The famous grass tournament is renowned for its rich traditions.While the most evident one is the dress code requiring players to wear white attire, this year the organization added some flexibility for women in that regard. However, playing on Middle Sunday seems to be another custom that Wimbledon 2023 is set to break.
Wimbledon experienced multiple game suspensions due to adverse weather conditions that made the scheduling very challenging. Due to rain and limited daylight, there were matches from different rounds played on the same day. Something uncommon was seeing the N°1 and N°2 seeds sharing the program, as it occurred with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic on Friday.
Not playing on Middle Sunday is something that started back in 1877, but the delays provoked by weather adversities has forced the organizers to break the traditional rest day on a few occasions. Wimbledon had to do it only four times: 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016. This time there are going to be games on this day, albeit not for the mandatory delays.
When was the Middle Sunday tradition suspended by Wimbledon?
Traditionally, this specific date at the All England Club was reserved for the recovery of the grass courts and providing players with an additional day of rest. However, that’s no longer the case. Wimbledon 2023 is going to have matches on Middle Sunday because the organization chose to departure from the tradition.
In a bold decision made in 2021, the tournament organizers abolished the Middle Sunday tradition starting from 2022. This move was driven by advancements in grass court maintenance technology, allowing for enhanced care and maintenance of the grass throughout the tournament without the need for a dedicated rest day.
