Wimbledon changes its system to determine seeded players

The club announced in a statement that they have had time to consider the evolution of the sport and the mechanisms for assigning seeded players and that, "given the quality of the competition, the entertainment, and the modern grass courts", they have decided that the formula used since 2002 "has run its course".

Therefore, starting in 2021, the designation of seeded players for the singles draw (men) will be based "solely on the rankings". There will be no change in the women's draw, which was already decided by the world rankings.

In addition, the club will allocate the pandemic cancellation insurance coverage money to the 620 players "whose world rankings would have allowed them to enter the Championship in 2020 through direct acceptance into the main draw or the qualifying rounds".

"Of a total agreed amount of 10 million pounds, the AELTC will distribute the prize money instead of The Championship 2020, taking into account the circumstances of this year and in the spirit of the AELTC's prize money distribution in recent years," the statement said.

According to the world rankings, 224 players who would have competed in the qualifying rounds will receive 12,500 pounds each; 256 players who would have competed in the main singles draw will receive 25,000 pounds each.

Also, 120 players who would have competed in the main doubles draw will receive 6,250 pounds each; 16 players who would have competed in the wheelchair events will receive 6,000 pounds each; and four players who would have competed in the wheelchair doubles events will receive 5,000 pounds each. Players will only receive payment for one event.

"Immediately after the cancellation of the Championships, we focused on how we can help those who help make Wimbledon a reality," said Richard Lewis, CEO of the AELTC.

"We know that these months of uncertainty have been very worrying for these groups, including the players, many of whom have faced financial difficulties during this period and who would have rightly anticipated the opportunity to earn money at Wimbledon based on their world ranking," he commented.

"We are pleased that our insurance policy has allowed us to recognize the impact of the cancellation on the players and that we are now able to offer this payment as a reward for the hard work they have invested in building their ranking to a point where they would have earned direct entry into the Championship 2020," he continued.

The AELTC will also provide amounts to licensed LTA officials who would have worked at the championship this year, as well as to a number of international officials.