Tennis

Last Sunday, my favorite tennis player Rafael Nadal won his 20^th major and 13^th French Open title. I was ecstatic! I can’t explain this happiness people derive from sports but we sports fanatics get immense joy when our favorites win. This inspired me to write about the 2 instances of my brushes with tennis personally: the only time I watched a live tennis match –Davis Cup – and when I visited the home ground of one of the biggest tennis events – Wimbledon.

Davis Cup – India vs. Spain

Dreams do come true. And when they do, you still can’t quite believe that they have. For me, since the day I became a tennis fan, it had been a dream for me to watch Rafael Nadal play live. This dream came true one fine day out of the blue, when everything fell into place!

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.

How it came about

Pre-match Arrangements

One random day, while reading the newspaper, my husband saw an advertisement announcing that India’s Davis Cup tie with Spain was to be held in Delhi a week hence. He remarked as a joke: “Do you want to go?” Let me say here, I don’t live in Delhi – it’s a 2 hour flight away. But when I heard this, I jumped and said “Yess, let’s!!” (Husband had probably thought I would scoff and say duh!)

I was never going to get such an opportunity so I took the chance with both hands. Tickets were free!! However, they had to be collected in person from the venue! Thankfully, a relative of mine who’s a Delhi resident very kindly obliged to collect them for me. And, in the blink of an eye, flights and hotels were booked and we i.e. my husband and myself were ready for a weekend trip to Delhi! I am a very non-impulsive person and believe me this was not a small feat.

The day I awaited with bated breath finally arrived. We took a flight at an ungodly hour (caught it by a narrow margin) and landed in Delhi on D-day bright and early. After spending the day with aforementioned relatives, we made our way to the RK Khanna Stadium. It was match time!

The day before, various news sources said that Rafa had caught a stomach bug and probably wouldn’t play. I despaired but held hope. Davis Cup matches don’t have fixed players since it’s a country match-up; contenders are announced moments before the match starts. So, praying with all my might, I entered the stadium. And, the first thing that met my eyes was – Rafael Nadal in a blue sleeveless t-shirt practicing on court!!! I stood transfixed. For a few (long) moments, I truly forgot everything else and just stared. Eventually I came round and we proceeded to our seats. The matchup was announced on the screen and Rafa would be playing!! It was a doubles match; India’s Leander Paes and Saketh Myeni vs. Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez.

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THE Match

The match was an amazing contest. There was some superb tennis – long rallies, unbelievable DTL forehands, slashing backhands, powerful smashes and cheeky drop-shots. There were tense moments especially in the tie-breaker which lead to even more astounding tennis. That was my only live tennis match and the experience is unforgettable not just because I was watching Rafa but also because I realized what high quality tennis looks like at close quarters. The adrenaline was high and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric. Spain won 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4. Read detailed play-by-play here.

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This was the only time when I did not root for India in a sporting event – sorryyy! However, while I was already a Rafa fan, that day made me a Leander Paes fan too. I knew he was a great player but that day I saw what he was made of. He played a high level of tennis and almost brought the match home to India. But Rafa was just too good. Rafael Nadal was pure poetry in motion. Powerful shots, calculated angles and that famous topspin! It was really a dream come true for me. I cheered for him throughout the match but I did applaud any and all good shots. Tennis won that day. It was truly the experience of a lifetime.

Wimbledon

I visited Wimbledon 2 years ago during my trip to London when I accompanied my husband on his office tour. While he was busy with his work, I went about exploring London. On one of the days in my week- long trip, I had the pleasure of taking the Wimbledon Tour Experience. Also included was the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum tour.

The Tour

I used my London Pass for booking the tour. The 90-minute long tours start every 30 minutes in front of the statue of Fred Perry, the famous British player. The tour guide explained about the history of the club from its foundation as All England Croquet Club and eventually to what it is today – home to the most prestigious Grand Slam, The Wimbledon Championships.

Starting from the outer small show courts – only viewed from the outside lanes – we moved on to the media center including the BBC studio from where the tournament is broadcast and commentators relay the game to the world. Next we walked through the players’ entrance – oh what a thrill it gave me! We were then taken to the main Press Interview room and each of us had a turn sitting at the table pretending to answer journalists’ questions. And, finally, the Centre Court! Though we weren’t allowed to actually get onto the court, we could access the upper galleries and look down upon the brilliant green court which still displayed the score from the last match held – the men’s single final of 2018 Wimbledon Championships. The feeling of awe and reverence held me in its thrall for a long time.

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The Museum

The museum contains various tennis artifacts, interactive displays and films/videos about tennis history and/or events. There are tennis equipment used thought the ages, their evolution, tennis fashion, trophies and varied players’ souvenirs. The Museum tour comes with an audio guide (included in the overall Tour & Museum ticket) which gave further information and guided me through the museum. It took me about an hour or so to cover the whole museum. At the end there is a Museum Shop which sells Wimbledon themed collectibles and mementos. I have a purple-green umbrella and some pens.

Helpful Information

The address for Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Tour Experience is:

All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Ltd., Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19.

• Nearest railway station: Wimbledon (15 minutes from Waterloo)
• Nearest metro/underground: Southfields (District line)
• Buses: 39. 93, 200, 493

Tours are held daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm except on The Championships days and 24-26^th December + 1^st January. Upon arriving, make your way to the Museum Shop to collect your tickets and guides.

My two tennis-related experiences occupy a special place in my heart and memories; experiences any tennis fan would feel privileged to undergo. I’m sharing it with you now as I take my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa.