London: A no-fly zone has been declared over Wimbledon for the first time since the 9/11 terror attacks.
Aircraft have been banned from flying below 500 feet over the All England Club in London, and within a perimeter of 1.4 km, The Telegraph reported.
Superintendent Pete Dobson of the Metropolitan Police said general security has been increased for this year's tournament, which ends just 18 days before the Olympics.
More plain-clothed officers would be at the ground.
"We just don't want strange aircraft flying overhead if we can avoid it," he said.
The last time a no-fly zone was enforced at the tournament was for two consecutive years after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.
Several individuals were also banned from entering the site, many of whom are considered a threat to women players.
Their names have been circulated and they have been warned to keep away from the area.
Security fears were heightened when Monica Seles was stabbed in the back with a nine-inch knife on court in April 1993. Her attacker, Gunter Parche, an obsessed Steffi Graf fan, was given a two-year suspended sentence.
IANS
First Published: Monday, June 25, 2012, 21:41