The BBC is reportedly at risk of losing its Wimbledon coverage to a rival competitor, unless they significantly increase the fee they pay to the All England Club for rights. The competition for tennis coverage has increased in recent years, with suggestions that the BBC may have a fierce battle on their hands in the coming months.

Sky Sports and TNT Sports have both emerged as credible competitors to the BBC, and although the 1996 Broadcast Act stipulates Wimbledon must be accessible on terrestrial channels, it doesn't say that coverage has to be exclusive. That has come into play this year, as TNT bagged the rights, alongside the BBC, to broadcast both the women's and men's Wimbledon finals.

There are suggestions from City AM that a more comprehensive bid for the Wimbledon rights could be tabled when the tender for the UK broadcast takes place later this year. TNT's parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, have already landed one blow on the BBC by slashing its Olympics coverage over the previous two summer games, having agreed a deal with the International Olympic Committee.

Similarly, Sky Sports has also made a splash on the tennis scene recently, with the broadcaster securing a five-year deal for exclusive rights to the ATP and WTA Tours. That also includes coverage of the US Open, with a growing increase in the value of tennis rights having been noted globally.

Wimbledon was first broadcast on the BBC just under 100 years ago and has been considered the home of the Championships for the majority of that time. The corporation are rumoured to pay £60million each year to show Wimbledon, with claims they'll likely have to pay more to secure an extension.

What's more, the BBC's Royal Charter is also due for renewal in 2027, the same time the current Wimbledon contract is up. The Charter determines the BBC's remit and constitution, meaning any complications could throw an unwanted spanner in the works.

A boom in tennis' popularity has already caused a change to the scheduling of this year's final, with both the men's and women's showpiece match set to start at a later time in the day. This is to make the broadcast more accesible to American audiences, but there are concerns the switch could cause an issue to the still images taken in the final.

That's because by the time the finals finish, it will be approaching sunset in the UK, meaning the photos of the winners collecting their trophies could be affected by shadows. The women's final is scheduled for July 12, while the men's final is pencilled in for July 13.