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As I came into the Grounds today, an orchestra was striking up.
It was barely 10.00am and was wonderful to hear the local Wandsworth Pops with their solo saxophonist entertain the crowd with the Etta James standard ‘At Last’ — one of my favourites, which I sing myself (badly) at open mic nights.
It was a sublime start to ladies’ quarter-finals day and happily, it took place without any interference from me or the weather. Instead I got a chance to meet and talk to Britain’s star of wheelchair tennis, Gordon Reid, world No.1 in the men’s doubles rankings and world No.3 in the men’s singles.
His first match in the gentlemen’s singles on Day 10 is against France’s Nicolas Peifer. Gordon is fresh from winning his first singles Grand Slam at this year’s Australian Open and is happy to explain the rules.
That’s not hard, because they're exactly the same except that the ball is allowed to bounce twice.
The lightweight chairs of aluminium or carbon fibre have cambered wheels so players can spin, although they're strapped in so they don’t fall out if the chair tips over.
Gordon tells me there are now around 700 players in a sport that has seen both its standards and mass appeal to spectators rise since London 2012.
Originally from Glasgow, he trains six days a week, much of that at the renowned facilities of the University of Stirling, alongside students on tennis scholarships. He also spends around half the year travelling to tournaments.
The 24-year-old tells me he loves coming to Wimbledon because “everyone here loves tennis.” Obviously I agree, but it's true. And on a mellow day like this, with jazz to welcome you and strawberries and cream in between matches, it’s just glorious.
