Wimbledon 2007 on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ – starts Monday 25 June
Introduction
Monday 25 June heralds the start of the 2007 Wimbledon Championships, and the return of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport's award-winning live coverage of the nation's favourite summer event.
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With live and exclusive coverage on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Five Live, interactive through ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳i and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport website, you can follow all the action from SW19 wherever you are, including outdoor big screens at locations around the UK carrying action from Wimbledon.
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The TV Team
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Sue Barker presents ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s live coverage from the All England Club, with John Inverdale fronting the nightly highlights programme, Today At Wimbledon, which remains in the 8pm time slot on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two.
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Record nine-time Wimbledon women's champion, Martina Navratilova, and former World No 4 and US Open finalist, Greg Rusedski, are the latest recruits to the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s television commentary team for this year's Wimbledon Championships.
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Navratilova and Rusedski join viewers favourite John McEnroe who returns this year, alongside fellow Wimbledon champions, three-time victor Boris Becker and two-time winner Jimmy Connors, who will be combining his TV work while coaching Andy Roddick.
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Also back this year is Virginia Wade, celebrating the 30th anniversary of her win over Betty Stove in the 1977 Wimbledon Women's Singles Final during the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
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Tracy Austin also returns for a fifth year behind the microphone. A winner of the mixed-doubles title at Wimbledon with her brother John in 1980, Tracy also won the US Open in 1979 and 1981.
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Britain's Davis Cup Captain John Lloyd also returns and joins the regular team of Andrew Castle, Annabel Croft, Pat Cash, Peter Fleming, Michael Stich, Mark Cox, Sam Smith and Liz Smylie – all adding their expertise to the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s coverage.
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David Mercer, Barry Davies, Simon Reed and Chris Bradnam will also be back in action in the commentary box and will be joined by Andy Murray's former coach, Mark Petchey.
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Adding colour and atmosphere as roving reporters will be Hazel Irvine, Gary Richardson, Phil Jones and Rishi Persad.
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Hawk-eye
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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ coverage of Wimbledon will feature the use of Hawk-eye, for the fifth year. The unique ball tracking system gives viewers in-depth analysis of the intricacies of a player's game, and is used by the commentators and studio team to highlight patterns of play as well as analysing line calls.
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For the first time this year, Hawk-eye will be used as an official umpiring tool on Centre and No 1 courts.
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Interactive TV
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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Interactive TV service will be once again offering digital viewers a whole host of extra features.
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In addition to terrestrial coverage, satellite and cable viewers have the chance to choose live action from up to five courts of play, and digital terrestrial viewers have a choice of up to four courts, plus all the latest news, scores and results.
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The service will also include text pages offering news, live scores and results. The interactive TV service will also replay Today At Wimbledon throughout the night and early morning for viewers to catch up on the day's play.
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Digital satellite and Digital cable
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By pressing the red button on the remote control, viewers enter ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport's Wimbledon Multiscreen Interactive service and can choose between play from five courts using the number keys.
Live commentary accompanies each match, as well as an updated scoreboard.
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By pressing the blue button on their remote, viewers can access a menu and choose from the following options:
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- News – All the latest news from the Championships
- Scores – Live updated scores from all courts
- Results – Updated results as and when they happen
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Digital terrestrial
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By pressing the red button on the remote, digital terrestrial viewers can enter ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport's Wimbledon Interactive service. From here, pressing the blue button enables viewers to access a menu and choose up to four live matches, plus:
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- News – All the latest news from the Championships
- Scores – Live updated scores from all courts
- Results – Updated results as and when they happen
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Online
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If you're stuck in the office, bbc.co.uk/wimbledon will ensure you don't miss a shot during the Championships with live streaming of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ TV coverage from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two and all the show courts available through interactive, plus a daily highlights package, fully updated scores and a results and news service.
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There will also be a "Wimbledon Live" feature each morning at 9am throughout the first week, with news from SW19, quotes from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ radio and TV pundits, texts and pictures sent in by the public. In addition there will a chance for visitors to the site to make their views know in a daily live vote on a series of serious and light-hearted issues.
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High Definition
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Once again television coverage will again be available in HD (high-definition). For the entire two weeks there will be 12 hours of coverage per day with the best play from Centre and No 1 courts.
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HD coverage will begin daily at 12.55pm and run until the end of play on both courts, followed by re-runs of the best of the day's action until 1am.
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High-definition is a step change in television technology which provides far clearer and more detailed pictures than normal standard definition TV.
The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is running a trial of high-definition broadcasting which started last summer. It includes some of the best sport, drama, events and documentaries. The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ HD trial shows a few hours of programmes a day.
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The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s HD programmes are accessible to viewers with all of the following – a HD-ready television set, a satellite or cable HD service, and a HD set top box. No extra subscription is required.
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The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is using the trial to test technical delivery of HD and also to find out how the audience values ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ HD programming. More information about the trial can be seen at bbc.co.uk/hd.
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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Five Live
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This year sees Gabby Logan join the Radio Five Live all-star presenting team at Wimbledon. Along with Simon Mayo, Clare Balding, John McEnroe and Michael Stich, Gabby will be one of the presenters bringing live reports from across of the Championship, along with a host of top name pundits and roving reporters.
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This year sees more coverage than ever across Five Live and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Five Live Sports Extra.
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Five Live's tennis correspondent Jonathan Overend heads up the commentary team with a stellar host of former tennis professionals providing insight and analysis including: Todd Woodbridge, Annabel Croft, Frew McMillan, Tracy Austin, Judy Murray, Leander Paes, Christine Janes, John Lloyd, plus top coach Roger Rasheed, joining for the first time this year.
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The inimitable John McEnroe once again returns with two special editions of the phone-in show Six-Love-Six, which proved very popular last year.
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This takes place on the first and second Tuesday of the tournament, when listeners will be invited to share their thoughts on the competition with the opinionated host...
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Highlights will be available on YouTube and digital TV viewers will have the chance to watch John as he takes calls, via the red button.
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Another controversial tennis star joins the Five Live team this year. Fiery Jeff Tarango, infamous for his on-court outburst, will be going round the courts taking on punters in various challenges. If Jeff wins – they get a sticker – you've been tarangoed!
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On the ground, Phil Williams, Dot Rees and Rachel Burden will be digging out the news stories, and gathering opinion and all the behind-the-scenes gossip.
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As soon as Wimbledon experiences one of its infamous rain breaks, Five Live will host a Centre Court live debate. Clare Balding will field a team of former players and experts, who will answer any tennis questions from the crowd in a special Any Sporting Questions?
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bbc.co.uk/fivelive will allow listeners to watch Five Live's commentators in action on the live commentary box broadband webcast, as well as providing live online commentary from Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra.
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A competition titled What Does Wimbledon Mean to You? will operate online, inviting listeners to send in their pictures and videos to share on Flickr and YouTube. A catch-up service will also be available online.
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Nations and Regions
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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ English Regions will again be providing additional coverage from Wimbledon for the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s 12 regional TV programmes and 40 ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Local Radio stations.
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This will include interviews with players from around the country – competing in not just the main draw but also the juniors – and special features on other initiatives and events organised by the LTA during the Championship.
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There will also be special coverage throughout the fortnight on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ London 94.9.
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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Scotland will also be reporting from the All England Club.
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Big Screens
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The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ will be operating big screens in key outdoor locations around the UK, offering coverage of this year's Wimbledon.
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Screens will be located in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Rotherham, Bradford, Derby and London's Canary Wharf.
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In addition to live streaming across all courts, there will be an interactive tennis game available for the public to play at the screens, plus localised events, virtual tournaments, strawberry sampling and non-alcoholic refreshments.
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