Wimbledon 2018: All England Club refuses to accede to WC request

Fans can silently watch the World Cup matches in their mobile devices, without disrupting the Tennis match but Wimbledon will start at its traditional time, said the All England Club chiefs in a stern reply to FIFA.

The apex football body had reportedly pressurised the All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis, to change the timing of the men’s singles finals to to prevent a clash with the World Cup final.

The World Cup showpiece which will take place on Sunday at 20:30 IST is likely to kick off during the men’s grass-court final, that will begin at 18:30 IST.

“It’s slightly surprising Fifa had the idea of kick-off at four o’clock. It’s not something they’ve done in the past, but that’s the decision,” said Mick Desmond, commercial and media director at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC).

“You know, our tournament (final) always starts at two o’clock – we’ll start at two o’clock,” he added.

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Men’s singles finals in the past have been rescheduled to avoid the rain, but it won’t be done simply because of its coincidence with the World Cup final assured Lewis.

“It has not been a discussion other than, ‘we are two o’clock and that’s it,” he said.

England’s ouster in the World Cup semi-finals against Croatia, will however repel the problems that seemed to have arose back home where football fever had taken over the entire country.

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But the fear of a divided viewership still remain. Online and broadcast viewership outside the United Kingdom is likely to tilt towards the World Cup final where France and Croatia face each other.

20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer however gave a contrasting view claiming that it is not Wimbledon, but the World Cup which is likely to suffer.

“Whether I play in the final or not, the Wimbledon final will take place, and so will the World Cup final,” Federer said.

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“I’m more concerned the World Cup final will have issues because the Wimbledon final is going on. They’ll hear every point, Wow, Love-15, 15-30. The players are going to look up in the crowd and not understand what’s going on at Wimbledon.

“That’s how important Wimbledon is to me and to us over here. Maybe you should ask the questions over in Russia, how they’re going to feel about Wimbledon being played at the same time,” he added.