debbie Jevans promised that the project “will be delivered with a meticulous attention to detail and the utmost respect for both our neighbors and the environment.”
The All England Club said the benefits of the expansion would include a 23-acre (9.3-hectare) public park where there used to be a private golf course, and a minimum of seven grass courts that would be open for community use.
“We look forward to working with all parties to bring this vision to life, delivering one of London’s greatest sporting transformations since the 2012 [Olympic] Games and securing Wimbledon’s future at the pinnacle of world sport,” Jevans said.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
This year’s Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, would be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event’s cancelation. In a statement issued yesterday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition would still take place on June 6-7 at Banciao Stadium, but under the name “New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.” The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, the association said. It said it would soon
RSS