The end of Sue Barker's 28-year spell as the lead presenter of the BBC's Wimbledon coverage will be "a void" for her colleagues, according to three-time All England Club men's singles champion John McEnroe.
Former professional player Barker gave an emotional farewell at the end of the 2022 championships – and her absence will undoubtedly seem curious to regular viewers of TV coverage in the UK.
"Sue is a legend," said McEnroe, who was known for his good-humoured back-and-forth with Barker during programming. "She was incredible at what she did."
Here's why Barker isn't part of the coverage anymore, who'll be comprising the team in 2023 and how to watch this year's action.
MORE: Wimbledon women's seedings: How they work, current tennis rankings, Wimbledon 2023 points
Who are the BBC commentators and presenters at Wimbledon?
Vastly experienced presenter Clare Balding has described it as a "huge honour" to become the BBC's lead presenter this year.
Balding, who began working on Wimbledon for the BBC in 1995 — two years after Barker — added that she is "very aware that no one person can fill Sue's shoes."
Barker and Balding are friends, and the latter admits to being nervous about her more prominent role but says her predecessor has been "really supportive". "I will try and do her proud without trying to do what she did," she said.
McEnroe is certain to be among the more high-profile former players joining in, with Isa Guha and Qasa Alom joining Balding as presenters.
"The programme is an absolute institution," Alom said of his role fronting the long-running nightly show 'Today at Wimbledon' during the championships, calling himself "super excited."
The partnership between the BBC and Wimbledon is the longest in sports broadcasting history, spanning more than 85 years on BBC TV and more than 95 years on BBC radio.
Why did Sue Barker leave the BBC's Wimbledon TV coverage?
Barker's decision to call time on her career as Wimbledon host dominated the pre-tournament chat in 2022, with the former French Open winner making the move to step away.
After retiring from professional tennis in 1984, Barker moved into sports broadcasting and became the broadcaster's anchor in 2000.
MORE: Wimbledon men's seedings: How they work, current tennis rankings, Wimbledon 2023 points
Having interviewed Wimbledon champions on Centre Court for over two decades, Barker said the time felt right to step away in 2022, particularly following the loss of her mother, Betty, who died at the age of 100 that year.
"She just makes it easier for everyone around her, and she did that for more than 25 years," says McEnroe. "It’s a tough act to follow, shall I say?
"We’ll see what happens. The old cliche is that all good things come to an end. She decided that this was enough and to go out on a high. God bless her. Hopefully she’ll come by and say hello."
Speaking at the time of her departure, Barker told the I newspaper: "I've had a wonderful time working on some of the biggest sporting events around the world.
Sue Barker has decided to step down from her role after this year's Wimbledon.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 9, 2022
Keeping up with the action on Centre Court won't be the same without her! It's farewell to a true BBC legend. We wish her all the best. ❤️
More 🔽 #BBCTennis
"I will miss it terribly, but after 30 years I feel the time is right for me. I've worked with the best of the best. It's been my dream job and I've loved every minute of it working, with so many great colleagues, who I am going to miss so much.
"When I started, I never thought I would manage 30 years. I actually made up my mind to leave in 2017 because the hours were becoming very long and challenging.
"That would have been 25 years, but I am so glad I made the decision to stay on. I'm very happy to be leaving with no regrets and on my own terms while I am still on top of the job, it feels like the right time to go and leave it to others."
How to watch Wimbledon 2023
BBC TV, radio and online will be covering the championships. The main draw runs from July 3-16, when Guha will be presenting the live coverage each day at 11am GMT.
Alom will present daily TV highlights at 9pm on BBC Two. iPlayer, the Red Button and Radio 5 Live will also keep fans fully covered.
