Queues return to Wimbledon

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STORY: Thousands of tennis fans waiting patiently, often having camped overnight, to gain entry to the grounds has been missing since 2019.

Last year, the queue was scrapped on safety grounds as the tournament returned to semi-normality, albeit with restricted attendances and players based in secure hotel bubbles.

Although all that makes Wimbledon such a spectacle has returned, it is not quite business as usual despite the buzz around the grounds as the gates swung open at 0900GMT on a breezy morning in south west London.

Roger Federer, the king of the lawns with a record eight men's singles titles, is absent for the first time since winning the junior event in 1998.

The 40-year-old Swiss is recovering from a knee injury.

Also missing is men's world number one Daniil Medvedev after organizers banned Russian and Belarusian players in response to the invasion of Ukraine while women's defending champion Ash Barty has retired.