LOVEY JERGENS’ JOURNAL WIMBLEDON 2017 WEEK ONE IS OVER

Lovey’s Lob

 

Lovey Jergens’ Journal Wimbledon 2017 Week One Is Over

 

We just rounded the corner. Rest day. No play On MIDDLE SUNDAY. (unless rain had washed out week one)

 

What a week. Where should we start. This year’s Championships was like no other. And trust Us … many of our team are puppies and many have been around.

 

We arrived with a team of four. Ricky Dimon joined us there. We all hit the ground running.

 

We spoke to the Wimbledon ground crews as we watched them get the courts to a level we can only call magnificent.

 

We watched them digitally moisture test every square area of the courts. Then we saw the hardness tests every area of each court. All digitally noted and recorded.

 

These guys are some of the finest crew of groundsmen in tennis. They literally live on the site during the Championships. Years back they stayed in tents on cots. Now it’s a brick house towards the back near St. Mary’s Church.

 

We know why the grass looks so worn. It’s simple. Two reasons. The super hot weather followed by the AELTC allowing too much practice on them. Way too much practice on them. And we wonder why… Aorangi Park is right there. It’s part of the footprint of the clubs property. It Had dozens of courts going empty? We know. We saw it daily.

 

Bottom line. Worn courts are Not the grounds men’s fault!

 

Side note: all the planters of magnificent flowers are wilting. There was hardly a shower the whole first week. A few drizzles here and there. Those planters rarely need watering. Mother Nature usually helps them out.

 

Next. Small Morsels: (more than a tidbit)

 

Let’s see where to start… Ok. How about being in on Roger Federer’s live feed. Yup. It was great to be court-side as he had a beautiful practice on the grass. Followed by my usual kiss on the cheek from Roger Federer. Most got a handshake or Selfie. I got a kiss. Alex had a camera in hand but missed the photo op. Why? Cause he was busy getting a selfie… But there were plenty of witnesses.

 

It was fun watching RAFA playing simple board games in the lunchroom prior to matches. It’s so perfect to not tire the brain and to relax. Uncle Toni was also super relaxed. He has his two beautiful children with him as well.

 

BENITO was a busy man. Actually all the agents were hopping. It was quite a site daily on “THE LAWN “. What’s the lawn? It’s in the players bldg. It’s proper name is The Millennium bldg. On that level is also a coffee shop with grab and go food and sandwiches made to order.

 

A hair salon. The ATP and WTA office. And my old office from 2000. We visited with everyone last week. It’s all a blur….

 

The food in the players main lunchroom is overseen by PIP. And she does an awesome job. The players all said it was the best ever. Her juice bar was tops. All the presentations were amazing. She even came thru with the most beautiful cake for Max Mirnyi’s surprise 40th bDay lunch. His 22nd WIMBLEDON in a row.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good time was had by all. And at Aorangi Park the food is looked over by CHRIS, he was a player back in AUSTRALIA so he knows how to please all the players.

 

O.K. off food, onto Pimm’s. You know with that heat wave a Pimm’s sure starts tasting like yummy lemonade. Right – Rita. ️Lisonka, Alex, Wayne and Lady WIMBLEDON?

 

We caught up with the Aussies, the FRENCH, the Spanish, the Dutch, the South Africans. The Americans. Jan-Michael Gambill is coaching Jared Donaldson. A great kid with a bright future. Jeff Tarango is a legend playing in the legends and doing great broadcasting. Richard Krajicek was taking meetings from table to table. I slipped in a haircut. A surprise birthday party for Max.

 

Our old Friend Artem Sitak got a new SOLINCO tour bag. Gosh the old one is stinky. Just saying… Artem gave me his WIMBLEDON tourney book present as a present. Max opened it to find his head in the crowd. Check photo.

 

I also squeezed in a few hits. A few tweeners too. Ricky also hit on grass. First time for him. Me. It’s my surface. Always was. Right Pete? Two tweeners… Alex got those pictures! And he was a great travel partner. Always solid.

 

I was steps away from Kate Middleton. That morning it was clear security was heavier. More dogs. More activity. Then in drives a beautiful Jaguar with Possibly the future Queen of England in it. Chairman Brook was standing by to greet her. He then had a receiving line ready with a member of each type of military service as well as Kim Clijsters, Martina Navratilova, Dom Theim, Feliciano Lopez, Daniela Hantuchova… among others. It was great. The energy rose ten fold.

 

Funny the Ying and Yang. Her sister Pippa Middleton showed up a few days later and was not “dressed” for the Royal Box . She ate upstairs in the players restaurant “Tea Room” till ️maybe another ensemble was brought to her. She had arrived at the All England Club wearing a really casually elegant sporty outfit that would have been fine for Queens Club, Boodles, Hurlingham. Wimby. But not the Royal Box. The outfit was cute flat tennis shoes. A beautiful lace shorts with maybe a tennis pattern. And a pretty red? Top…

 

Check out our other site that we just recently launched, tennis10sBalls.com!

 

Part one. More later.