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Henman Hill open to spectators at this year’s Wimbledon

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Henman Hill will be open to the public for this year’s Wimbledon Championships but it remains unclear whether fans will be forced to wear masks on the hill.

There had previously been plans to close the hill for this year’s event but Wimbledon bosses have been given the all-clear to open it up as part of its 50 per cent daily capacity at the All England Club.

Unveiling plans for a new-look Wimbledon experience in 2021, chief executive Sally Bolton said: “Henman Hill is definitely going to be part of the championships this year. We are working through the finer detail of how it will function. But the hill will be open and there will be people on it.”

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There is expected to be a rush for tickets when they go online at 1pm on Thursday with no Wimbledon queue in place this year as part of a range of Covid protocols.

And all ticket holders will have to show proof of their Covid status – either both vaccinations (and with the second dose at least 14 days ago) or else a negative lateral flow test for those aged 11 and above.

Wimbledon has been given special dispensation by the Government to increase capacity to 50% as part of the Events Research Programme despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson delaying Freedom by a month.

There has been criticism of that decision with former England footballer Gary Neville saying, “can’t dance at a wedding but you can stuff strawberries and champagne down your neck at The All England Club packed with tens of thousands crammed like sardines in a tin”.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said it was “one rule for tennis, another rule for everyone else”.

But Bolton insisted Wimbledon were not being given preferential treatment.

She said: “The reason why we’re able to have an increased number of spectators is because we’re part of the ERC. I don’t think that’s got anything to do with class. Our view is that Wimbledon is for everyone.”

 (Getty Images for LTA)
(Getty Images for LTA)

There has been a 5.2% decrease in prize money from the last championships with the prize pot on offer for the winners of the singles titles down from £2.35million to £1.7m this year.

Players will stay in a bubble in specified hotels and be allowed to bring an entourage of just three support staff with them.

Andy Murray was on Wednesday rewarded with a wildcard for the main draw at Wimbledon after a returning to winning ways in his first singles match for three months at Queen’s Club yesterday.

Other British wildcards include Jack Draper, who is in action at Queen’s today, Liam Broady, Jay Clarke, Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage and Samantha Murray Sharan.

And Wimbledon officials are hopeful that Naomi Osaka will take her place up in the women’s singles after pulling out prematurely from the French Open citing mental health issues in the wake of a row about not attending tournament press conferences.

The AELTC have held talks with Osaka’s team and said that “our door is always open for a conversation”.

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