STRAWBERRIES, CREAM, GRASS courts, rain covers, celebrities and, somewhere in between, some tennis.
Yes, it’s once again the time of year when we wipe the dust off our rackets, seek out our local court and switch our televisions over to Wimbledon, where there’s often as much drama away from the court as on it.
So what can we expect to keep his inside with the curtains pulled?
Ireland’s underdog
Born in Birmingham but raised in Limerick, Conor Niland will become only the second Irishman to play in the main draw of the Open era when he takes on Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Tuesday.
A possible clash with Roger Federer lies ahead in the second round – a player Niland beat as a junior – and with several training sessions involving Andy Murray under his belt, the 29-year-old is feeling confident. “I’m going to have to play very well to win but it’s one of those matches I suppose you could say is winnable,” he said on Sunday.
Back from death’s door
It’s been a tough few months for Serena Williams. The American cut her foot on glass shortly after claiming the title last year and then received treatment for blood clots on her lungs, which may well have been life threatening had she delayed seeking medical attention. With six or seven weeks of preparations, she heads into the next fortnight hoping to defend her crown with a new attitude to boot.
“My thought process is just to play the best I can and be positive. The fact that I can compete and be in a position I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to be in again is more than enough.”
The battling Hero
Devastated by the manner of his defeat in the Australian Open final, Andy Murray has had plenty of soul searching to do in an effort to capture his first Grand Slam title. The Scot has shown his vulnerable side on court far too often, raging against himself in frequent outbursts, and it will be interesting to see how well he has learned to conquer his own demons since striking up a new coaching partnership. Despite the massive emotional support that the Wimbledon crowds bring for their man, however, they have rarely been able to save him when he comes up against the very best on the Grand Slam stage.
The suave Spaniard
Most fans like to see favourites beaten but Rafael Nadal is one man who continues to gather more admirers than critics. A very determined and extremely gracious player, the world number one comes into this tournament completely refreshed having complained about mental and physical fatigued after his defeat at Queen’s. For those who wonder what watching tennis is all about, there is no better man to see.
He fights for every ball until its second bounce, his array of shots is sublime and while he doesn’t like to lose, he isn’t a bad loser.
The aging champion
Quietly going about his business all week, Roger Federer is another player to keep an eye on. The Swiss surprised many by ending Novak Djokovic’s incredible run in Paris and though he was beaten by Nadal in final, the courts of Wimbledon have seen some of his very best tennis. He can equal Pete Sampras’ record over the coming two weeks and the sound bites over the weekend were onimous for his rivals.
He said: “I feel good about myself, about my body. The last week was vital for me to recover from my groin injury. I feel like I’m almost back at 100% again, which is a really good sign for Wimbledon.”
The outside bet
Still one of the darlings of Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova has yet to regain the form that saw her dominant ladies tennis for a couple of years. The Russian has always excelled on grass and after ten months out of the game in 2008, she says winning another singles title in London would be “the biggest achievement of (her) career”.
Lying in her favour is the fact that nobody, including current number one Caroline Woznicki, has managed to stamp their authority on the ladies tour this year and the once mighty Williams sisters have little court time behind them coming into this year’s Slam.