Inland with the Champagne set – Global Chick’s day at The Boodles
It really is a different slice of life, driving two hours inland to Stoke Park for a day at The Boodles, where defending champion Novak Djokovic was taking a turn on the green stuff.
Of course we mere mortals had to set off from seaside central and brave traffic and inexplicably closed roads and missing diversion signs to get here, but not so Mr. Djokovic who arrived in a helicopter.
After his best chance of clinching that elusive French Open title swirled away once more in a mist of red dust and the even more striking red shorts of Stan Wawrinka, the World No. 1 took the time to rest his mind and… put up door handles.
Yes, Djokovic not only gets happy with nappies and enjoys downtime with wife Jelena, and son Stefan, but he was put to work doing the laundry, putting the rubbish out and replacing door handles. Ok well not quite replacing them himself as he admitted:
“It’s a completely different life in a positive way. I spend as much time as possible with my wife and my baby. Share the love, share these beautiful moments in life and live every day like a normal person.
“I understand that I have privileges in life and am able to afford many beautiful things in life and we do enjoy that but when I’m at home I do lot of ordinary things; laundry, garbage, cleaning. What did I buy the other day? Door handles because they were broken. So I had to buy the new ones. I got help [to fit them]” he laughed.
Although the season is just a scant week longer, it was the only match he played on grass, and at times seemed to be shaking out his arm. His rivals have already made that transition to the grass, with titles evenly dispersed among them. Rafael was first off the blocks with the title in Stuttgart, Roger Federer renewed his love affair with the Halle trophy and Andy Murray reclaimed his Queen’s crown.
He said: “I know it could have been useful to play a couple of official matches on grass before Wimbledon, it’s not the first time I’m coming straight into Wimbledon. I’ve regrouped, spent some time with the family, got my thoughts off tennis for a little bit. Now I’m back in my office and hopefully I’ll be able to perform well.”
The Boodles is an odd prospect for the players. There is no doubt that the majority enjoy not only the Pimms and the champagne flowing, but once the matches start, by and large they settle down to enjoy it. Then again, there are always some who perhaps over-imbibe, and than opens up a whole load of designer worms.
We had a lady clutching her bottle and glass, talking loudly and getting rather loudly shushed by the well-heeled, as well as someone who looked like she would be more than happy to give youngster Thanasi Kokkinakis his higher education. Really, madam – think of the children!
But after the helicopter blades have whirred away to whisk Djokovic from whence he came, there is now the matter of the business end of the grass court season.
We will be bringing you our Pimms and Strawberry run-down of the draws.
Topics: 10sballs.com, global chick, Novak Djokovic, stoke park, Tennis, The Boodles 2015
GLOBAL CHICK DROPS IN ON @TheBoodles 2015, WAS SHE IN THE HELICOPTER WITH @DjokerNole?- http://t.co/HufYkSsxax #Djokovic #tennis #StokePark