The opening day of Wimbledon 2025 has already delivered its fair share of drama and suspense—but not all of it on the court. As has become tradition at The Championships, the curtain fell on Day One due to the strict timing regulations that govern play at the All England Club. With night settling over the iconic grass courts and the clock striking 11:00 p.m. local time, match play was brought to a halt, leaving several contests unfinished and fans hungry for more.
Despite advancements in lighting and scheduling across the tennis world, Wimbledon holds firm to its time-honored traditions, one of which includes a hard stop to play at 11 p.m. sharp. That rule was put into effect again on Monday night, halting five ongoing matches mid-battle, all of which will be resumed on Tuesday. Among the most notable of the suspended matchups is the clash between Alexander Zverev and France’s Arthur Rinderknech—an encounter that had already begun to generate considerable buzz.
Zverev, the German star and Olympic gold medalist, entered the tournament as one of the favorites, looking to shake off past Grand Slam frustrations and finally go all the way on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon. Facing a tough first-round opponent in Rinderknech, known for his powerful serve and gritty baseline play, Zverev found himself in a tightly contested duel when the suspension order came down. The match remains on a knife’s edge, with both players showing flashes of brilliance and refusing to give an inch.
The Zverev-Rinderknech bout wasn’t the only casualty of the curfew. Four other matches across various courts also faced premature endings. For players and fans alike, it’s a mixed bag of emotions—some frustrated at the interruption of momentum, others grateful for the opportunity to regroup overnight.
These mid-match suspensions are a unique quirk of Wimbledon. Unlike the Australian Open or the US Open, where play can stretch into the early hours thanks to floodlights and more relaxed rules, Wimbledon sticks closely to its schedule out of respect for the local neighborhood and the tournament’s long-held customs. While that can lead to logistical challenges, it also adds a layer of strategic complexity for the athletes. A paused match can mean a complete shift in energy and tactics when play resumes the following day.
Tuesday’s order of play will now include the completion of these five matches, in addition to a full slate of scheduled contests. That means an action-packed day for fans and players alike, with early starts and likely some reshuffling of court assignments to accommodate the overflows.
Despite the abrupt halt, Day One of Wimbledon 2025 lived up to its reputation—serving a mixture of high-level tennis, unpredictable moments, and the kind of elegant tension that only Wimbledon can deliver. For Zverev and Rinderknech, along with the other players in limbo, Tuesday will bring a fresh opportunity to pick up where they left off and hopefully advance one step closer to Centre Court glory.
Stay tuned—Wimbledon 2025 is just getting started.