At Wimbledon, the evening interruption of matches is a matter of debate

And for seventy seconds more. Stopped dead in his tracks the day before, as he was about to serve to conclude his match against the Australian Rinky Hijikata, Ben Shelton didn't waste any time on Friday, July 4, to seal the deal and qualify for the third round of the Wimbledon tournament. Like many other players since the start of the British Grand Slam tournament, the young American had been forced to interrupt his game, the umpire deeming that the light was no longer sufficient. A specificity of the oldest tournament in the world, which remains "steeped in tradition," sighed 19-year-old Jakub Mensik, who is treading the Wimbledon grass for the second time in his career. "You can see how historic the tournament is. There are almost "laws" that have preserved the tournament as it is over the decades," added the young Czech ahead of his first match on Tuesday.

Traditions, such as the requirement for players to wear all-white attire—introduced in 1963—make the tournament the most prestigious Major on the tour , in the eyes of many players. But other rules are controversial, starting with the suspension of matches at nightfall. While other Grand Slam tournaments have equipped all their courts with floodlights—and even schedule night sessions—the Wimbledon side courts are plunged into darkness at nightfall, forcing matches to be suspended.

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