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Saturday was Day Six at Wimbledon 2016… yet Day Seven is not until Monday. There is a conundrum in the time-space continuum of Planet Tennis.
On 3 July, the clock struck 13 in the enchanted garden of the All England Club, to herald the rarest of all days – Middle Sunday, an occasion which is officially the Fortnight’s one day of rest. Therefore, competitively speaking, it does not exist. Still more confusingly, it hasn't not existed on three previous occasions in the history of Wimbledon tennis (in 1991, 1997 and 2004). It’s a miracle we’re here.
All right, enough with the existential nonsense. After all, there’s not too much that’s gorgeous and magical about a week of repeated rain which has seen many matches halted four times or more before battle is complete – if they managed to get on court at all. Really, the weather gods need to get their act together. Surely they should form an Official Rain Committee to ensure that such precipitation as is absolutely necessary falls efficiently overnight, ring-fencing the daylight hours of The Championships for immaculate summer?
Except… if they did, we would not be here, on the Platform Nine and Three-Quarters of tennis. And that really would be a shame.
It turns out that this week’s dreary rainclouds have been hiding a most spectacular silver lining, and the 22,000 ticket-holders who came through the gates basked in its pleasures.
Middle Sunday is just such a rare opportunity. I’m so lucky to be here.
Lifelong tennis fan Sue Bunt, 58, a human resources manager from Lewisham, had been to the The Championships just twice before, but never on Centre Court.
The moment she heard that Middle Sunday was happening she knew this was the chance to fulfil one of her dearest ambitions. No wonder she could scarcely believe it as she took her seat.
“Isn’t it just so beautiful?” she gasped, staring at the famous greensward. “It’s so intimate. I’m so close to the court. I feel completely involved in the theatre of the place. And Middle Sunday is just such a rare opportunity. I’m so lucky to be here.”
Uniquely on this day, seats were not allocated but decided simply by who got there first. Mother-and-daughter Tracey and Charlotte Powell, from Kent, snaffled their seats half-a-dozen rows back from the umpire’s chair soon after the gates opened at 8.45am. Charlotte, a 22-year-old teacher, had never previously been inside The All England Club.
“Yesterday I had two laptops and my phone all loaded up on the right page to make sure we got the tickets,” she smiled. “My mum was last here when she was the same age as I am now, and she saw Jimmy Connors on the old No.2 Court. But we knew that this time we really wanted to be on the Centre Court, as neither of us has ever seen it.
“Now that I’m here, everything I’m seeing is so amazing. It’s all so beautiful – the flowers everywhere are so gorgeous, and the court is so green. We’re going to be here all day, until the end of play. I’m so happy.”
Meanwhile, good mates Will Drinkwater and Will Tingle were out on the Hill soaking up the sun – yes, sunshine at Wimbledon! – before going inside No.1 Court. The Wills not only share the same name, but also age (23), home location (south-west London), profession (auditors), and previous experience of Wimbledon (they had temporary work here as students during The Championships, but had never been able to get tickets).
“As far back as last Thursday we were planning for Middle Sunday,” said Will #1 with a certain glee. “Now we’re just catching some rays before we go in.” Will #2 added: “My mum tried to get me tickets through the ballot, but no success. So this is completely brilliant. Great programme on No.1 Court today.” He took a sip from a bottle of water as he spoke. Wait… Water? Really? “Yes,” nodded the Wills in knowledgeable unison. “Got to pace ourselves. Starting slowly, then taking it up as we go along.”
Back on Centre, Serena Williams was a set up against Annika Beck. Earlier the crowd had been reverently near-silent as they waited for play to start, awed by the great tennis cathedral; now they were swept along by the 21-time Grand Slam champion on her quest to equal Steffi Graf with one more.
...this is completely brilliant. Great programme on No.1 Court today
“I was a bit worried for Serena early in the match,” confident Sue Bunt, “but I think she’s going to be all right.”
She was, indeed, all right. Middle Sunday of 2016 was one of those days when everything was all right – even, wouldn’t you know it, the weather. Maybe the weather gods have finally got round to forming that Official Rain Committee after all.
