SW19 Fortnight

I began my love affair with tennis when I was about 8 growing up in Sydney.

I remember walking by some local courts and being instantly hooked – the skills, the agility, the loveliness of it all. My parents humoured me with my first wooden racket and Dunlop Volley shoes. To this day, they are probably the best presents I ever received. I played every single weekend aspiring to be the next Arthur Ashe (I am showing my age here). In fact, my love affair still burns.

Fast forward several decades and I now live in SW19 – the world’s postcode for “tennis” – just a short walk from the All England Lawn Tennis Club.  It certainly was not intentional but it was a lovely bonus. I get to enjoy Wimbledon Fortnight as a local and even get a day or two at the Championships.  When I drew tickets in the public ballot – what became the legendary 2008 Nadal-Federer final - I felt like Charlie unwrapping his golden ticket. I don’t think you really have to be a tennis fan to be enamoured with Wimbledon.

What makes Wimbledon so special? Well, it’s the Holy Grail. Grass is the most challenging surface for tennis but it’s not just about the tennis. Nor is it just about the players or the fans. It’s about The Experience.

So what is The Experience I hear you ask? For a start everyone looks dapper – from the ball boys and girls, the lines people or umpires dressed in Ralph Lauren and even the fans. The grounds and facilities always look immaculate and reflect the greatest care of the vast number of courts and seating, vibrant flower pots, freshly painted surfaces and very discrete sports marketing – on this last point, it’s a very salient lesson in the simple truth that less is more. Then there is the Pimms, the champagne and the strawberries and cream which make watching tennis all that more enjoyable. Yes, the weather is always reliably unreliable but since the roof went up on Centre Court, the unpredictable weather adds to the charm (says me who didn’t get caught in the downpour earlier this week!).

I guess it all comes down to this: just about everyone who attends is spellbound and incredibly cheerful - from the honorary stewards and the ground staff to those working in the shops and restaurants. On finals Saturday 2011, for instance, I met a lovely waitress in the Wingfield Restaurant named Ali. She is studying speech pathology and training at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital and here she was waitressing for her SW19 Fortnight. Sure, she was doing it for the money but her charm and infectious smile were genuine and came free of charge. She made my day even brighter.

Apart from random sightings of tennis stars in Wimbledon village – Nadal in Café Rouge, Sharipova and Becker in Carluccio’s (separately), my highlight this year was seeing the Boys’ Singles Final – Luke Saville (Australia) playing Liam Broady (UK). I’ve been to Wimbledon several times now and yes, it is amazing to watch top-seed players and I will never forget the 2008 Mens’ Final but to see upcoming tennis hopefuls made me excited by and for the next generation. In some respects, the highlight of the day was the moment when the sideline photographers beckoned Saville to come over and show his trophy – he awkwardly and instinctively beckoned Broady to join him so that they could be photographed together. I may just be a sports-tragic, but it felt like an authentic moment of good sportsmanship and I felt lucky to be there. It will be interesting to watch these boys become men in the next few years. After all, Federer was the 1998 Boys’ Singles champion.

Sure, some don’t understand the fuss. Though it’s just a game, it’s a grand thing, a special fortnight every year.  As for me, I can’t wait for my SW19 Fortnight in 2012.

40 not so single is a local blog written by a high flying corporate lawyer who finds herself married with 3 kids, 40 and a stay at home mum. Whatever happened to her Gucci handbag and Prada high heels...

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