Chalk Flew Up! A Day out at Wimbledon

By Elizabeth Johnstone

Getting tickets for Wimbledon is not a simple matter of buying them online. They are so sought-after that you have to go into a ballot.  There is a public ballot, and the LTA also allocates a number of tickets to tennis clubs. We were lucky enough to obtain tickets through my husband’s tennis club.  I hasten to add that you still have to pay (handsomely) for them – they are not a prize!

We struck gold in getting tickets for Centre Court on the Monday of the second week.  Even if it rained, we would be guaranteed play because of the roof.  In fact, we had been at the very first full match played under the roof in 2009.  Andy Murray (whatever happened to him?) beat Stanislav Wawrinka, finishing after 10.30pm. Chaos ensued when no-one could find their cars in the open-air car parks in the dark, and the local transport was overwhelmed when everyone left at once.  But I digress.  Back to our day out.

We took the train into London then the Underground to Southfields, where the London cabs have a fixed-price shuttle service to the tennis, with a marshal organising travellers into taxis in fives.  Henman Hill was crammed with spectators, most of whom were enjoying upmarket picnics featuring products from Waitrose or Marks and Spencer.  You get the picture.  As did the spectators, literally, from the giant screen facing the hill.  A modest amount of alcohol may be brought into the grounds and from all sides you could hear the gentle popping of champagne corks. I bought a few postcards to feed my habit (I am a Postcrossing devotee) then it was time for some serious tennis.

Maria Sharapova played Angelique Kerber in the first match.  These women are goddesses! Tall, lithe, athletic.  Sharapova, the favourite, was defeated by the German after a mighty tussle. Next, Rafael Nadal faced the latest wunderkind from Australia, 19 year-old Nick Kyrgios.  The youngster pulled off a stunning victory, blasting his opponent with fast and heavy serves before the Spaniard could get into his game. I don’t know if he was helped or hindered by the fanatical Australian support, half a dozen Aussies who stood up, cheered and chanted for their man between each point.

I used my binoculars for celeb spotting – Sir Cliff Richard sat in the debenture section for the whole afternoon, and Rory Bremner was a few rows down from us.  Veteran lady champions Billy Jean King and Maria Bueno were in the Royal Box, as was Michel Roux Jnr.

Before I saw live play at Wimbledon, I didn’t realise how flat and hard the shots are. The players skim the net trying for ever tighter angles.  Sooner or later one of them makes a mistake.  Hawkeye is great entertainment and prevents McEnroe-esque protests. 

So many tennis puns to choose from – OK, our day out was ace!

 First Published in VISA 2014