Wimbledon fans hoping for fewer showers after rain-hit second day

Wimbledon fans should expect sunnier spells and fewer showers after the deluge on the second day of the tournament stopped play on outside courts.

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

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

British 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.

All play stopped on outside courts at Wimbledon on Tuesday following a grey afternoon of consistent downpours.

The Referee’s Office announced that 69 matches were cancelled over the course of Tuesday afternoon.

Returning spectators will get another chance to watch them.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) confirmed that tickets bought for Courts Two and Three as well as grounds passes bought before 5pm will receive a full refund.

The Princess of Wales arrived in SW19 on Tuesday and was forced to take shelter under an umbrella as showers poured down on Court 18, where she was watching British number one Katie Boulter.

She then moved to the royal box at Wimbledon’s Centre Court where she was welcomed with applause.

Kate chatted with former US Open winner Emma Raducanu in between watching matches.

In a video posted by the MailOnline, the princess reminisced on queueing up for Wimbledon with family.

“We would be there at the crack of dawn, maybe not overnight but at the crack of dawn,” Kate told the tennis star.

Chatting about Raducanu’s training, the princess went on: “I bet you’re itching, especially when this is all going on around you.”

Kate is the patron of the Lawn Tennis Association and regularly attends Wimbledon.

Former champion Roger Federer was also welcomed to the box on Centre Court.

He took a seat next to the princess, who stood clapping as the 41-year-old arrived at the scene of his eight titles for the first time since he retired last September.

British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was imprisoned in Iran for six years, sat behind them.

They watched the all-British clash between a victorious Sir Andy Murray and fellow Briton Ryan Peniston.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe met Sir Andy in December last year and recalled watching him win Wimbledon in 2016 from solitary confinement, saying he offered a “connection” to her life outside prison and an “escape” from her six-year detention.

The tennis star later told reporters it was “brilliant” that she could come to watch him play and quipped that she seemed happy that he won.

Cameron Norrie also got through to the second round of the tournament.

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

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

On Tuesday morning, fans in the queue were optimistic about their chances of watching the second day of the tournament after hold-ups at security frustrated spectators on Monday.

On day one, some who had visited Wimbledon in previous years said the queue was the “worst” they had seen.

Heightened security was blamed for causing delays in the queue on Monday and the AELTC twice apologised for the long waits.

The championships will run until July 16th.

Sourse: breakingnews.ie

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