I’ve been daydreaming and planning what I will to on my wonderful day off Sunday. Having no play on the middle Sunday is the best part of the Wimbledon experience for all of the press. I have to applaud the organizers at the All England Club for being able to finish in thirteen days. The French now spread it out over fifteen and both the US and Australian Opens take fourteen including night matches.
So, will it be a trip to Henley for the regatta, Oxford or just hanging in London and going to the Tate Modern, shopping in Soho? Perhaps I will take in the concert in Regents Park? So many choices. I may have to play hookey from the tennis one day and do a day of shopping and museum therapy in the city.
I am SO ready for a break. The crowds here have been tremendous. Tremendous for the tournament that is, not so great if you are trying to get across the site from court one to court 19 carrying 30 lbs of cameras. The attendance the day the Queen was here was 42,608. That is more than the entire population of the Illinois town where I grew up. Total attendance for the first five days was 207,208. I’m in serious need of some space.
The good thing is, there has been no lack of excitement. Obviously, the marathon match setting all kinds of records, the Queen, and on a more bitter note, Victor Hanescu, who was accused of swearing at the chair umpire, spitting at hecklers and finally storming off the court in the fourth set. He had asked for a suspension around 8:30, because of an injured thigh, but the chair told him that there was another thirty minutes of daylight and refused his request. The twenty-eight year old then proceeded to act like and eight year old, producing a series of odd and deliberate foot-faults, then storming off the court with the excuse of a thigh injury.
His temper tantrum could prove quite expensive. He could face a 6,600 pound fine, plus lose his 25,000 pounds in winnings.
I think it’s time to talk about fashion. Maria Sharapova for sure gets the number one spot on the runway. Her white and cream dress is perfect for Wimbledon, or anything else for that matter. I’d love to have it in a street length. I’m thinking that I may take a photo of it to Shanghai with me and get something like it made there. The skirt is made of a soft sheer fabric that looks cool and moves beautifully. Nike has also given her white and cream shoes and sox, maybe my comments about her white shoes with the black dress she wore in Paris got back to the designers.
Venus as usual is causing a stir in her white fringe. Once more I have to say, I give her credit for daring to be different, and truth is, I kind of like the movement of the layered skirt. The top doesn’t really go with the bottom in my opinion. It’s sort of a double-layered affair, too tricky with the wild skirt. She’s making a statement with the skirt and that is enough. Accessory wise, Dominka Ciblikova wins hands down with her strawberry print racquet bag.
Shall we talk about Serena? Well, her dress is ok, but I’m not sure about the fuchsia knickers. Anyone with her, uhhh, assets, might not want to exhibit them in this attention drawing color. Then there are the nails. The actually sparkle in the sun. Well, I’m ok with that. It’s sort of fun.
Unfortunately there is nothing to say about the guys. Quite boring in their Wimbledon whites.I’m excited about my day off and will back on the grounds on Monday.
– Cynthia
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Cynthia Lum is one of the world’s most celebrated sports photographers and has traveled the world covering all the major tennis events for 18 years. In addition to tennis she is currently shooting horse racing, golf, surfing, and beach volleyball. Visit her on-line photo archive at www.cynthialum.com where her photos are for sale for professional and personal use. She is available for hire for corporate and editorial clients. She is based in Hermosa Beach, Calif.