It was supposed to be the opening day of the oldest tennis tournament in the world, which would attract 500,000 viewers and millions more viewers on TV and online over two weeks.
But today the 42-acre Wimbledon site is quiet; There will be no die-hard fans camping overnight to secure an award-winning ticket, or tennis stars preparing to take part in what is widely regarded as the leading Grand Slam.
When Ian Hewitt was named chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) last December, everything looked for Wimbledon 2020. Five months later he announced his cancellation – only the First and Second World Wars had stopped him since 1877 -. amid the rapidly escalating coronavirus pandemic.
“We were very concerned with the decision,” said Hewitt, 73, who heads the club’s board. “Public health had to be a priority and we acted on the recommendation of the government and health authorities. Given the scale of this global crisis, it was ultimately right to cancel this year’s championships and instead focus on using the breadth of our resources to help people in our local communities and beyond. “
When Ian Hewitt was appointed chair of the AELTC, everything looked for Wimbledon 2020. © Thomas Lovelock / AELTC
A look at Court 3 at AELTC © Bob Martin / AELTC / Reuters
The risk of infection spreading at large public gatherings had become clear: 500,000 tennis fans took part in the tournament, along with 6,000 support staff who offer everything from safety and eating and drinking to referees and ball boys and girls. There was also the risk of infection spreading among hundreds of participants.
It was ruled out to host the event behind closed doors (and on TV worldwide) so as not to protect employees and competitors – as well as to postpone the event. “It was impossible to know how the virus would spread, and there was only a narrow window to play on grass as the weather became more uncertain beyond midsummer,” said Hewitt.
While a three month notice period was certain, other problems were created. It robbed the club of its core mission of “staging the world’s leading grand slam,” along with an estimated £ 250m in potential tournament revenue from sources such as broadcasting rights and tickets.
Just a few months after Mr. Hewitt took on the challenging role of running the club, which was founded in 1868, he faced a major financial hole and had to remove the network of commercial arrangements required to run the tournament, while maintaining the morale of that had spent thousands of hours preparing for an event that would never happen again.
The club had contracted infectious disease insurance after the outbreak of the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, but entered unknown territory as the extent and global impact of the coronavirus were unknown when the first reports emerged from China. Mr. Hewitt added: “Our management committee and senior executive team have extensive experience in business and tournament planning, and we were able to quickly monitor developments and take into account government and other advice.
“The culture of the club has always been to work together in the best interests of tennis, our members, employees, suppliers and partners as well as the local community – and these values have been our guide. Our small size with a tight management structure (350 full-time members with around 300 permanent employees) also brought flexibility in coping with the unexpected. “
Serena Williams and Andy Murray in mixed doubles 2019 © Glyn Kirk / AFP / Getty
Tennis fans enjoy strawberries and cream © Charlie Bibby / FT
“My career has helped me understand contracts with suppliers and others involved in running the championships,” believes Hewitt. “But I also know the power of teamwork, which is at the heart of the club when dealing with unexpected and long-term priorities. We can never stand still in the competitive world of Grand Slams – there is always the next big investment in courts and other facilities that needs to be considered. “
He also admits that playing competitive tennis helps to understand the pressure of playing at Wimbledon and to meet the needs and concerns of competitors, including big names like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena and Venus Williams. “The club is also lucky enough to have Tim Henman (former British number 1 and Wimbledon favorite) on the club board,” said Hewitt.
But nobody could have foreseen the enormous challenges associated with viruses. Did he have sleepless nights? “I work with talented colleagues who have provided tremendous support,” he says. “We continue to consider the consequences of a cancellation – communicating decisions and thinking behind them are critical. We have to take people with us. “
Mr. Hewitt acknowledges that while the game’s stars live a millionaire lifestyle, the sudden cancellation of tennis tournaments worldwide has been a major financial blow to lower-tier players. “The club was happy to contribute to the Player Relief Program,” he says.
Roger Federer holds the record for most individual men’s titles at Wimbledon at eight © Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty
Ball boys and girls at the championships © Charlie Bibby / FT
Other issues ranged from processing refunds for tickets paid after the public vote (with the option to buy tickets for the same seats for Wimbledon 2021) and compensation to holders of the Center and Court No. 1 debt securities with seats until the negotiations on infectious disease insurance continue.
The virus also caused year-round activities on the site, such as educational services, the museum, and tours, to stop quickly, and for most employees to arrange remote work from home without going on vacation. Many employees work on community-related initiatives: grants and food are donated to local organizations and medical facilities through the Wimbledon Foundation, and on-site care is available to the NHS.
“We may not have a tournament this year, but we can still help with the aftermath of the corona virus,” says Hewitt. “It’s something the club and staff would love to do – and that improved morale after they decided to cancel. We will always be part of the local community and look forward to using the club’s resources to help in every possible way, ”he says. “Our on-site kitchen was opened to provide 200 hot meals a day to those in need in Merton and Wandsworth.”
While the tournament may be over, the club wants fans to still enjoy what it calls “The Greatest Championships”. Special highlights of past championships over the next 14 days and other material will be hosted on wimbledon.com and on social media during Wimbledon 2020.
“I will look at our efforts to help the local community on the day Wimbledon 2020 opened,” says Hewitt. “But I will also follow the online content that we will offer.” And his message to fans who miss live games? “We will do everything in the coming year to ensure that Wimbledon 2021 is implemented safely.”
