Tennis star calls on Wimbledon to avoid clashes with their nation’s World Cup games

The World Cup knockout stages and Wimbledon are set to clash over the next few weeks, and one tennis star in particular is hopeful the powers that be at SW19 don’t schedule her fixtures at the same time as her nation’s matches.

Wimbledon is set to begin on Monday, June 29, and run until Sunday, July 12, while the World Cup is already well underway with the final taking place on July 19.

The All England Club has consistently refused to show World Cup matches anywhere on their grounds during the Grand Slam, describing it as a football-free zone.

So, for one female tennis star, it will be tough to follow her beloved nation at Wimbledon, and so she is hoping she is not scheduled to play at the same time as England.

Despite Thomas Tuchel’s side failing to secure a victory against Ghana in their second game of their World Cup campaign, the Three Lions are expected to progress to the knockouts, and for British No. 4 Francesca Jones, excitement and expectation will be growing.

Francesca Jones of Great Britain plays a forehand during the Women's Singles First Round match against Talia Gibson of Australia (Getty Images)

Jones is a proud Manchester United supporter who watches football regularly, and now she has asked the powers that be at SW19 that they don’t schedule her matches at similar times to England games so she can watch Tuchel’s men in the competition.

Speaking to the Telegraph, she said: “If I said it’s at 2am, they’d tell me to get stuffed.

“If we’re playing in the evening, then I’ll ask to play first or second.”

“I do try to request it. The big thing for me is sitting with my dad and watching it.

“I don’t get many opportunities to sit and watch football with my dad. I love watching football. I do it normally by myself on a Sunday on the sofa, so it’s nice to be able to sit with my dad and watch an England match.”

At present, it is expected that England will face a side in their round of 32 game on July 5, should things stand, which would be the second round of Wimbledon.

While Jones has never made it this far in the Grand Slam, she will take confidence from getting to the second round in the French Open in May that she could reach the same stage at Wimbledon.