'Nothing else comes close': coaches on magic of SW19

Three trainers reveal their experiences of life at ‘the most special tournament in the world’. By Lawrence Ostlere

- Lawrence Ostlere

It is considered by most players and fans the Mecca of tennis, a magical place of carefully curated perfection where every strawberry is the correct shade of red and every blade of grass comes with its own horticulturist. Wimbledon is one of the great sporting institutions and to be inside its walls is to feel like you have access to an exclusive, special place.

Each summer we get a window into what life is like as a player, the stresses and strains and joy and history that all come with a place at the Championships. But what is it like to be a coach? How is it to be in the background, a member of the entourage trying to make the dream come true?

The Independent spoke to three coaches about their experience at the All England Club.

Oivind Sovland

Coaching team of Casper Ruud, world No 15

“It’s a big difference [to regular ATP tournaments]. Most coaches stay with their players at the same hotel, and they can choose everything from a five-star hotel, and other ones are going with an Airbnb apartment. If you have a day where you’re playing, you come up [to Wimbledon] early, do the warm-up sessions after breakfast, and you start having your same kind of rituals every day.