London (AP)-Novak Djokovic calls it “win-win”. Carlos Alakraj says that this is a “great idea.”
Wimbledon’s major expansion plan involves adding an 8,000 -seat stadium with an anterior roof and 38 other grass courts in a pre -golf course across the road. All England Club To transfer your qualifying event and place it on-site-like other Grand Slam tournaments-to promote the position and revenue.
Some local residents put a deep dive on the details, however, and they are not as confident as the prominent champions. This is why the proposals go to the High Court of UK for judicial review on Tuesday and Wednesday as the quarter -finals are held in the tournament that ends at the end of next week.
Opponents say they love tennis more 500,000 either fan Sw19-Wimbledon’s famous post code-which fall into herds during the two-week program.
“But we are also lovers of environment and trees and greenery and open places,” said Susan Cusec, a member of Save Wimbledon Park.
This group is challenging Greater London Authority approval Last September of Wimbledon’s project, and they say they have raised more than $ 270,000 to pay for lawyers, which call the “Industrial Tennis Complex” to fight against cusecs and others.
“They are a huge developer. On their current site, they all do, build, construct, build,” cusec said.
separately Concern about the environment And on the overall scale, opponents argued the adjacent property which was a golf course when all England clubs are subject to the restrictions bought by it in 2018 which is in favor of conservation of open space for the public.
Wimbledon case for expansion
The oldest Grand Slam tournament is only one of the four that holds it Qualifying round in completely different placesThe current setup has very few practice courts, which some of the best players in the world need to share courts.
All England Club President Debbie Jens told The Associated Press, “Wimbledon needs to stay on the pinnacle of the World Sport, and to do so, you have to develop both on the court, but also have to go out of the court with infrastructure.”
The presence number of Wimbledon passes through the other three large companies. Australian Open sold 1.1 million tickets for this year’s main draw – more than 2024 tally from Double Wimbledon – after bringing over 115,000 in qualifying. Rohmpton has a total of 8,000 tickets in the qualifying of Wimbledon, three miles away.
The French Open drawn into 80,000 fans for its merit. In addition to the fan mini-tournament, Star Players could see the practice, in which contestants play for reputed places in single brackets.
The project of Wimbledon will allow 8,000 spectators to qualify per day.
“If you look at the other Grand Slam, they will have community programs during that first week … and of course, seriously tennis,” Jevenes said. “So we always start with tennis, but, yes, I want more people to have an opportunity to embrace. Our tickets demand is far from the chart.”
After the Center court and the No.1 court, the area with 8,000 seats will become Wimbledon’s third largest stadium; This number 1 will be located across the road from the court.
Wimbledon’s plan, which includes the space now used Famous queueIts total grass will double the total number of courts – currently there are 18 for the tournament, as well as 20 for practice.
Jens said that at least seven of the proposed new courts would be provided for community use. The plan also includes two public parks, one which will be 23 acres.
The club rejected the comment on the price tag of the project, which the British media reported that it would be around $ 270 million.
Djokovic and Alakraj support Wimbledon’s plans
If the plan avoids legal challenges, there is still an eight -year construction window. It should meet 38 -year -old Djokovic’s possibilities of competing on new courts. But the seven -time Wimbledon Champions still want the plan to be successful.
He said, “This is great for the community, for London, for our game. It’s a win, to be honest. If it does not, it would be shame,” he said on Thursday.
Belinda Benik, who was 17 years old, when she started her Wimbledon in 2014, said on Saturday that she liked the club “investing and trying to do the best for the players.”
Two-time defending champion Alakraj said that “really qualifying is really close (where we are now-I think it’s a great idea.”
Whatever happens, Djokovic said, Wimbledon’s future is safe.
“Wimbledon, as it is already, is a sacred tournament, a tournament that everyone wants to win or play,” he said. “This is only a bonus. It is something that will also get it for high level recognition.”
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Ken Maguire, Associated Press
