A trip to Wimbledon

I went to Wimbledon on Wednesday! My friend Clare goes most years and I thought I'd go along as well this year, seeing as I quite like tennis and always enjoy going to live events. Usually it's music concerts or Southampton football games, though I really should go more often than I do. Must go see Saints a few times this season, seeing as we're in the Championship now... (/Total fair-weather fan)

Anyway, Wimbledon. Clare and I got to the back of the queue at around 11:30 and made it in to the complex itself at something like 12:30 and met up with a couple of Clare's friends. It was raining so the only tennis on offer was Venus Williams versus Kimiko Date-Krumm under the fancy new roof on Centre Court. We watched it for a bit while sitting on the grass on Henman Hill / Murray Mound / Robson Green (arf). Cracking game though, just a shame that we were all gradually getting rather wet. Here's a picture of that lovely roof in action, courtesy of the official Wimbledon website:

I did get to see some live tennis, once the weather cleared up at 3:30 or so. We made it in to Court 3 to see plucky young Brit Heather Watson come up just short against French baseliner, Mathilde Johansson. Through my not-at-all-biased eyes, Watson had clearly the better game but hurt her elbow early in the second set and really lost her rhythm. What a shame. Still, Watson (and also Laura Robson) could go far. Top 30 in the next year or two, perhaps...? And then we got re-sale tickets (if people have to leave early then they can hand in their tickets to be re-sold for £5) for Centre Court and saw the tail end of Roddick-Hanescu. I was really pleased to get a bit of time in one of the main courts!

Do go for a day if you get a chance. I loved the whole experience; it's something really special to witness and share a sporting event with thousands of other people. And Wimbledon is an amazing mixture of everyday punter and upper class posh person. You've got all the people who, like us, queued up for £20 ground passes, rubbing shoulders with the folks on corporate hospitality or with debentures that start at a cool £13,700 for five years on Court One. The current debentures are all sold out, I'm sorry to say, but don't panic...

There is a market made in the debentures by market makers Evolution Securities Limited and no doubt your stockbroker or bank manager will be able to advise you in this respect.

Going back to the Brits, once again Andy Murray is the only British player even close to making it to the fourth round. It's so frustrating: James Ward had chances against Llodra in round one, I'm sure Watson would have won if it weren't for her elbow injury and Laura Robson gave Sharapova some difficulties. Ho-hum, next year... And come on Andy!