Wimbledon. Oh what a magnificent place. I’m enjoying everything I see. The fresh green paint is drying all over the site.Everyone’s spinning. The qualies have just finished. Also known as the Battle of Roehampton….. Bank of England. Tough qualies especially if you are on the set of courts layed out a dozen in a row. Ok. Maybe it’s ten. Try and find a seat , chair or stump … Hillside / backside.
Idemooooo ? I don’t have a clue… but Dear Dusan Vemic says that …so we do too…. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful , colorful , larger than life personalities in our sport. More on that three paragraphs down. No it’s not my attention deficit. Okay it is. And who could edit this ?
A heart felt goodbye to Judge Robert J. Kelleher . 99 years old . The good Judge passed this week to the big tennis court in the sky. His buddy Richard (Pancho ) Gonzalez was there to greet him. And all his tennis buddies from a lifetime were waiting for him… Bob we miss you. You made the game have a fair playing field. You were the best president the USTA ever had. You were a great judge. A great guy. It was great to be in your presence. You saw them all. Hit with most of them. Beat some of them. I’m so envious. To have seen Tilden or Gonzales or Segura or Hoad in their primes ….
Happy belated birthday to one of 10sballs.com best little buddies. No. Not Luigi. It’s Pancho Segura …( Rostagno told us ) … The greatest player that is hardly in the record books. Why ? Because the pro players couldn’t play the slams or any tourneys exept their small separate pro circuit at weird clubs , arenas, armories. Thanks to major help from Bob Kelleher ( the father of ” open” tennis ). Guys like both Panchos were finally able to come back to the game so to speak….( most were on borrowed time ) Bob literally saw the greatest of the last hundred years. He is smiling down at us as he follows thru of his forehand … Ok. I’m jumping everywhere. Sorry. Bloggers attention deficit. It’s been a rough week and I’m jet lagged. And when I arrived in London it was raining …. And I’m still a bag short. . Of course it’s the one with the raincoat and umbrella.
The two best days every year at Wimbledon…. semis and finals ? Nope ! Well at least as an insider. Beyond the ropes. Behind the ropes ? Ready. It’s this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday. Every player in the draw gets a half hour practice time on Wimbledon courts. So you take your time and add it to another player and you have an hour. Share the court with four. It’s 2hours time. The courts are pristine. The most beautiful on earth. The only folks on the grounds are players. Their coaches. Guests. Even an Entourage here and there … as well as media. Mostly credentialed people. You see herds of young guards being run thru the last dress rehearsals. The same with the restaurant staff. The old pros are the wonderful , delightful , hard working .. The various Janes and Jeans and all the ladies at the players desk in the millennium bldg. We hear Norman is there…. Wonder his post this year . Think this must be his 15th year by now. And big Merv and skouse ( Paul ) …. We are staying in the village. Near the Dog and the Fox… Perfect… We can walk home…. Tom Nash did a great job ay Queens And followed it up thru the Boodles. But called in sick today…. Swears he was no where near the ” Boodles ” ….get well fast ? He said he didn’t see free ” grog ” …….feeling feeble ? Americans would say. Tired. Puny. Sick. Down. …..
Idemooooo …Onto Mr. Dusan Vemic. He sent that cool message. I love “Nole” . Novak Djokovic…. It happened slowly…. He is such a colorful wonderful champion. He has this great outgoing personality. He is a clown. I hate the bouncing. That hasn’t changed. I love Rafa. What a fierce competitor. Most of all and forever I’m a Fed Head. I can’t help it. I would rather watch the mighty Federer than anyone … Especially on grass.
Onto the second best day at Wimbledon. This practice Sunday when Aorangi Park ( the main practice courts ) is packed from sun up to sundown. Every bodies everywhere. That’s basically the zoo. The show. Reporters. Tv crews. Players. Coaches. Parents. Agents. Managers. Everywhere you look is a “happening “. Whose hitting with who. Etc. There sat least three levels and you are on top of a hill taking it all in. Ready folks. The show is about to begin. Cheers.
Topics: Boodles, Dusan Vemic, Queen's Club, Roger Federer, Wimbledon