Wimbledon fans cite Federer absence for fewer international fans in 2022

Wimbledon fans have attributed a lower-than-expected turnout to fewer international spectators due to the absence of fan favourite Roger Federer.

Total attendance at the Championships as it returned at full capacity for the first time in three years is down 11 per cent so far on the last comparable year, analysis shows.

Some 114,573 fans poured into SW19 over the first three days of matches, with 36,603 on Monday, 39,450 on Tuesday and 38,520 on Wednesday.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) told the PA news agency that general ground passes were the only tickets not selling out, with the main courts being fully booked each day.

Officials added that any Centre Court tickets which people had refunded were being resold on the website and bought “immediately”.

Almost everyone who spoke to PA in the famous SW19 queue for on-the-day tickets on Friday mentioned the absence of 20-time grand slam winner Federer and the hundreds of international fans he attracts.

The 40-year-old Swiss player has won Wimbledon eight times but is not competing this year as he recovers from having knee surgery.

Fans also said the cost-of-living crisis and coronavirus are likely to be keeping spectators away.

Engineer Martin Jeffs, 61, who was queueing with Clive Cummings, 65, after they met on Friday, told PA that in the 30 years he had been coming to Wimbledon, this year was notably the quietest.

When asked what he thought was behind this, he said: “Possibly Roger Federer.

“People came from all over the place to see him – America, Germany, South Africa.

“The crowd used to be mostly foreign visitors, which made it a good atmosphere, but it’s quite down this year.

“Covid might have dropped the crowd a little bit as well.”

Mr Cummings, a retired