Umbrellas are not usually a welcome sight at Wimbledon, but they were gratefully clasped for some much needed shade on Thursday as temperatures soared above 31C (88F) in SW19.
Three spectators succumbed to the blazing sun during two matches on the fourth day of the tournament, while about 60 were treated for heat-related symptoms by volunteers from St John Ambulance, most of them in the 1.30-3pm period.
A match between Juan Martin Del Potro and Ernests Gulbis was suspended for around 20 minutes when a woman in her 60s collapsed in the top row of the stands on court three. An elderly woman also fainted on Centre Court while watching Briton Kyle Edmund play Gaël Monfils.
The umpire stopped play during the Del Potro/Gulbis match, and the Argentinian player was applauded for passing a bottle of water to the crowd to give to the woman, while ball boys and girls got ice to help her. While the initial spectator was being treated, another woman collapsed in the opposite stand and also had to be helped.
Del Potro played down his role when asked about the incident in a post-match press conference. “The doctors helped a lady. We were scared about the situation, but it was nothing. Nothing happened in the end,” he said. Latvian Gulbis, who used ice-packed towels to cool down between games, beat Del Potro 6-4 6-4 7-6.
Threatened rainstorms failed to materialise but the muggy weather meant many spectators were struggling to enjoy one of the highlights of the British sporting calendar.
Over-heated tennis lovers could be seen flaked out on the floor outside first aid stations, cold flannels held to their foreheads, while others were ushered inside to recover in air-conditioned treatment rooms. In the thoroughfares of the All England Club queues snaked around the block at water stations and ice-cream kiosks, while shaded bench spots were in almost as high demand as seats on Centre Court.
“I’m not really enjoying myself, if I’m honest,” said Vicky Campbell, who was pressing herself up against a court wall in the hope of escaping the sunshine. “I hate to moan but I’m worried about getting sunstroke. I’ve got a lovely picnic and a bottle of Prosecco but all I want to do is drink water.”
Wimbledon put special measures reserved for the hottest days into place, changing the rotation of ball boys and girls more regularly on court, and requiring them to wear special caps with neck protection. Match officials – among the most pitied people in the grounds due to their uniform strictures – were also required to take water breaks.
Players appeared to cope admirably with the temperatures but Poland’s Agnieszka Radwańska, who knocked out American Christina McHale for a spot in the third round, admitted it hadn’t been easy. “It was very tough, especially it was pretty hot, humid,” she said.
Others dealt with the heat in typically British fashion. Newspapers were used as sunhats on some courts, while the shop appeared to be doing a roaring trade selling umbrellas as sunshades. Spectators Lee Hanlon and Warren Bradshaw were carrying a pint of cider and a large Pimms each in a valiant attempt to keep both cool and hydrated. “This is our way of coping,” said Bradshaw.
St John Ambulance volunteers were particularly busy as the temperatures soared mid afternoon. “We are really busy at the moment with lots of people struggling with this heat, there has been a steady flow,” said one volunteer. “I think people who say they are enjoying it are lying or they have something wrong with their body temperature gauge.”
Last week saw the hottest June day in 41 years, with a temperature of 34.5C (94F) recorded at Heathrow. The hottest Wimbledon on record was in 1976, when the average daily temperature reached 30.8C, but 2017 looks set to challenge for the title with the warm weather predicted to continue into the weekend.
The Met Office said it would be “very warm” in the south-east on Friday, while other areas of the country would be “a touch cooler”. “Northern areas of the UK will be generally cloudy and cooler with patchy, light rain over Northern Ireland, Scotland and then northern England later,” said a spokesman. “Further south, it will be dry with broken cloud. The best of any sunshine should be in southernmost parts.”
Wimbledon officials confirmed the roof would be closed on centre court from 8am until 12pm on Friday to protect it the grass from the sunshine.
There were suggestions from players today that the high temperatures had had negative impact on the grass.
Roger Federer was asked about the condition of the grass and said in a “good, warm, nice week” the grass could get “beat up and used”. He said “ [S]ometimes it’s not attached anymore. You know, it’s like dead grass. It changes color. And that bit can be slippery.”
Asked if this year was worse he said: “Possibly, because it’s been extremely hot today and yesterday. So that’s why maybe -- that’s what we are hearing. It’s not a good sign, and you should always take the players’ opinion serious, especially when both say it.”
On Centre Court the hopes of the British number two, Kyle Edmund, wilted in the heat, as he was beaten in straights sets by France’s Gaël Monfils. Monfils, the 15th seed, won 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round.
Britain has four players left in the last 32 of the singles. Andy Murray, Johanna Konta, Aljaz Bedene and Heather Watson will all play third-round matches on Friday. Murray faces Italian Fabio Fognini, who has endeared himself to fans thanks to a series of pictures on his Instagram account showing off his newborn baby.
