For the first time since 2004 and just the fourth time in the tournament’s 139-year history, there will be matches played at Wimbledon on Middle Sunday – now dubbed the People’s Sunday.
Middle Sunday is a sacred tradition here at the All England Club, and I must say us journalists, along with the Wimbledon staff, players and others involved, really appreciate it as it provides a much-needed break in a brutal two-week stretch.
Wimbledon is the only slam that has an off day in the middle and every year it comes around, we wish the other majors adopted it.
For spectators however, this is a golden chance to attend the most iconic tennis tournament in the world, with tickets released online on Saturday specifically for Middle Sunday.
110,000 people were in the online queue for the 28,000 tickets that were released and sold out in 27 minutes.
All tickets for #MiddleSunday have been allocated, per @TicketMasterUK. There was extremely high demand, we thank you for your understanding
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2016
A woman named Alison, who lives in the United States, said on Twitter that she managed to purchase a ticket and will get on a plane and fly to London to catch some live tennis at Wimbledon.
With stories like that, who cares if I get a day’s rest? People’s Sunday will surely be a huge hit.
Meanwhile, the list of code violations and corresponding fines given out to players was put up on the wall at the press centre and it came as quite a surprise that Heather Watson topped that list with a hefty $12,000 fine for “unsportsmanlike conduct” during her first round defeat to Annika Beck.
Watson had an episode in the third set, tossing her racket into the turf, and jamming it down a couple more times when she went to her seat, which is apparently what earned her that fine. But many find it surprising that her racquet abuse – against the holy Wimbledon grass – warranted a bigger fine than the now-viral meltdown Viktor Troicki had, when he growled at umpire Damiano Torella.
Here’s a look at the fines leader board here at the All England Club so far this fortnight:
