Wimbledon 2021: Oldest Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Returns After COVID-19 Break

Wimbledon 2021: Oldest Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Returns After COVID-19 Break With 50 per cent capacity attendance at the outset and a full Centre Court of 15,000 allowed for the singles finals, things are moving closer to normal. The tennis world was shaken when the All England Club announced on April 1, 2020, that Wimbledon would be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic the first time since World War II it was called off for any reason. The oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament ends a two-year absence on Monday, with 50 per cent capacity attendance at the outset and a full Centre Court of 15,000 allowed for the singles finals on July 10-11, the latest signals things are moving closer to normal. "It's going to be an incredible event," said American pro John Isner, a 2018 semifinalist at Wimbledon and winner of the longest match in the sport's history there in 2010. "You know, a lot of people say it's the Mecca of our sport, it's our Augusta National. It's going to be great to have it back. I think the fans all over the world are going to be eager to watch it." If so, they will have plenty of storylines to follow on the grass courts. Defending champion Novak Djokovic tries to pull even with Rafael Nadal (who won't be there) and Federer (who will, in his last Slam before turning 40 on Aug. 8) at 20 major championships, the most for a man. Djokovic also hopes to add to his 2021 titles at the Australian Open and French Open to extend his bid for the first calendar-year Grand Slam by a man since 1969. Serena Williams, at age 39, seeks her 24th major singles trophy to equal the all-time mark after losing in the 2018 and 2019 Wimbledon finals. Coco Gauff, now 17, returns to the site of her big breakthrough at 15. Could there be yet another new Slam champion? What matters most to many is simply that The Championships as it's known to locals will be played after being the only Grand Slam site that remained silent during the COVID-19 outbreak. Credited: (outlook India)