A Wimbledon Umpire Got Mad at Fans for Popping Champagne Bottles During a Match

Only at impossibly posh Wimbledon would a hundred-dollar bottle of bubbly interrupt play.

Australian umpire John Blom scolded the crowd at Court 3 on Sunday after one spectator opened their Champagne at a rather inappropriate time. Anastasia Potapova was beginning her third-round match against Mirra Andreeva when a cork popped in the middle of her serve. She sent the ball long, then lost the point on her second serve. Blom swiftly issued a warning to onlookers.

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“Ladies and gentlemen, please, if you are opening a bottle of Champagne don’t do it as the player is about to serve. Thank you,” the umpire said.

Potapova grinned and nodded in approval as the crowd laughed and applauded. The announcement also elicited a few giggles from the broadcast team, who branded it the “most Wimbledon warning.” The tournament itself later tweeted a clip of the moment with the caption: “The most #Wimbledon warning ever from umpire John Blom.” (Potapova eventually lost the match against Andreeva 2-6, 5-7.)

The prestigious Grand Slam offers Lanson Champagne by the glass, half-bottle, and bottle, as reported by AP. The Le White Label and Le Rosé cost roughly $122 (£95) per bottle, while the Le Black Label Brut is priced at about $111 (£87), according to the Evening Standard. Attendees are also free to bring their own fizz. Wimbledon’s conditions of entry do specify that “all corked bottles, including bottles of champagne and sparkling wine, must be opened prior to being taken into the stands of any court.” Still, the rule has been broken by tournament spectators multiple times.

Back in 2019, two Champagne corks flew onto Court 18 during a third-round match between Benoît Paire and Jiří Veselý, as reported by The Telegraph. That same year, Novak Djokovic had a bottle pop in the middle of his serve to Hubert Hurkacz. “Ladies and gentlemen, for both players, enjoy your Champagne, but please don’t open it on the court,” umpire Gianluca Moscarella said at the time.

In short, if you want to stay out of trouble with the umpires at Wimbledon, best opt for a refreshing (and corkless) Pimm’s Cup.

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