Thiem was the only player across men's and women's singles to retire in the opening roundgetty images
There has been a "vast reduction in retirements" at Wimbledon this year with new grand slam rules that are meant to "deter players with pre-existing injuries from stepping onto the court in order to collect full first-round prize money," according to Stuart Fraser of the LONDON TIMES. The new rule has had the "positive effect that many hoped it would when it was written into the grand-slam rulebook from the start of this year." Now, 50% of the prize money is "awarded to those in the main draw who pull out prior to the match," and only one competitor across the men's and women's singles "retired in the opening round," Austria's Dominic Thiem. Last year at Wimbledon there was a "debacle," when eight players quit "mid-match in the first round." This year, nine male and female players "took the option to remove their name out of the draw," and collect the US$25,800 in prize money. Spectators at Wimbledon have "benefited in seeing more competitive matches this year" (THETIMES.co.uk, 7/6)
CLASH OF THE FINALS: In DC, Cindy Boren notes Wimbledon officials "admitted that they were caught off guard by FIFA's scheduling of the World Cup Final, a decision that pits soccer's biggest game" against the Wimbledon's men's singles final July 15. This conflict has "implications of increasing proportions, because England could be playing in the championship in Moscow." The World Cup final is "set to begin two hours after the men's tennis final begins," a decision that All England Club Commercial & Media Dir Mick Desmond "said came after a 'dialogue' between FIFA and tennis officials." The BBC already has "adjusted its plans, saying the men's final would appear on BBC One for one hour, then move to BBC Two for the first time in BBC history" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/6).
