Internet giants Amazon have tennis high on their list of priorities as they develop big plans for the live streaming of sport.

The ATP Masters series, whose contract with Sky expires in 2018, is seen as a serious target. Amazon want to start developing their sports content and as the largest online retailer in the world have the financial resources to challenge for any sports rights that interest them.

Amazon representatives are understood to have been at Wimbledon making contacts in tennis ahead of a potential bid to stream all the major tournaments below the Grand Slams on the Amazon Prime subscription platform. Amazon have already done a deal with the NFL to stream a package of 10 Thursday-night games in 2017.

Amazon have tennis high on their list of priorities as they develop plans for sport streaming

Sky Sports staff are fearful of losing more tennis, which doesn’t have a dedicated channel in their revamp as football, golf, cricket and F1 do.

Eurosport took over coverage of the US Open last year and the Masters series is one area where savings can be made after the expenditure on cricket and another Premier League rights tender before the end of the year.

Sky also couldn’t agree a deal to broadcast the US PGA tournament next month, as revealed by Sports Agenda, with the rights holders looking for a different multi- platform media model that is sure to involve the big social media players, Facebook, YouTube, Google and Amazon in some way.

Nico Rosberg on Friday had to find a pair of socks before he was allowed to enter the Royal Box

What is it about F1 world champions and Wimbledon’s Royal Box dress code? Lewis Hamilton was refused entry in 2015 for not wearing a jacket and tie and former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg on Friday had to find a pair of socks before he was allowed in.

Rosberg was thrilled to meet tennis great Rod Laver, who had no idea who the retired driver was. Hamilton wrote a letter of apology to the All England Club.

Venus Williams will not be able to escape a post-match interview after the women’s final

Venus Williams will not be able to escape doing an immediate post-match BBC interview after the women’s final because, win or lose, it is conducted on court with Sue Barker.

Venus has already been fined $7,500 for swerving a number of mandatory media appearances at Wimbledon. This after Venus was fined $5,000 for the same reason at the 2016 Australian Open and $3,000 at the French Open in 2015.

John Inverdale, who lost his hosting of the Wimbledon highlights show after the Marion Bartoli ‘not a looker’ controversy, is now back in the BBC’s good books and will commentate on the women’s final for a second year. Andrew Castle will again call the men’s final.

BBC female tennis pundits such as Martina Navratilova will view with great interest next week’s publication — due to charter requirements — of all those paid over £150,000 a year by the BBC.

Navratilova and co believe they are paid considerably less than male counterparts at Wimbledon, where there is equal prize-money for players.

Martina Navratilova and co believe they are paid less than male counterparts at Wimbledon

Tennis chiefs on the move

There will be a changing of the guard at both the top of the Lawn Tennis Association and the All England Club just when the Big Four era could be ending as well.

David Gregson, chairman of the LTA, will step down in 2018 in the belief that six years is the finite period for leading a major sport, and Philip Brook, chairman of the All England Club, is expected to relinquish his post in 2019 or 2020.

Michael Gradon, former cruise line P&O chief, is the favourite to take over provided the AEC don’t decide to skip a generation. Tim Henman already looks a shoo-in to be the next Wimbledon chairman after that.

Richmond Park Golf Club was treated to the full repertoire of John McEnroe’s angry comments — including of course ‘You cannot be serious’ — when he and brother Patrick were roundly beaten by a couple of members when they played 18 holes there.