Well, it was an unusual day at Wimbledon yesterday! I go every year but of course this year is completely different.
Walking around felt much easier due to the reduced numbers but once we were on CC it was just like usual.
I don’t believe for a minute that CC was at only 50% capacity. The only empty rows were right at the back so, unlike at Queens’, there was zero social distancing once you were seated.
No masks once seated, even though with the roof on it was effectively an indoor arena, albeit one with more air changes.
I forced myself to focus on the tennis.
It was an absolute delight to see Ash v Carla. I had tears in my eyes at the warmth of the welcome for Carla who acquitted herself really well. Ash Barty is a fantastic ambassador for the women’s game and spoke so eloquently at the end.
Fed/Mannarino was an odd match, even before the slip. Fed was definitely on top in set 4 but who knows what would have happened in Set 5. All I can tell you is that Fed looked more nervous than I’ve seen him before, and I’ve been watching him for more than 15 years.
For all the bonhomie with the interviewer afterwards there is something in his face... I found it very sad.
Less said about Serena’s stupid outfit the better. We were about to leave early anyway when she fell over. I am convinced she wasn’t fit even before the slip.
Obviously, thank heavens for the roof that we were able to have play, but I have to say I personally hate watching matches when the roof is on. The acoustics become ear twanging! Yet you can’t properly hear the ball on the strings but everything else is so amplified. It feels like when you are on a plane and you keep wanting to pop your ears!
I think Wimbledon is getting a few small things wrong this year, administratively. The gap between matches serves no useful purpose. Bottlenecks are created beneath and alongside the court as everyone tries to go to the loo at the same time. 😀
Like everyone, I’m very thankful that we have play this year. I hope 2022 will see a return to normality.