Wimbledon defended shunting top women players onto the outside courts yesterday, saying the big four of men's tennis were the marquee matches demanded by broadcasters and spectators
Richard Lewis
All-England Club chief executive Richard Lewis. Pic/getty images
Wimbledon defended shunting top women players onto the outside courts yesterday, saying the big four of men's tennis were the marquee matches demanded by broadcasters and spectators.
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Andy Murray and Roger Federer's matches were put on the 15,000-seater Centre Court, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Court One on the second, when all the men's and women's last-16 matches are played on the same day. All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said the nature of Wimbledon's Manic Monday — unique among the four Grand Slams in that all last-16 matches are played on the same day — meant big name players would not get on the main courts.
"When you've got four of the all-time great male players playing, you're left with some difficult choices," he said. "We respect that Angelique is number one in the world, Muguruza is a Grand Slam winner. It was a tough decision. But we are spoilt for choice. There are matches on Courts Two and Three that would grace Centre on any other day," he added.
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