Former British number one calls for end to pre-match warm-ups
Kyle Edmund, the former British tennis star turned BBC pundit, has called for Wimbledon and other Grand Slams to eliminate the traditional five-minute on-court warm-up before matches. Edmund, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2018, believes the change would enhance the spectator experience and align tennis with other sports.
Speaking during his punditry role at Wimbledon, the 31-year-old said: 'The one thing I would like to change in tennis is to take out the five-minute warm-ups on court. I don't think it's going to happen but just from watching other sports, I think there's something to be said for the product of the spectacle.'
Next Gen ATP Finals trial provides model
The proposal has already been trialled at the Next Gen ATP Finals, where players begin play immediately after the coin toss. Edmund noted: 'I do know they trialled that at the NextGen Finals in the last two years. But I'd love to see that on the professional circuit, I think it would make such a difference.'
Under current Grand Slam rules, players are allowed five minutes to warm up on court after the coin toss determines serve and ends. The Grand Slam Board introduced stricter enforcement in 2017, requiring players to be ready for the pre-match meeting one minute after walking on court, with the warm-up lasting exactly five minutes and the match starting 60 seconds later. Players face fines of up to $20,000 for ignoring the timetable.
Impact on the game's spectacle
Edmund, who retired 12 months ago and now works for the BBC, argued that eliminating warm-ups would improve the flow of matches. 'It would be good for players to come out onto court, do the coin toss, decide who serves and from which end, and then we play. I think that would be quite interesting,' he said.
ESPN commented on the 2017 rule changes: 'The lords of tennis are looking at all the ways to “speed up” the game for fans whose attention spans in this age of social media are only getting shorter. The warm-up and players’ little preparation rituals are areas that represent fat that can be cut without threatening the nature of the game.'
Wimbledon 2026 underway
Wimbledon has reached nearly its halfway point, with top contenders including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek vying for titles. Edmund, who never advanced beyond the third round at the All England Club, reached his career-high ranking of world number 14 in 2018 after his Australian Open run.
