Wimbledon Adjusts Mixed Doubles Final Amid Persistent Rain Delays

The Wimbledon mixed doubles final, initially scheduled for Thursday, has been moved to Sunday following rain delays that caused a backlog of matches. Despite action on Centre Court and Court One continuing, weather impacted many first-round games. Attendance dropped by 3.7% compared to last year, with rain cited as the primary cause.

The Wimbledon mixed doubles final, originally set for Thursday, will now be played three days later due to persistent rain, the organizers announced on Tuesday. The revised schedule aims to accommodate delays caused by continuous downpours affecting the All England Club's outside courts.

Despite ongoing matches under the roofs of Centre Court and Court One, several first-round mixed doubles matches remain incomplete due to adverse weather conditions during the opening eight days of the prestigious grasscourt Grand Slam. Consequently, the mixed doubles final will now follow the men's singles final on Sunday, with both men's and women's doubles finals slated after the women's singles final on Saturday.

"This gives us the maximum flexibility to complete the Championships on time and to play all of the respective finals on Centre Court," tournament director Jamie Baker stated. Attendance figures for the first week of the event fell by 3.7%, from 293,681 last year to 282,955 visitors. Chief executive Sally Bolton attributed the decline to the unfavorable weather conditions.

"The weather has been so terrible that perseverance in the queue has been even greater this year than it ordinarily is," Bolton remarked. "We are not focused on maximizing attendance figures but on maintaining the accessibility and integrity of the event. However, the variability in weather has undoubtedly impacted our numbers."

(With inputs from agencies.)