Wimbledon will implement its rarely-used Heat Rule on the opening day of the Championships as temperatures are forecast to reach 32°C, potentially breaking the tournament's opening day temperature record.
The Met Office has predicted extreme heat for the start of tennis's oldest and most prestigious event in south west London.
The All England Club will provide players with respite from the intense conditions through a rule that is seldom activated at the tournament.
This measure comes as a stark contrast to the rain delays that typically characterise British tennis weather.
Wimbledon will implement its rarely-used Heat Rule on the opening day of the Championships as temperatures are forecast to reach 32°C, potentially breaking the tournament's opening day temperature record
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Monday's forecast represents exceptional conditions for the Championships, with the heat expected to peak during afternoon play.
The Heat Rule allows players a ten-minute break when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reaches or exceeds 30.1°C.
The rule applies to men's, women's, boys', girls', men's wheelchair, women's wheelchair and quad wheelchair singles matches on all outdoor courts.
Wimbledon will implement the Heat Rule on all courts besides Centre Court and Court 1
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For best-of-three set matches, the break occurs after the second set, whilst best-of-five set matches receive the break after the third set. Players may leave the court during this period, though coaching and medical treatment are not permitted.
The WBGT measurement considers air temperature, humidity and surface temperature through a heat stress monitor. Readings are taken thirty minutes before play begins and then between 2pm and 5pm.
Only one player needs to request the break for it to be implemented, even for matches already in progress.
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Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will begin his title defence against Fabio Fognini on Centre Court at 1:30pm, just 30 minutes before temperatures are expected to peak.
Emma Raducanu faces fellow Briton Mimi Xu later in the day, with both players potentially affected by the extreme conditions.
The high temperatures are forecast to arrive around 2pm, coinciding with many first-round matches. Matches under the roofs of Centre Court and No 1 Court are exempt from the Heat Rule.
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Once implemented, the rule remains in effect for ongoing matches even if weather conditions subsequently change. The measure applies to all outdoor courts across the All England Club grounds.
Tuesday's conditions are forecast to be even more extreme, with the Met Office predicting temperatures could reach 33°C on day two of the Championships.
The Heat Rule will likely remain in effect for a second consecutive day as the heatwave continues as a result.
Wimbledon fans are having to contend with high temperatures at the All England Club
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World No 1 Jannik Sinner is scheduled to play Luca Nardi on Tuesday, whilst 2024 women's champion Barbora Krejcikova faces Alexandra Eala.
Both matches will be subject to the Heat Rule provisions if temperatures exceed the 30.1°C threshold.
The exceptional weather marks a dramatic departure from the tournament's typical climate challenges, with heat management replacing rain delays as the primary weather concern for the opening week.
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