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Congratulations to Lucas Pouille and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who this year notched up their first Wimbledon singles quarter-final appearance and, with it, an invitation from Philip Brook.
The Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club has asked the pair to join The Last 8 Club in recognition of their part in mesmerising crowds and contributing to the special heritage of the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament.
Pouille and Pavlyuchenkova won’t need to find their way there for a few years yet, but they might like to know that the clubhouse hospitality facilities are tucked inside Gate 5 and are marked by a stunning new water feature and discreet floral display in the shape of a No.8. Perks of membership include a pass to access the Grounds every day of the Fortnight, a guest pass, allocated seats on Centre Court and No.1 Court, two tickets to a West End show of their choice, free tea and coffee, and a 6-7pm Happy Hour every day.
“It is a haven for retired players to come and meet other former players and relax without being in the public eye,” says Tony Gathercole, who took over the management of The Last 8 Club after serving 28 years as assistant referee.
This is Tony’s 53rd Wimbledon so he is the perfect host to “offer a sense of belonging to players who have given the public great entertainment on the courts but return later to find themselves a nobody.”
2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the club-within-the-club which was inaugurated in 1986 as part of The Championships' centenary celebration. Membership is also extended to players who have reached the semi-finals of the gentlemen's and ladies’ doubles or the final of the mixed doubles. A special dinner was held on second Tuesday to honour the occasion.
"The Chairman invited members and guests to a dinner in the Royal Room. About 72 members attended and we had a wonderful dinner – quails’ eggs and salmon starters, lobster, roast lamb, champagne and first-class wines,” says Gathercole. “Tim Henman made a very good speech and at the end, Neale Fraser, the 1960 Wimbledon champion, stood up and thanked the Club on behalf of all the members.”
The celebratory dinner attracted quite a roll-call – Manolo Santana, Francoise Durr, Angela Barrett, Olga Morozova, Peter Fleming, Mary Pierce, Roger Taylor, Jan Kodes, Heinz Gunthardt, Frew McMillan, Judy Dalton, Mark Cox, David and John Lloyd, Jeremy Bates and Christine James.
The oldest attendee was Enrique Morea, now 92, who was runner-up in the mixed doubles final three times in 1952, 1953 and 1955.
“It was a great evening. Everyone is still talking about it, and every member received a gift, a beautiful white vanity bag embossed in purple with The Last 8 Club,” said Tony, displaying the contents: all-weather moisturiser, hand and nail cream, green tea eye gel, honey and lemon lip balm and aloe vera (all made by Arran Aromatics and available from the Official Wimbledon Shop).
Those who frequent the The Last 8 Club’s hospitality rooms tend to be “quite senior”, which makes for excellent running commentaries as the expert Last 8ers offer their views, mixed with fervent reminiscences, as they watch today’s competitors on television together. On Day 9, Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals were apparently airing forthright views of matches they were watching with their peers.
Wimbledon was the first Grand Slam to offer hospitality to players of such stature, but all the other Slams have since followed suit. As Gathercole explains: “Buzzer [R.E.H. Hadingham], who was then Chairman, thought it was a bit unfair that players came back as Joe Public and wanted to create a way in which these players could meet each other, out of the public gaze, and enjoy the tennis together.
