Wimbledon 2022

[James2001]

Both Women’s doubles semi finals are scheduled for tomorrow and would have been on Court No 1

Oh, are they? The order of play on their website is very incomplete, then! Only listing the men's semi final and the wheelchair matches.

Still possible (in fact, very likely) the second semi final could be in play (or even finished) by the time the men's semi final has finished though, particuarly with women's matches being a maximum of 3 sets rather than 5, and court 1 starting 30 minutes earlier than center, and I doubt they'll move a match in progress. So still quite possible there's nothing left to put on centre after the Djokovic/Norrie match (maybe an invitational, but they're usually just players goofing around and I can't see one of them going on BBC1 even if it was moved to centre). Even with coverage only on BBC1, they could be struggling to find things to fill it with once we get into the evening.

[Andrew]

Both Women’s doubles semi finals are scheduled for tomorrow and would have been on Court No 1

Oh, are they? The order of play on their website is very incomplete, then!

Still possible the second semi final could be in play by the time the men's semi final has finished though, particularly with women's matches being 3 sets rather than 5, and court 1 starting 30 minutes earlier than center, and I doubt they'll move a match in progress.

It always is at this time because in theory it could start bucketing it down and nothing still in play gets to finish tonight. They tend to just early schedule the big stuff that’s a given where it will go.

---

If only they’d known a bit earlier as they could have moved the Mixed Doubles Final to tomorrow especially as it was delayed tonight due to one of the players also being in the Mens doubles semi final earlier.

For those who don’t know the Mixed Doubles Final taking place on a final Thursday is a new tradition that has started this year

[dvboy]

As Wimbledon is not something the BBC produces themselves, its not really something that the BBC should "find". Wimbledon themselves will just schedule to move another match to Centre Court and simply request that all host broadcasters take the feed in place of the SF that would have been played in that slot.

The BBC and other broadcasters can show whatever matches they like from the schedule, for example Polsat in Poland showed invitational doubles involving Agnieszka Radwanska instead of Djokovic vs Sinner QF on Tuesday.

There will be *something* after Djokovic vs Norrie tomorrow - we should find out shortly.

Anyway, looks like a very short or no Today at Wimbledon again tonight.

[Brekkie]

An exhibition match between Johnson and Gove?

[XIII]

An exhibition match between Johnson and Gove?

Not the politics thread....

[Andrew]

Wimbledon organisers have decided to move both Ladies semi finals to Centre Court with the one mens semi final sandwiched in between.

With basically only one court now showing any major action I’m guessing we might have a situation, like in the old rain delays of the past, where only one channel is on air at any one time. So BBC Two may go to alternative programming (I wouldn’t bet on it being a News Channel simulcast) after 1:45pm

(Court No. 1 is now just wheelchairs and invitationals)

[James2001]

Wimbledon organisers have decided to move both Ladies semi finals to Centre Court with the one mens semi final sandwiched in between.

Seems like a sensible decision considering the circumstance.

Though I do wonder if they should have allowed Fritz to play against Kyrigos instead. As you said before, he really shouldn't have played the quarter final to begin with, knowing how much pain he was in and the unlikelihood he'd be able to to fit to play the semi even though he got through the quarter.

---

The BBC and other broadcasters can show whatever matches they like from the schedule, for example Polsat in Poland showed invitational doubles involving Agnieszka Radwanska instead of Djokovic vs Sinner QF on Tuesday.

Not sure if I've ever seen the BBC ever show an invitational match on the main BBC1 or 2 feeds though. The year I was there (I think in 2016) and saw an invitational match that they put on after the other matches finished early, half the cameras that had been used during the main matches were left unattended, so they certainly aren't seen as much of a priority from a broadcast perspective anyway.

The whole thing was so silly, with players taking the oversized novelty balls from people in the crowd to play with, hitting the ball while sitting in chairs, getting the umpire down to play etc., I can't see it being something the BBC would ever show as part of their main coverage. Very enjoyable to watch in person though, of course.

That was a day when Today at Wimbledon didn't make it on air as well, as Murray was playing on Centre Court until late. We saw Clare Balding in the outside studio (would have been the first year they used that studio- the previous year was the infamous Wimbledon2Day) getting ready for the show, then walking out and down the path when they knew it wasn't going to happen.

[Brekkie]

Wimbledon organisers have decided to move both Ladies semi finals to Centre Court with the one mens semi final sandwiched in between.

With basically only one court now showing any major action I’m guessing we might have a situation, like in the old rain delays of the past, where only one channel is on air at any one time. So BBC Two may go to alternative programming (I wouldn’t bet on it being a News Channel simulcast) after 1:45pm

(Court No. 1 is now just wheelchairs and invitationals)

"Just wheelchairs" isn't exactly fair - Reid and Hewett are two of our greatest paralympians and personally think it's been wrong BBC2 hasn't gone on air at 11am on these semi-final days to show a wheelchair match. They do show some of the finals at the weekend.

That said this scheduling may turn out costly for Wimbledon - they're offering full refunds to Centre Court ticket holders and will surely have to do the same on Court 1 having pulled the main scheduled games from there to bolster Centre.

Though I do wonder if they should have allowed Fritz to play against Kyrigos instead. As you said before, he really shouldn't have played the quarter final to begin with, knowing how much pain he was in and the unlikelihood he'd be able to to fit to play the semi even though he got through the quarter.

As Fritz himself has said if he can't beat an injured player he doesn't deserved to be in a grand slam semi-final.

[AJB39]

Looking at the Order of Play for tomorrow I think it’s clear that BBC 1 will show Centre Court and BBC 2 will show Court 1. Given that the Djokovic Norris match is not before 2.30 pm and probably later, it could go beyond 6.00 pm and maybe BBC 1 won’t change it’s schedule. I think tomorrow will be the first time that Wheelchair Tennis will be on one of the two main show courts. A very positive development in my opinion.

[Andrew]

Technically you aren’t due a refund as you take a ticket based on the day and court with no guarantee of any particular match or stage of the tournament. Although Wimbledon are usually good at goodwill and with none of the main five events now being on No.1 they may do.

I actually had tickets for Court No.1 on this day tomorrow years ago (2009 I believe), and we were in two minds whether or not to take them or not, knowing we wouldn’t see any singles action. But half the fun of it is soaking up the atmosphere and you don’t get drawn out of the ballot every year so we did do. In the end we saw some decent doubles ( I think the Williams sisters were involved so it was some big names) and an invitational that featured a big name from the recent past that was played fairly seriously rather than the older jokey ones, and also got to see Andy Murray on the hill, so it was all worth it. No. 1 tickets are priced much cheaper at the end of the tournament as there isn’t any singles action in play.

[dvboy]

Not sure if I've ever seen the BBC ever show an invitational match on the main BBC1 or 2 feeds though. The year I was there (I think in 2016) and saw an invitational match that they put on after the other matches finished early, half the cameras that had been used during the main matches were left unattended, so they certainly aren't seen as much of a priority from a broadcast perspective anyway.

This is the first year they are showing every match on every court. Some juniors matches on outside courts missed out last year.

Looking at the Order of Play for tomorrow I think it’s clear that BBC 1 will show Centre Court and BBC 2 will show Court 1. Given that the Djokovic Norris match is not before 2.30 pm and probably later, it could go beyond 6.00 pm and maybe BBC 1 won’t change it’s schedule. I think tomorrow will be the first time that Wheelchair Tennis will be on one of the two main show courts. A very positive development in my opinion.

You've basically got that spot on (although they didn't join live coverage until around 14:15, preferring to let John McEnroe rant about whatever was on his mind).
BBC One's coverage is scheduled to 19:00 today. The News at Six has been pushed back an hour to accommodate both Wimbledon and the football over on BBC Two.

[Brekkie]

Despite the news not being scheduled till 7pm Wimbledon has ended early and gone to the news at 6.05pm.

[AJB39]

I suppose they couldn’t justify airing doubles or wheelchair tennis when people would expect to see the news. I wonder what they’ll air between the news and the football?
Update: They are airing an episode of “The Repair Shop” at 7.

[dvboy]

I think tomorrow will be the first time that Wheelchair Tennis will be on one of the two main show courts. A very positive development in my opinion.

Just to clarify at least one wheelchair final was on No. 1 Court last year - that was the first time.

[AJB39]

I think tomorrow will be the first time that Wheelchair Tennis will be on one of the two main show courts. A very positive development in my opinion.

Just to clarify at least one wheelchair final was on No. 1 Court last year - that was the first time.

I stand corrected.