Whether Andy Murray secures his second Wimbledon title or Milos Raonic claims his first Grand Slam victory, a schoolboy from Croydon, South London, will forever be able to look back at The 130th Championships and say he was there, on Centre Court, when another chapter in tennis history was written.
Shortly after 2pm, Yousef Maza, 11, will walk to the net in the company of Championships’ Referee Andrew Jarrett to perform the coin toss which signals the start of the sporting combat that is the Gentlemen’s Singles Final.
Yousef, who attends Links Primary School in Tooting, represents Jigsaw4u, a Mitcham-based charity supported by the Wimbledon Foundation, the charity of The All England Lawn Tennis Club whose mission is to change people's lives using the resources and heritage of Wimbledon.
Jigsaw4u helps children and young people through trauma, loss and bereavement. The Wimbledon Foundation funds their mentoring project which supports children who are facing a difficult transition to secondary school.
“We chose Yousef because we knew this experience would create a memory for him that he would never ever forget,” said Jenny Harwood, Mentoring Project Co-ordinator at Jigsaw4u.
Yousef’s response was duly rewarding. “When I was chosen to perform the Coin Toss I put my hand over my mouth and started screaming and then all my friends started screaming. It was just so exhilarating,” he said.
Before he arrives on Centre Court to perform his on-court duties, Yousef and his family will enjoy a tour of the Clubhouse and lunch in the Competitors’ Restaurant.
