Wimbledon final start time changed: Reason singles finals pushed back by two hours | Tennis | Sport

Shaking things up: The tournament organisers have officially decided to move the start time of the men’s and women’s singles finals. Instead of keeping the traditional opening slot at 2pm, the championship matches now get underway at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday, following the change which was first instituted last year.

New time: This significant scheduling change directly impacts the doubles finals, which will now take place before the singles matches begin. The men’s and women’s doubles championships are now scheduled to begin at 1pm, rather than awkwardly following the singles trophy ceremonies.

What Wimbledon have said: All England Club CEO Sally Bolton has publicly addressed the underlying rationale behind these major scheduling adjustments. She explicitly stated that the committee’s primary aim is to drastically improve the overall experience for everyone involved in the prestigious tournament.

More eyes on the court: One of the most important drivers of the change is the tournament’s desire to reach the largest possible worldwide audience. By deliberately pushing the marquee matches to 4pm, organisers hope to reach significantly more fans across various international time zones.

Previously: The old tournament schedule often left doubles players in frustrating limbo as they waited for incredibly long singles matches to finish. Beginning the doubles finals at 1pm provides those specific competitors with considerably more certainty and a much clearer sense of their actual match times.

Viewership: There is also a strong domestic television component driving the decision, especially after BBC viewership declined notably during the 2024 tournament. For instance, the 2024 women’s final attracted roughly 400,000 fewer peak spectators than the previous year, prompting television executives to strongly support a better time slot.

More time: The delayed start to the singles finals is also intended to enhance the experience for the thousands of fans attending the event in person. It essentially gives the spectators significantly more time to explore the grounds and enjoy their day at Wimbledon before finally taking their seats for the main events.

Time zones: The time change is considered particularly beneficial for dedicated tennis fans in the United States who want to watch the finals live. A 4pm start in London translates to a much more manageable 11am Eastern Time, which should absolutely help boost the international broadcasting numbers.

Losing daylight: However, starting the singles matches at 4pm raises valid concerns about disruptions caused by fading daylight in the evening. If a best-of-five men’s final turns into an unexpected marathon match, there is a much higher likelihood that play will need to finish under the Centre Court roof with the floodlights turned on.