Richard Lewis, the new Wimbledon chief executive, confirmed today the Championships have opened talks with “major stakeholders” about moving the tournament back a week.
Lewis will hold discussions with television companies and sponsors although due to contracts with them a switch cannot happen until 2014.
The aim is to create a longer grass-court season and increase the time lag between the end of the French Open which signals the conclusion of the clay-court section of the year and the switch of surfaces.
Lewis said: “It will give us an extra week of grass‑court tennis and that will enable the players to prepare for the Championships. Any change would not happen before 2014 at the earliest.”
Besides improving the grass-court season, a move would ensure the Championships do not clash with the Formula One British Grand Prix which this year is on the same day as the Men’s Final, July 8.
If Wimbledon started a week later, the Grand Prix would happen on the tournament’s middle Sunday, a rest day at the tennis.
The Championships are also currently clashing with the climax to football’s Euro 2012 tournament with the semi‑finals on Wednesday and Thursday.
