It may rain, umbrellas being as much a feature of the English summer as striped jackets and strawberries and cream, but the return of Wimbledon will put a spring in the step of tennis fans whatever the weather.

It may not be 'normal service' just yet, the emphasis still more on social distancing than socialising, but play is at least being resumed with eager spectators set to attend in their thousands next week, Reuters reports.

“When Wimbledon was cancelled last year, that was a shot in the gut for our sport. A terrible time,” commented three-times Wimbledon winner and ESPN analyst John McEnroe. “So to have it back is incredible.”

The tournament is a government-approved 'pilot event' with a minimum 50 per cent capacity rising to a full 15,000 attendance for the men's and women's singles finals on Centre Court.