Wimbledon: Duke of Kent to step down as All England Club president after men's final

The Royal Family of the UK and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) have stated that the Wimbledon 2021 will be The Duke of Kent's last as President of the AELTC. The Duke has been president of the All England Club for over 50 years, presenting the trophy on more than 350 occasions to players ranging from Rod Laver and Ann Jones to Roger Federer and Serena Williams. He has also opened six new courts or facilities, including the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, which opened on 20 May 1977, and the new No.1 Court in 1997.

It was in 1969 that The Duke made his first appearance as President, presenting the trophies to Rod Laver and Ann Jones.

In a post on Twitter, The Royal Family said, "After over five decades as President of Wimbledon, The Duke of Kent will present the Gentlemen's Singles trophy for the last time on Sunday, before stepping down from the role."

The Duke of Kent on his tenure

On stepping down as President of the AELTC, The Duke of Kent said in a press release “It has been an honour to serve this remarkable institution for as long as I have. To have seen this tournament, and the game of tennis, grow and inspire generations over the span of five decades has been an extraordinary experience, and I am incredibly proud to have been part of it."

"I look forward now to watching as the young players of today pursue ever higher standards of excellence, and I shall continue to cheer them on as they do.”

A lot changed in the time that The Duke was president

Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the AELTC and The Championships, added: “We would like to thank the Duke for his extraordinary service to The Club and The Championships during his time as our President."

“A lot has changed at Wimbledon in the time that The Duke has been our President, from our champions to our Grounds, and yet so much has stayed the same. Our traditions are at the core of what we do, and we thank The Duke most warmly for his dedication.”

The 2021 Wimbledon men's final will be played July 11 at the Centre Court where the world number one Novak Djokovic will take on the seventh-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini.

(Image Credits: @RoyalFamily Twitter)