An 11pm curfew disrupted the second-round match between Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon on Thursday night. The curfew, in place since 2009, limits the duration of matches even with the use of Centre Court and No. 1 Court’s roofs and floodlights.
The curfew was introduced by Merton Council to obtain planning permission for Centre Court’s roof and takes into account the considerations of local residents and transportation safety. Matches must conclude by 11pm local time, and any ongoing matches at that time must be suspended.
This is not the first time matches have been affected by the curfew. In 2018, a match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was halted after the third set, and Nick Kyrgios and Ugo Humbert had their match suspended in the fifth set at 3-3.
In 2012, the curfew was slightly extended when Andy Murray defeated Marcos Baghdatis with the clock striking 11:02pm, showing some flexibility in its enforcement.
While the curfew ensures the balance between hosting an international tennis event and considering local residents, it can lead to interruptions and delayed match schedules. Wimbledon organizers and players must carefully manage the timing of matches to adhere to the curfew regulations.
