Wimbledon queue grows longer on third day as weather brightens

The tournament is playing catch-up after 69 matches were cancelled on the outside courts during a rainy Tuesday evening.

Tennis fans in the queue on day three of Wimbledon (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

Wimbledon fans have returned to the queue on the third day of the championships as forecasters predict sunnier spells following Tuesday’s washout.

The tournament will be playing catch-up after 69 matches were cancelled on the outside courts over the course of the rain-hit Tuesday afternoon.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) confirmed that the queue was bigger on Wednesday in comparison with the previous day, echoing stewards in Wimbledon Park who suggested the longer lines were down to the improved weather forecast.

The AELTC said there were more than 8,000 people in the queue by 8.30am.

The Met Office has predicted “scattered” bouts of rain, a few of which may be on the heavy side, across south-east England on Wednesday.

The forecasting body also said it should feel slightly warmer for many.

Tennis fans Farah and Mohamed El Kazzaz, from Surrey, said they have been “lucky” with the weather at Wimbledon.

Mr El Kazzaz, 52, told the PA news agency: “We were lucky today – we thought the weather would be good.

“We would have come anyway.”

The couple arrived at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in south-west London just before 5am and are around 1,400 in the queue, which they have been told should get them tickets for Court Two.

Mrs El Kazzaz, 49, said: “It’s been really nice. The weather helps, I think, that it’s not raining. The sun’s coming out.”

Heidi Watson, 52, from Surrey, told PA: “I think the camping (last night) was not as big because it was such a rainy night.

“But as we were coming out (this morning) the amount of people coming in, wow, it was filling the field.”

The Wimbledon veteran, who has queued most years for over 20 years, added: “A lot of people went home as well because it was raining…not us hardened ones.”

Ms Watson said she was originally going to queue for Tuesday but decided against it because of the weather.

Home fans will be cheering for Jodie Burrage as she faces Russian Daria Kasatkina on Centre Court on Wednesday.

British compatriots Katie Boulter, Arthur Fery, Heather Watson, George Loffhagen, Sonay Kartal and Jan Choinski are also set to play.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman will hold talks on Wednesday with senior sporting figures and police leaders on protecting Wimbledon and other events this summer from disruptive protests.

Event organisers and national sporting bodies will meet Ms Braverman and Sports Secretary Lucy Frazer to discuss the Just Stop Oil and Animal Rising groups.

It comes as Wimbledon organisers said they are “not complacent” about the “high” risk of protest at the tournament and explained they had boosted security measures over concerns about disruption.