Big changes are coming to Wimbledon! The All England Club has announced a shift in the schedule for the finals weekend, aiming to enhance the experience for everyone involved. Traditionally, the men's and women's singles finals have kicked off at 2 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EST), but this year, both matches will begin at 4 p.m. in London (11 a.m. in New York). This adjustment, according to All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton, is partly to give more prominence to the doubles finals, which will precede the singles matches.
But that's not all the excitement! Former University of North Carolina All-American Rinky Hijikata is set to compete for his second Grand Slam championship. He and his partner, David Pel, will battle for the Wimbledon men's doubles title. The match is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Eastern Time and will be televised on ESPN.
Hijikata and Pel secured their spot in the final after a thrilling come-from-behind victory against the top-seeded team, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. The epic semifinal match lasted nearly three hours, with Hijikata and Pel saving two match points in a nail-biting third-set tiebreaker.
“Rinky is obviously extremely talented, but he's been playing the best I've ever seen him play both in singles and doubles at Wimbledon,” says Tar Heel head coach Sam Paul. “He and his partner, David Pel, just met on the day before the championship started, and they've just clicked as a team despite not playing together previously. I think it speaks volumes about Rinky's character to be able to adjust like that. He's such a nice, quality person, and he's always been like that.”
Hijikata, an Australian native, already holds a Grand Slam title, having won the 2023 Australian Open doubles as a wild card entry. He's quickly becoming one of the brightest stars in professional tennis. Can he add another Grand Slam title to his name? Tune in to ESPN to find out!
The adjusted Wimbledon schedule promises a thrilling weekend of tennis, culminating in the crowning of the singles champions in front of a global audience. Don't miss the action!