Tennis

Wimbledon given green light for full capacity on main courts from quarter-finals to finals

Crowds at Wimbledon's Centre Court and No. 1 Court can increase to 100 per cent capacity for the singles quarter-finals through the finals after being at 50 per cent the first week of the tournament.

Increase follows 'successful staging' of 1st week and approval from government

The All England Club that the approved increase will mark the first full outdoor stadium at a sporting event in Britain since the start of the pandemic last year. (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

Crowds at Wimbledon's Centre Court and No. 1 Court can increase to 100 per cent capacity for the singles quarter-finals through the end of the tournament.

The All England Club said Sunday that will mark "the first full outdoor stadiums at a sporting event" in Britain since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

Wimbledon was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the first time in 75 years that the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament was not held.

The club said the rise from what has been limited to 50 per cent full crowds at the two main arenas comes after "the successful staging of the first week of The Championships" and with government approval.

After Monday's fourth-round matches, the quarter-finals are scheduled to begin Tuesday for the women, Wednesday for the men. The semifinals follow, with the women's final next Saturday and the men's on July 11.

Before the tournament began, the club had said it would be able to allow full crowds only for the two singles finals.

Centre Court can hold 14,979 people, and No. 1 Court's capacity is 12,345. The number of fans allowed around the rest of the site "will be reduced according to the number of courts in play," the club said.

Spectators still need to show proof of their COVID-19 status when they arrive at the tournament each day — either that they have passed a test within the preceding 48 hours or are fully vaccinated.

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