The usual good morning greetings have been spiced up today with news of special guests.
These were British gold medallists from Rio 2016’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, who took their place in the Royal Box on Centre Court.
Afterwards, I nipped out to watch an intriguing second and final set on Court 18 in which Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova defeated the Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.
Back at base, press guru Johnny Perkins shares his experience of being interviewed by Brazil’s Globo TV. Johnny, a gentleman who epitomises the word ‘dapper’, has to be able to field questions on anything about the Club at a moment’s notice. Globo wanted to know what happened here during World War Two, as did I.
The story is an interesting one. Most of the staff were conscripted. Just two remained to keep the home fires burning; the lady secretary and the head groundsman who continued to tend the grass courts for the duration.
It’s a sobering thought on a sunlit day like this.
There have been no adverse weather conditions to report. It’s been a cooler day — open skies with the touch of a breeze, more comfortable for the players, spectators and staff.
Some visitors returning from earlier this week are starting to get savvy as to how to make it even more so.
“It’s the best £10 I’ve ever spent,” Nikki from Windsor tells me from her seat at Number 1 court, proudly holding up her new cushion with Wimbledon logo, an investment prompted by sitting on the grass of the hill all day yesterday, while three-year-old Vihaan from London, taking a break from the busy work of possibly his first Championships, found the best spot for a nap was mum Neelima’s arms, with improvised paper shade.
Just the ticket.
