Following the cancellation of the Wimbledon championship due to the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Lawn Tennis Club was eerily quiet on Monday in what would have been the first day of the tennis championship. Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep would have been the defending champions at the world-famous event in South West London, which was scheduled to run from Monday until July 12 - but it was called off on April 1.
This year marks the first time the competition in SW19 has been cancelled since 1945 during the Second World War, and the first time since it first took place in 1877 that it has not been played during peacetime. Officials at the AELTC - which was insured against cancellation - had discussed moving the tournament into late July or August this year, but they were concerned about too little sunlight and too much dew at that time of year.
Playing behind closed doors was also ruled out amid concerns for the training of ball boys and girls and thousands of officials, line judges, stewards, players, suppliers, media and contractors being present on the grounds.
After calling off the tournament, the AELTC encouraged players and fans to 'bring the tournament to their homes'. British tennis hero Tim Henman and former Wimbledon champions Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Petra Kvitova and Pat Cash have all played their part. American star Williams, 38, practised her killer serve from her garden and Serb Djokovic, 33, repeated his ritual of eating grass – which he has done after each of his five Wimbledon wins.
Aussie legend Cash, 55, marched up garden steps to re-enact his climb into the stands to celebrate after his famous victory in 1987. Henman, 45, in his tennis kit, watched one of his classic Wimbledon matches on TV.
Meanwhile, fans also recreated the Wimbledon spirit at home – complete with makeshift courts, umpire chairs and Pimm's, strawberries and cream. Other fans sent in photos to Wimbledon chiefs showing them recreating much-loved viewing point Henman Hill and playing games on DIY courts in tiny gardens.
