A sign of the times tonight with further increased security measures at Wimbledon.
In a statement issued at 7pm, the All England Club announced it is taking extra steps to enhance security at the 2007 Championships.
Vehicle blockers will be installed at the gates to the club “with immediate effect”.
The statement explained: “The move comes on the advice of the police following recent events in London and Glasgow.”
Chief executive Ian Ritchie said: “As a result of recent events in London and Glasgow, and further to our own discussions with the police and other authorities, as well as taking into consideration the generally higher security alert level in London and across the country, we have been advised by the police to adopt extra security measures to protect the areas at most risk.

AFTER yesterday’s ducks, we had a swan on Court One this afternoon.
Or rather Maria Sharapova in her pleated white dress inspired by Swan Lake.
The 2004 Wimbledon champion beat both Japan’s Ai Sugiyama and the rain to glide into the second week.
But the 20-year-old Russian was almost culled by the court coverers at the end of a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
With rain falling and play suspended on all the other courts, Maria was forced to replay a winning point at match point after a bad line call.
“The guy called it out. The umpire overruled it. The match could have been over,” she said.
“It’s just a weird situation because you know the rain is coming.

ANDY Roddick always has something interesting to say in his post-match press conferences.
It was no different late last night after he defeated Spain’s Fernando Verdasco just before 9pm, with play about to be called off due to the fading light.
Now the last American in the men’s singles draw, Andy has lost twice in the Wimbledon final – both times to Roger Federer.
If all goes to plan, the two are due to meet in the semi final next Friday.
Andy is a huge favourite here, and not just among the Americans, thanks to his fighting spirit and sense of humour.
“I’ve always just been annoyingly competitive,” he explained last night.
Asked if he ever played other sports, like golf, he replied: “Every time I play golf, I got to buy a new set of clubs.
“It’s not relaxing for me. I go mental. The ball’s not even moving and I can’t hit it right.

THE Americans have had enough of the British weather.
After yet another heavy rainstorm over Wimbledon, one visitor from the USA suggested it was time to move the Championships to somewhere drier
Like Monte Carlo.
As the covers came off, the wetlands of SW19 played host to a family of ducks, who landed on Court 5 and decided to stay.
Displaying more court coverage than many of Britain’s tennis failures, the mother and her four chicks waddled from baseline to baseline, until a man with a large net – not of the tennis kind – appeared.
Mum escaped, flying off to an awning by Centre Court, but her tiny ducklings were captured.
To the relief of all, the RSPCA promised to reunite the family before the end of the day.
With extra security checks in place after the foiled car bombing just a few miles away in central London, Wimbledon needed a few smiles between the showers.

EXTRA security at Wimbledon this morning after the discovery of a car bomb in central London.
Police have already banned vehicles from parking near the grounds of the All England Club.
Everyone entering the site is subject to bag searches and random checks.
Those in the daily queue for tickets are also subject to airport-style security.
In addition, the hi-tech photo-passes worn by all staff and members of the press are scanned by special readers and checked against a police database.
Sniffer dog patrols on site were more evident today with security staff even more throrough in their checks.
Police also confirmed security had been stepped up.
On the first day of the Championships I attended a security briefing led by Supt Pete Dobson, the officer in overall charge of policing at Wimbledon 2007.

SO, no Brits left at Wimbledon. At least in the singles.
Just a few hours before Tim Henman’s exit, British fans gathered out on Court 3, in the shadow of Centre Court.
Blessed with a distant view of the traffic on Church Road, it’s a show court in all but name, thanks to a small stand stuck on one side.
It’s here that spectators can get up close and personal with the players, who have to be escorted through the crowds to reach the playing arena.
First into these humble surroundings was British No 1 Katie O’Brien to play her second round match against Dutch No 31 seed Michaella Krajicek.
The last surviving British player in the ladies’ singles, you may remember Katie, 21, from the year she played at Wimbledon while taking her A-levels.

THE good news from Wimbledon this morning is that it’s stopped raining.
A washout may be forecast for Saturday, but the prospects look bright for an almost full day’s play today.
As you can see from the photo – taken at 8am – work began early today to get the outside courts ready for an 11am start.
Britain’s last two remaining hopes are in second round action.
First up on Court 3 is Kate O’Brien, who takes on Dutch teenager and No 31 seed Michaella Krajicek, the half-sister of 1996 men’s champion Richard.
Two hours later just across the way on Centre Court, Tim Henman resumes his match against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
It was rained off yesterday after all of seven minutes.
That provided an extra bonus today for fans in the overnight queue for Centre Court tickets.

FORMER Wimbledon champion Serena Williams was described last week as “one hunk of a woman”.
The observation came from TV chat show host Jonathan Ross, who earns almost as much at the BBC as the top stars at SW19.
I once found myself standing beside Serena at the All England Club and can confirm Jonathan’s comment.
She has thighs bigger than Tim Henman’s chest.
Although always liable to make a sudden exit, as Serena said before the tournament: “I don’t think anyone that has to play me goes home and shouts with joy.”
On the day Tony Blair collected his P45, the American seventh seed had to fight hard to avoid a similar fate on Court One, which rather charmingly still has a roof.
Melbourne hope Alicia Molik had all the right moves, having once taken part in Australia’s version of Strictly Come Dancing.

THE queue to get in today began yesterday lunchtime.
By 8.30 this morning, there were 3,224 people waiting in line for the turnstiles to open.
Many wanted to see Tim Henman play Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
That match is scheduled last on Centre Court, with BBC TV bosses hoping for some primetime evening drama.
But with rain forecast in mid-afternoon, any major delay could see Henman back here tomorrow for the fourth day in a row.
Around 500 tickets are sold daily for each of Centre Court (aside from the last four days), No 1 and No 2 courts.
Once those 1,500 seats are gone, there are 6,000 tickets for admission to the grounds.
As it happens, the last Centre Court ticket today went to an American woman who arrived at 5.45am.

HAVING gone topless, perhaps Wimbledon should consider another break with tradition.
Cut out the boring bits and start all matches at five games all in the final set.
It certainly works for the Centre Court crowd.
The chap in front of me had been nursing a flask of tea during Amelie Mauresmo’s routine demolition of her first round opponent.
He perked up just a little when Sue Barker suddenly appeared at the back of the court for a TV link.
But there was no containing him in the Henman penalty shoot-out.
With our boy on the verge of victory, a raw excitement enveloped the arena as the five set drama reached its roaring finale.