“It reflects that it’s an Olympic event,” explained Ian Ritchie, the club’s chief executive officer. “It was an easy thing to agree to, because it’s a recognition that it’s someone else’s event.”
The Olympic tennis tournament at London 2012 takes place just nine days after Wimbledon finishes. In that time, the nine grass courts to be used during the Olympics will be re-seeded so they are in top shape for the Games. Tennis was one of the original nine Olympic sports in Athens in 1896.
It was withdrawn after the 1924 Paris Games and didn't return as a full medal sport until Seoul in 1988. For London 2012, organisers expect 26,000 visitors a day during the nine-day tennis competition.
The All England Club is hoping that the Olympics will give the sport’s popularity a boost. “There will be a great interest because Wimbledon is heavily oversubscribed every year,” said Ritchie. “It might open up a new, different audience for us.”
