Doctor Who fans tuned into the Wimbledon Men’s Final in their droves this afternoon, inspired by the promise that Peter Capaldi’s successor as the Doctor would be revealed at the end of the match.

However, many were surprised to see a version of the Time Lord appear on their screens sooner than they expected – specifically former series actor David Tennant, who played the Tenth Doctor (as opposed to Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth) from 2005-2010.

Predictably, fans were rather thrown by the surprise materialisation, and quickly dreamt up their own theories about what it could all mean.

https://twitter.com/iFlicks/status/886589627628490752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiotimes.com%2Fnews%2F2017-07-16%2Fdavid-tennants-at-wimbledon-and-doctor-who-fans-cant-cope

I spot my favourite doctor! 😍#DavidTennant #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/kx7uLFGpMW

— NAZ (@Nasreeta21) July 16, 2017

#WimbledonFinal #DoctorWho13
David Tennant is in the #Wimbledon centre court…this is hotting up… https://t.co/a623s1ea4N

— tim fitzhigham (@timfitzhigham) July 16, 2017

https://twitter.com/gaynorduncan/status/886595239913410560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiotimes.com%2Fnews%2F2017-07-16%2Fdavid-tennants-at-wimbledon-and-doctor-who-fans-cant-cope

https://twitter.com/loisskent/status/886595044160962560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiotimes.com%2Fnews%2F2017-07-16%2Fdavid-tennants-at-wimbledon-and-doctor-who-fans-cant-cope

https://twitter.com/loisskent/status/886595044160962560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiotimes.com%2Fnews%2F2017-07-16%2Fdavid-tennants-at-wimbledon-and-doctor-who-fans-cant-cope

Plot twist: David Tennant is announced as the Doctor again and has a Madison Montgomery moment since he's already at Wimbledon: pic.twitter.com/3FWGEN3fSw

— emily ✨ (@WhiteEmis) July 16, 2017

David Tennant in the crowd at Wimbledon imagine the scenes if he somehow can back as the doctor! #DoctorWho13 #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/iQ4apwpUqq

— James (@Jamesp_1998) July 16, 2017

David Tennant is at Wimbledon 😍 I hope at the end he holds up a sign saying he's the 13th doctor 😂

— 💫✨ (@grimeshelby) July 16, 2017

Just seen David Tennant in the crowd at Wimbledon. Doctor Who announcement for 13th Doctor after this. #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/GgSQu98ArG

— Liam Catterson (@LiamCatterson94) July 16, 2017

For our part, we reckon he was popped into the crowd just to give all the Whovians forced to watch tennis something to chat about until the big reveal. Very sporting of him, really.

Doctor Who returns to BBC1 this Christmas