Will order be restored at Wimbledon?

Following a chaotic French Open, tennis heads to Wimbledon where top seeds battle rising stars on the grass

- Deepti Patwardhan

When Francisco Cerundolo clinched the biggest title of his life at Queen’s on 21 June, he had a surprise waiting in the wings.

His father, who has a fear of flying, had made the trip all the way from Buenos Aires, Argentina to London, just in time to see his son complete a 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-3 win over Tommy Paul in what was the longest final at the ATP 500 grass-court event.

“My dad has a phobia of planes,” said Cerundolo. “Since I was born, I never travelled with him and he never came to watch me in tournaments. Last year he started taking therapy and trying to approach his fear. Last week, he was saying ‘I will go to the grass season’. He always loved London and always loved grass.”

Cerundolo is not the only one spellbound by the spectacle; tennis on freshly mowed lawns hits differently. The sport as we know it was born on grass courts in England in the 19th century, and that’s where it still shines the brightest. The natural surface gives tennis a life force of its own. It’s where tradition and talent collide; where artists blossom and magic unfolds.

Over the years, grass courts have been phased out in favour of clay or hard courts, as they are more economical to build and easier to maintain. The grass season may have shrunk to five weeks on the 11-month tennis calendar, but its significance hasn’t diminished. It remains the most elite of surfaces, and Wimbledon its crown jewel.

Tennis is set for its annual homecoming fortnight as The Championship returns for its 139th edition, beginning 29 June.

RETURN OF THE QUEEN

While the best of players are set to assemble in South West London, the tournament received a thunderbolt of star power this week as Serena Williams confirmed her return. Not just in doubles, with her sister Venus, but also in the singles.