Wimbledon Covid chaos hits BBC team as Martina Navratilova forced to miss ceremony

Martina Navratilova was a last-minute removal from today's Centre Court presentation after testing positive for Covid. The retired tennis legend was due to attend the royal box today after taking part in celebrations to mark 100 years of Wimbledon's main showcourt but was forced out at the last minute. The 167-time singles title winner has been working with the BBC team alongside Sue Barker this week, raising concerns over whether the virus could spread among the pundits.

Two former finalists in Matteo Berrettini and Marin Cilic were forced to pull out of Wimbledon ahead of their respective first matches after testing positive for Covid while 2019 runner-up Roberto Bautista Agut joined them days later. And it appears the Covid chaos at the All England Club has now hit the BBC team with former pro Martina Navratilova testing positive hours after presenting in the studio alongside Sue Barker and Anne Keothavong.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion was set to be a part of today's Centre Court centenary celebrations and attend the royal box afterwards but was then removed from the list of attendees before confirming she had tested positive. "Unfortunately I will miss it as I just tested positive this morning," the tennis legend said in a tweet this morning after being asked about today's BBC coverage. "Am so bummed!!!!"

Navratilova's positive Covid test will send shockwaves through the BBC team, with Sue Barker in the middle of presenting her last-ever Wimbledon. The pair were together in the indoors studio last night following Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas' blockbuster match.

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