Former British tennis player Kyle Edmund has called on Wimbledon officials to remove the standard five-minute on-court warm-up, arguing it would improve the spectator experience and modernize the sport.
Speaking during a BBC broadcast on July 2, 2026, Edmund suggested that matches should begin immediately after the coin toss, eliminating the warm-up period that currently follows players' arrival on court.
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"The one thing I would like to change is take out the five-minute warm-up," said Edmund, a former world No. 14 who retired from professional tennis in August 2025 and now works as a commentator.
Edmund acknowledged that the professional tennis circuit might resist such a change but pointed to trials at the Next Gen ATP Finals, where a truncated three-minute warm-up and shorter sets were used to increase match momentum.
"Just from watching other sports, I think there's something to be said for the product of the spectacle...
when you come on court, you spin [the racket], two serves, I'd like to serve, I'd like this end, we play," Edmund said.
"I think that would be quite interesting."
The 2018 Australian Open semifinalist emphasized that similar pacing innovations have already been tested at secondary ATP tournaments, and he would like to see them adopted on the main professional tour.
"I know it probably won't happen, but I think there's merit in that when you walk on court, you see who is serving, and then you play," he added.
