What time does the Wimbledon finals start? Reasons why singles finals been pushed back two hours

The Wimbledon finals are set to take place as the third Grand Slam of the year will soon come to a dramatic end. Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova will clash on Saturday while Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev will face off on Sunday. In contrast from the traditional final time slot of 2pm, the finals have been pushed back to 4pm instead.

From 1887, the singles finals had been cemented at that 2pm start time. This is no longer the case following the change that first occurred at Wimbledon last year. Before they were the opening slot on Centre Court, but now they follow the doubles final in which used to come second in a change in the schedule.

This means the men's doubles final will take place from 1pm, giving it plenty of time to be completed before the women's singles final. The same pattern will be implemented on Sunday as well, with the women's doubles final first taking place before the men's singles follows in suit.

There are a number of reasons for this change, and many tennis fans want answers to why the prestigious tournament are breaking these almost sacred traditions. All England Club CEO Sally Bolton has come out with a statement explaining the though behind it. “We've adjusted the provisional schedule for the final weekend of The Championships with the ambition of improving the experience for all involved,” Bolton said.

“The doubles players competing in the finals will have increased certainty over their schedule and fans will enjoy each day’s play as it builds towards the crescendo of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals, with our champions being crowned in front of the largest possible worldwide audience."

Viewership was always going to be a huge factor in this decision. Moving the showpiece event to a primetime slot will inevitably get more eyes on the fixture. Through a number of time zones as well, the organisers hope that moving it later will see the overall tally of people tuning in skyrocket. It hugely benefits American tennis fans who do not have to wake up as early as they once did to follow the final, getting another couple of hours of relaxing before the main event begins.

On the topic of views, the BBC has experienced a downward spiral of viewership in the prior years and will be desperately hoping to get more fans back on board, especially for the intriguing final.

The old tournament schedule had been a frustrating one for the doubles pair as they are forced to wait for the final ball to be hit in the singles contest followed by the trophy ceremony which can drag on, then they get their chance to battle it out. This could lead for an especially late finish, especially if the singles final drags on. Now, they have their time slot at 1pm with there a three hour slot between that and the singles match, although the singles time can be moved back if proceedings slightly drag on.

Before the singles final, lucky people who have tickets for Centre Court get to have more time wandering around the grounds and soaking up Wimbledon in all its glory. It will be a lot quieter from the bustling and packed scenes occurring in the opening days of the tournament. Obviously, fans may still want to get to their seats to watch the doubles contest, but many will have their eyes firmly on the singles.

There are some concerns over this, especially on Sunday for the men's final. If the contest drags on, it can go deep into the evening and even night. Daylight will trickle away rapidly with floodlights and most importantly the roof will be needed. That likelihood is boosted hugely now.

Overall, this change has been put in to gain more viewership and offer fans more of a chance to see Wimbledon. The doubles players benefit from it while people in certain parts of the world also get a better start time to tune in. It seems like the change is here to stay.