Sexism much? Fab four in men’s tennis play on Centre court; women shunned to outside courts

Wimbledon defended shunting top women players onto the outside courts on “Manic Monday”, saying the big four of men’s tennis were the marquee matches demanded by broadcasters and spectators.

Andy Murray and Roger Federer’s matches were put on the 15,000-seater Centre Court, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Court One on the second Monday, when all the men’s and women’s last-16 matches are played on the same day.

Former champion Venus Williams made it on the Centre Court bill, while British home favourite Johanna Konta rounded out the order of play on Court One, which holds 11,000.

That meant world number one Angelique Kerber was out on the 4,000-seater Court Two facing fellow former runner-up Garbine Muguruza, followed by former world number one Victoria Azarenka against world number two Simona Halep.

On the 2,000-seater Court Three, former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska faced two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, followed by ex-world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Meanwhile the new French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was on the 1,000-seater Court 12 show court.

All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said the nature of Wimbledon’s Manic Monday — unique among the four Grand Slams in that all last-16 matches are played on the same day — meant …read more