Wimbledon fans fume as tennis chiefs approve rule change

• A rule change brought in during the pandemic is set to be reversed
• The change was brought in in an attempt to improve hygiene standards 
• It will be undone after Wimbledon in an effort to speed up play 

Tennis chiefs have approved a rule change and it hasn’t gone down particularly well with fans.

The ATP Tour have decided to reverse a rule that was brought in during the Covid-19 pandemic and it will have big implications for ball boys and girls a tournaments going forward.

Regulations were brought in to stop ball kids handling sweaty towels for players during matches in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

Players have had to fetch their own towels while playing ever since but that that is set to change following the conclusion of this year’s Wimbledon.

According to the Tennis Channel, recent ATP board meetings confirmed the rule change: ‘Board approved a rule change to permit players to request and be handed towels between points, as was customary before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

‘All ATP tournaments must accommodate this provision. This rule change will take effect starting after Wimbledon.’ 

The aim is to reduce the amount of time wasted during matches going forward.

One tweeted: ‘the news that the ATP has decided ballkids will go back to handling the gross, unhygienic player towels isn’t just an ATP issue.

Another wrote: ‘some players even blow their nose and cough into their towels and ATP think it’s OK for someone else to continue handling players towels.’

One posted: ‘hat’s mind blowing, because everyone I talked to found it to be one of the best things about covid that the players had to get their own towels.

‘Along with some of the recent changes it seems that the ATP is completely out of touch with what the fans want.