These last two weeks at Wimbledon have been entertaining, but not without controversy.
It feels hard to get through any event without a little bit of backlash, but even before The Championships got underway there has been scrutiny.
When the wildcards were announced, there was fury when Dan Evans was not awarded one.
Then, when the event began, questions were asked over strange and unpredictable timings with the closure of roofs during later matches.
Wimbledon then saved one final controversy for the last two days of the event, with so many fans rallying to question the 4 pm start time for the men’s and women’s finals.
Wimbledon comes under fire from tennis fans after their decision for the men’s final
Unsurprisingly, many rushed to X to share their frustration with this change, which was implemented last year for the first time.
One fan wrote: “I already mentioned that last year. It’s a terrible decision by @Wimbledon. We almost had to play the fifth set Indoors if #Zverev had managed to win the fourth set Vs #Sinner.”
Another echoed that earlier sentiment whilst comparing it to the other three Grand Slams when claiming: “Worst scheduling of any of the slams the whole fortnight. Players being penalised if it goes 5 sets as they will have to pause for the roof. Very poor!”
When and why did Wimbledon start changing the start time of the final?
This actually marked the second straight year that Wimbledon had stuck with their decision to change the start time of the final.
The first was in 2025, and received similar backlash from fans, having diverted from the usual 2 pm.
The All England Club CEO, Sally Bolton, has tried to explain this move, but instead provided an unconvincing argument about how the committee’s primary goal is to enhance the experience for everybody involved in the event.
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Realistically, it is for the time zones, and to therefore attract more viewers to this match. The United States particularly benefits from this change, with a 4 pm start in London translating to 11 am Eastern Time.
Any concerns over light are assuaged by the option to close the roof, although that has only sparked further frustration.
Novak Djokovic complained about the closing of the roof during his quarter-final match against Felix Auger Aliassime, arguing that this ‘outdoor tournament’ should strive to stay that way.
