Wimbledon Exec Dismisses Move to 15 Days Amid US Open Expansion

The US Open will expand from 14 to 15 days for the first time this fall, leaving Wimbledon as the only Grand Slam tournament on a 14-day schedule. But it doesn’t seem like the London-based event will succumb to peer pressure.

Tim Henman, a board member of the All England Lawn Tennis Club which organizes Wimbledon, said there is “zero” appetite for the tournament to move to 15 days.

“From Wimbledon’s point of view, 14 days for the championships is enough,” Henman told reporters at a Sky Sports Tennis event Thursday.

Wimbledon had only moved to a 14-day format in 2022. The tournament traditionally scheduled games on 13 days over a two-week span, with the “Middle Sunday” kept vacant to tend to its grass courts while also giving a rest day for players.

Henman called the move three years ago to expand to 14 days “a big decision,” particularly to ensure the grass on the courts remains in the “best possible condition.” 

“You’re looking at 80 hours of tennis on Centre [Court], that’s the sort of maximum,” Henman said.

The AELTC has proposed adding 39 grass courts to Wimbledon, which means tripling the size of the grounds. But even if the courts pass legal battles from conservation group Save Wimbledon Park, the courts are not expected to be operational until the 2030s, according to The Athletic.

The AELTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The French Open moved to a 15-day format in 2007, the first of the Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open followed suit last year, and the US Open announced Wednesday that it will add the extra day to this year’s tournament.