The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has announced the completion of the retractable roof project at Wimbledon’s No.1 Court ahead of this year’s edition of the grand slam tournament.
The No.1 Court Celebration event on May 19 will be the first test event to be held at the new-look venue before the tournament takes place from July 1-14. It brings to an end the three-year project, which the AELTC said has been delivered on time and on budget.
The enhancements have resulted in all seats at the stadium being replaced, with the venue’s capacity having increased to 12,345.
Following the AELTC’s successful acquisition of the Wimbledon Park Golf Club at the end of 2018, the site will continue to operate as an 18-hole golf course until the end of 2021, with at least one further year as a nine- or 10-hole golf course on a rolling basis subject to a 12-month notice period.
As a result, initial work has commenced on a new AELTC Master Plan to create a new vision for the entire 120-acre site. The AELTC plans on relocating Wimbledon’s qualifying competition, providing an enhanced event experience for fans and exploring options to deliver community use of the land for the rest of the year.
Additionally, the club will introduce a 100-per-cent recyclable and recycled bottle by Evian, the official water of Wimbledon. Plastic bags will also be removed from the player racket stringing operation, resulting in 4,500 fewer plastic bags for this year’s tournament.
Staff will also be deployed on-site to champion sustainability and support the public in discarding waste into the appropriate bins. The ‘Sustainability’ at Wimbledon activation space will also be launched in the Southern end of the Grounds.
Outgoing AELTC chairman Philip Brook said: “The enhancements announced for 2019, in particular the successful completion of the No.1 Court Project, continue to reflect our confidence in the future and in our strategy of continuous improvement, to maintain Wimbledon’s place at the pinnacle of the sport.”
Image: Wimbledon
