ATP
Wimble-dine? Not at this price!
THE cost of attending Wimbledon just keeps on rising.
The price of a Pimms at a tent on Henman Hill was an eye watering £11.20 a glass.
A bottle of Lanson Le Black Label Brut Champagne came in at £87. That’s $110 US – a bottle.
And some food to enjoy with that glass of very expensive champers?
At a seafood bar onsite, caviar is £30 ($38.00) a spoonful, whilst a while a seafood platter consisting of crab and salmon and cream cheese comest at £70 ($89.00)
Plant-based ‘vegan friendly’ option for cream is also available with strawberries. A couple of berries and a dollop of whatever this non-cream is, for £2.50 ($3.18).
A beer will set you back £7.55 (almost ten bucks) and a gin and tonic £10 ($12).
Looking for a souvenir? They’ve got you there as well.
£135 ($171) for a Ralph Lauren polo shirt that will cost little more than a ten pounds in a far east sweat shop to produce and £39 ($50) for a Wimbledon towel.
As for tickets…
A seat on centre court on days one or two will cost you costs £80 ($101), but that increases as the tournament progresses. A minimum of £255 (324) for the men’s and women’s finals.
One positive, fans can bring their own drinks, with a limit of one bottle of wine or champagne (750ml) or two cans of beer (500ml) or two cans of premixed aperitifs per person. No spirits.
DEFENDING champion Elena Rybakina has given her verdict on Wimbledon’s new underwear rule change that allows players to play in darker shorts, as a good idea.
For many years Wimbledon has enforced a strict all-white rule for the event.
And the rule has been strictly enforced as nothing from caps to underwear could be anything but white.
But for women, it often created some unease, especially during times of the month.
And after years of campaigning, the rules have been relaxed to allow players to wear coloured underwear.
WTA Council member Victoria Azarenka has praised the move calling it an important step.
“I think it’s good to have an option. But the same time I was also fine with all white,” Rybakina said.
“We still have the same tradition to be in full white. It’s just maybe little adjustment. Overall I think it’s good, yeah.”
But why was Jannik Sinner allowed to take a coloured Gucci bag onto the Centre Court, as part of new relaxed rulings?
PIC OF THE WEEK 1: When royalty meets royalty. The Princess of Wales with Roger Federer (and wife Mirka) at Wimbledon on week one.
WILL someone tell William John Ward what a ‘dick’ he is.
Who? The Just Stop Oil eco-terrorist who ran on to court 18 at Wimbledon on Wednesday complaining that the end of the world was nigh.
Flinging jigsaw pieces and confetti onto the ground, Ward, a retired engineer, should know better.
But, dressed in clothing created because of oil derivatives, this idiot said he ‘didn’t want to make a racket’ – no pun intended.
Yet he did, saying that right now, millions of people are being forced outside of the conditions necessary to support human life.
Fact: Life expectancy around the world has grown massively over the last 100 years.
Normally retirement brings travel, gardening, visiting stately homes.
Not for Ward, or retired teacher Deborah Wilde and retired musician Simon Miltner-Edwards, who invaded the same court on Tuesday.
All have been charged with what the police said was ‘aggravated trespass and criminal damage’.
Perhaps a spell of retirement behind bars might wake these idiots up.
And Wimbledon’s air-tight security measures?
THIS has to be the weirdest Wimbledon story of the week. An advertisement on the London Underground has caused a stir with Andy Murray as it unintentionally featured his groin and genitalia.
Having a metal hip, Murray has gone from potentially ending his career to continuing towards the highest level.
Castore, his main kit sponsor, released the x-ray of his metal hip which some have noted features his private bits!
It shows the 36-year-old’s metal hip crucially on one side with the caption: “Better Never Stops” as a note to his return.
It features his pelvic bone, bottom vertebrae and upper leg. But some eagle-eyed watchers also spotted the x-rated bits.
Did Castore know? Or perhaps they saw it as talking point that would generate more brand publicity.
AND this has to be the oddest story from a player…
Aussie Daria Saville, who was playing Katie Boulter in that match interrupted by the eco-terrorist and his confetti, said she was subjected to some English fans trying to put her off.
“These guys at the back were like making farting noises, that was very distracting. That really annoyed me, drove me nuts and I’ve got freaking ADHD,” Saville said.
“I did make a complaint but what they were doing was so subtle. Or maybe they weren’t being subtle, maybe they weren’t all there. I tried not to look at them, I wasn’t sure, maybe they have a disability.
“I put my towel down and they were talking to me saying, ‘oh good luck’, they were being sarcastic. Katie won the point and they say ‘good try’. I assume they were British, I don’t think the Aussies would be doing that to distract me.”
WIMBLEDON WTF moment…
Why was Britain’s ‘hypocrite general’, former soccer star Gary Lineker, chairing an environmental panel discussion at Wimbledon last week?
Lineker, a multi-millionaire TV presenter, who flies around the world first class, and drives expensive gas-guzzling cars, supported the Just Stop Oil protesters, who disrupted play on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Does he have any scientific qualifications to warrant such a role? No.
CONGRATS to former World No.1 Ash Barty, who gave birth to a son, Hayden, during the week.
Barty’s husband, golfer Garry Kissick, announced Hayden’s birth in an Instagram post today, saying: “Our beautiful boy … Welcome to the world, Hayden!”
Victoria Azarenka, Carla Suárez Navarro and Johanna Konta were among the first to congratulate her.
“Congratulations mama!” Azarenka wrote. “All the best to you guys.”
ELINA Svitolina and Gael Monfils, who welcomed daughter Skai to the world last October, posted images of their new ‘family’ on social media last week.
Svitolina returned to the sport during the clay season and the images on the post included two mirror selfies taken eight months apart, with Svitolina posing with daughter Skai as a month old infant and an eight-and-a-half month old toddler.
ONE to watch? Some think so. Brit Jan Choinski, born in Germany to a Polish father and English mother, is currently world no. 164 and appeared at Wimbledon for the first time.
Fitness freak Choinski realised last week he consumes 5500 calories a day.
“I eat a lot of carbs and keep it healthy,” he said.
GST is reliably informed his daily intake is the same as the World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper.
And his mum, from the southern city of Southampton, was a ballet dancer.
PIC OF THE WEEK 2: Is it finally the end for much-loved Venus Williams?
Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.
The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).
“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.”
“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world.
“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”
One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.
“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy.
“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”
He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.
“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”
Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches
The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.
Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.
“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”
:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.
The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday.
Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.
Main photo:- ‘New look” Carlos Alcaraz celebrates first round win on return from injury – ATPTour.com
Novak Djokovic hit the wall as the 24-time Grand Slam winner vomited at the back of the court and was treated by the trainer during a disheartening first round loss which ended early Monday morning on opening day of the US Open.
The 39-year-old Serb fell ill – he said things have been this way for weeks – as he took a loss to Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
In addition to his stomach problems, the ailing Serb was seen by the trainer, the doctor and used an inhaler as he complained of cramping and general poor health during a stress test lasting nearly four and three-quarter hours.
The defeat came a fortnight after Djokovic was knocked out in his opening match in Cincinnati after reaching a Wimbledon semi-final.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said early Monday.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.
“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.
He added: “I was up a break up in the fourth, but just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, a fighter.
But, you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
The disappointing end was Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and cut off a run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories going back to a loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.
“From the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible, honestly from the beginning. They were trying to lift me up in important moments,” Djokovic said.
“I’m very sorry that I, you know, didn’t perform as well as I should have or could have… but the love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart.”
Seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev came good after losing here a year ago in the first round, posting a win over Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 for his 33rd victory of the season.
Montreal quarter-finalist Daniel Merida defeated Marton Fucsovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fist straight-set men’s win of the fortnight.
Jiri Lehecka put out two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2. The win served as revenge after the veteran Spaniard beat the Czech in the Roland Garros first round.
No. 101 Dino Prizmic spent nearly four hours before completing a win over Alexander Shevchenko to advance in five sets.
The 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 success was hard-fought, with Prizmic leading 5-2 and serving for it in the fourth set but needing to go all the way to claim his first victory here after saving two match points.
The Croat has threatened top 10 names in the past, beating Novak Djokovic in Rome and Ben Shelton in Madrid.
Cincinnati quarter-finalist Tommy Paul recovered after losing the opening set, storming back for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong.
Day 1 British results were mixed, with Cam Norrie going down in an upset loss to Frenchman Luca van Assche 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 while debutant Toby Samuel’s earned the biggest win of his career as he stunned Czech Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Former finalist Casper Ruud made a last-minute pull out on Sunday as the US Open began, with the Norwegian still affected by the back injury which forced his retirement only days ago in Cincinnati.
The runner-up four years ago to Carlos Alcaraz has been carrying the problems for several weeks and pulled the plug on his participation on opening day of the season;s final major.
Ruud becomes the 20th player to withdraw,, a list led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is dealing with a knee injury and who has not played since winning Wimbledon in July.
Ruud was due to start in New York against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, whom he defeated last month in Montreal.
Ruud now faces a rush to fitness if he is to compete at the Laver Cup in London from September 25.
US Open 2026 Women’s Day 2
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