New balls please! Gates open after queues all night for Wimbledon

THOUSANDS of tennis fans queued overnight to get their hands on a golden ticket to Wimbledon — and hoped British players could be inspired by the Three Lions’ “never say die” attitude.

- Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Groans followed by cheers rang out across a packed campsite in SW19, as those waiting outside the All England Club watched England’s nail-biting victory against Slovakia. “Hopefully it can inspire the tennis,” Lee Thomas, 36, from West Sussex, told the Standard. “If England can do it at the football, then why can’t the tennis players?”

British star Emma Raducanu pulled on an England football shirt ahead of her first round clash today. She had been due to play 22 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, but the 29-year-old Russian pulled out of the match this morning because of illness. Her place in the draw will be taken by lucky loser Renata Zarazua, of Mexico.

Asked if she felt connected to the wider summer of sport, including Euro 2024 , Raducanu replied: “I would love to be a part of it. I think it’s just an amazing summer of sport. Every day on site right now at Wimbledon is a blessing. You just enjoy the buzz.”