McEnroe

through Barney Douglas’s lens

“I’m in New York, and anyone who’s seen the film Ghostbusters will be familiar with the Manhattan apartment scene, where the ghost dogs are on top of the building. That is John’s [McEnroe’s] apartment building, so that was quite amusing! I walked in, entered the elevator which took me all the way up to the top and the doors opened into John’s flat. He greeted me, saying “come in, come in”, wearing a dressing gown and slippers, and it was obvious that he’d had a big night the night before. That was the first time I met John, in the flesh.”

It is August 2022, and on a sunny Friday afternoon in London, Barney Douglas and I are chatting about McEnroe, the documentary film that he wrote and directed, which was released in the UK in July and in the US in September 2022. The film has had an outstanding reception (including a Sports Emmy Award since this interview—see end of article for details), and our interview kicks off with Douglas’s first impressions upon meeting John McEnroe in his New York apartment to pitch the film.

I congratulate Douglas on the film’s success (see end for list of accolades earned) and make a humble confession: when I received the invite for the private screening preview, I had low expectations. As a tennis fan and a writer, I’d read McEnroe’s autobiographies and biographies, watched the documentaries and films, and listened to his outspoken and uninhibited tennis commentary over the years. Was there much more to learn about McEnroe? Thankfully, I stood corrected, because Douglas’s documentary surpasses anything previously done about McEnroe. It focuses on McEnroe’s vulnerability and humanity, and delves into his psyche, something we have not been privy to before. And for that very reason, the film is captivating from the start. I came away with a deeper, profound understanding and respect for ‘Johnny Mac’.

London’s Charlotte Street Hotel was the venue for the private screening, a week after Wimbledon 2022 was put to bed for another year. Perfect timing, therefore, to satiate my tennis cravings. The film is raw and thought-provoking, stylistically transporting us into McEnroe’s world. Douglas and the film’s producers were at the screening, with an engaging introduction from Douglas. The relationship between a film director and their subject is based on infinite trust. But it becomes evident during our interview that McEnroe does not easily trust people. He will expect anyone he is working with to know their stuff and get to the point. Douglas’s job of pitching this film was therefore never going to be easy.

However, whilst chatting to Douglas, it is clear why McEnroe entrusted him to make this film and allowed him into his world: Douglas is easy to talk to, open, warm, and funny. What you see is what you get. Douglas has done his homework and come prepared. 

Courts: Firstly, congratulations. Your film has had a great reception, with excellent reviews. You must be very proud!

Douglas: I am really proud. It’s always a relief when the film finds an audience, and the people that you respect appreciate and understand its purpose. There have been some big hitters behind this film, which is lovely because it isn’t your traditional documentary. It tries to push the form a little and is a bit bold. There are a lot of preconceptions about John, aren’t there? Many people are used to seeing him in a certain way visually, with a preconceived idea of who he is. So, the film provokes discussion about those preconceived ideas, and challenges some of those opinions. It shows his flaws, but also his humanity. I don’t think the production team could have done a better job with this story. We also made the film during a pandemic which had its own challenges, so yeah, I’m very proud. 

 

C: I’m interested in what you just said about people’s preconceived ideas about McEnroe. How does your film challenge or change those ideas?

D: I wanted to make this film because John was at a point in life where he was prepared to talk more openly. The producer Victoria Barrell, who you met at the screening, suggested I pitch the film to John. It was then up to me to get on board and come up with the creative aspects. That was the first challenge, but the second one rolls into your question, as I’m only interested in the humanity of a story and the different shades of a person. Whether that person plays a sport to great success, or whether they work in a shop, the thing that connects that story to everybody else is the common ground of humanity, flaws, mistakes, love, and regret, and all those kinds of things. That’s what I wanted to explore with John. There was no way that somebody as good a player and as polarising as he was, did not have all those facets of a personality. So, I do think you discover a lot more about him through the film. For example, there is a scene where his wife Patty says she feels her husband is potentially neurodivergent. To me, all the evidence is there to suggest that that’s a possibility: John looks at the world in a different way, struggles with connection and with intense situations. You start to understand John differently. You also learn that he’s changed as a person and learnt from life and its messiness. So, for me the film becomes a parable almost to himself to not lose the connections with his own kids that perhaps he lost with his own father. It’s all those messy things that interested me.

 

C: Tell me more about your first impressions of meeting McEnroe. Was he different to what you imagined him to be? 

D: I obviously knew the name McEnroe and, like most people, was vaguely aware of the tail end of his career, his reputation, etc. But I didn’t have extensive tennis love or knowledge, so I was able to work without that baggage. The first time I met John in the flesh was, as mentioned, at his Manhattan apartment, and we sat around his kitchen table. He asked me what I wanted to do, and I could tell he was sizing me up and analysing and testing what I was saying. I was pretty direct and honest. I think he responded well to that because I think he sniffs out people who are not direct. I learnt very early on that John wanted clear direction. When we were filming with him around the city in New York, I needed to keep him updated on what we were doing, and how long it would take. So, I stuck to that as the template for the whole process, and I listened to him as John gets frustrated when he’s not listened to. Whilst he doesn’t expect to be agreed with all the time, he wants to feel heard. I was very aware of that and ensured that I listened to his input. If I didn’t agree with something, I would say why, which he respected.

 

C: I know that he’s invested well in art, post- tennis. I imagine that apartment must have the best artwork? 

D: Yes, there are beautiful works on the wall, and he’s got great taste. He’s bold, with all the things that you would expect from somebody like John, he knows what he likes. He has a beautiful view over Central Park as well, so he’s done well.

 

C: How long did you spend filming in New York, tell me about the process and what were your main challenges?

D: That’s a good question. We went back and forth a little bit, but we were very restricted with travel, due to the pandemic. We filmed it in intense short bursts. Our first shoot was planned to the enth degree! We quarantined, we planned where we were going to film, how long it was going to take, the shots we were going to do. We did the New York filming in one night, and then filmed with John the next night. The main interview took two days, which we did in two hour blocks, with breaks in between. I particularly loved the last hour of the second day because that’s how long it took for John to relax with us, trust the conversation and get to where we wanted to with him. I had more of a conversation and connection with him than a journalist, which he may have viewed me as initially, so I wanted to get away from the media interview format and have more of a connection. It took some time, but we got there.

A tight budget and the pandemic were our challenges. Paddy Kelly, one of our producers, helped with the logistics. We had to find a way to communicate and get John to reveal things about himself that we could tell in the most entertaining way possible. The difficulty was how to end the film because his career is front-loaded, and there is no ‘finishing on a high’. So for me, the walking through the streets of New York from dusk till dawn was helpful to provide a spine for the film and a natural endpoint in Patty [his wife]—this woman who, I think, in many ways, kind of saved his life. So, there’s a love story, starting from his childhood home to the place he lives in now as the sun rises. For me, that’s a very cinematic start and end. That’s what gave me the structure I needed. Another challenge was the logistics of speaking with John and planning what we needed to communicate, etc.

 

C: It’s evident that McEnroe entrusted you to allow access to his nearest and dearest. I found the film more revealing than anything I’ve seen or read about him previously. His children speak frankly about McEnroe as a father, and I was very surprised when Patty Smyth reveals that she has always felt he is on the autism spectrum. How did you earn his trust for him to open up in the way that he did?

D: When filming, you have to create an environment that will enable the subject to slowly open up and explore something in the journey. I don’t think for a second that John went in thinking that this was what was going to happen. For me, the last 20 minutes of the film are like a therapy session, where it really feels like he’s discovering stuff. That is very much what I wanted to get to as a filmmaker. I didn’t want it to be a pre-thought thing where John decided what he would say. It took time to get to because as a skilled broadcaster, John is used to bite-size pieces of information, trotting out the same stories, etc. I had to get past that and bring his energy down and start to find ways into this maze in a different way. For example, he struggled with my question ‘what do you think love is?’ but that turned the conversation into a different direction and that’s what I’m always looking for really. I don’t think he set out for it to be this raw. But as you said, he’s a very authentic, open person and I earned that trust by helping him understand that the documentary wasn’t going to be used against him in a way that was unfair.

C: I love the metaphorical scenes with computer graphics converting a tennis court into a chessboard, or a map of McEnroe’s brain! And the vibe of McEnroe walking through the New York streets at night (I noticed, wearing vintage Nike sneakers from the 80’s). Tell me about the creative process behind this.

D: Well, there was another advert from a similar time, showing John in a long coat walking through Times Square. That was one of the early images that I saw of him. When making a film, I usually get an image which leaves an impression on me and then everything almost blossoms from there. Well, that was the image that set me on that path. I then looked at 80s and 90s New York films which brought the visual aesthetic to include all those things that I wanted to see in New York at night. I wanted the city to be empty. I wanted it to look like we were wandering through the mind of McEnroe. I wanted to elevate the visual level of the film beyond the normal sports biopic-type film, into something very cinematic. By evoking the era, we used graphics that were inspired by aesthetics like the 80’s sci-fi film Tron. That’s where it all started. 

 

C: You captured that vibe so well. I love the music score, especially during the Gerulaitis partying years. The music elevated the atmosphere of the film. Did you have input into that?

D: Music to me is so fundamental in cinema. You can have a pretty mundane piece of footage, but with the right music, it can mean so much more. For me it was always a big part of it. Every element of the film, the sound design, the graphics, everything needed to fit well and elevate it. I love being involved in the music and working with Felix White [the composer] is a joy. Felix was formally in a band called the Maccabees. He’s a terrific, creative, open sort of person who really understood the heart of the film and what I was trying to get to. We worked very closely, sending bits of music back and forth via our iPhones, including clips of film imagery. I’d send him colours, saying, “I want it to sound like this colour”. That creativity to me is a really fun part of filmmaking.

 

C: There are big name contributions from Borg, Billie Jean King, Federer, and Nadal. Borg’s extensive contribution is a testament to their close friendship, as he is known to be interview shy. Some of the scenes featuring Borg on a Swedish jetty were so calming—almost matching the subject to his surroundings. How did you convince Borg to give so much of his time? 

D: You’re right when you say that Borg respects John so much. They had a tremendous connection over so many years, and John is one of the few people that Borg will open up about and be more heartfelt about than anyone else. To have him in that calming environment kept him relaxed, and it was good cinematically, too. He is a really lovely guy. There are little things he reveals in his interview which hint at a deeper unexplored Borg (when he talks about death threats, walking through kitchens, walking away from tennis). But maybe that’s for someone else to explore more deeply. Borg’s filming took longer because of pandemic travel restrictions—we had to travel through Iceland to get into Sweden. Billie Jean King loves John. She was very keen to contribute and is probably my favourite interview because she is such a great storyteller—poetic, strong, and characterful with a great voice. She was fantastic. I wanted to feature people that knew John intimately, rather than those in the tennis media who would only tell you what they thought he was like.

 

C: Whilst working with him, was there something you observed about McEnroe that people would be surprised to know?

D: I found John challenging, but I really liked him. I liked his almost child-like insecurity. Like there’s a little boy still there for me. I don’t at all mean that in a disrespectful way, it is a very charming element of his personality. He seeks assurance from certain people around him—from people who he respects. I definitely feel that he is really misunderstood. Part of that is his fault, and part of that isn’t. It’s just a natural inability to connect in the right way that other people find acceptable. I think a lot of what he says comes from a good place and a good heart. I have a lot of empathy and sympathy in that respect for John, but I also love the fact that he’s authentic to the core, and not manipulating anything. 

 

C: That’s lovely to hear. In that way, I suppose he’s a true New Yorker, in his frankness—what you see is what you get. In stark contrast to us, Brits, who are culturally more reserved, New Yorkers say it as it is! 

D: Exactly. And that’s hard for a creative British person because a British person would do everything to ensure that someone’s not offended about something. So, you have to grow a thick skin pretty quickly when you’re making a film with John McEnroe and Patty and his family because they’re certainly going to tell you what they think! And that’s scary, but actually, once you’re used to it, it’s actually very useful. It’s very helpful.

 

C: Has making this film sparked an interest in you to make another tennis documentary? If so, who would be your choice of current player? 

D: That’s a tricky one, because I’d prefer to do a film on another past player, like Bjorn Borg. I think there’s a deep well with Borg that’s untapped. I’m less interested in current players because character-wise, I feel today’s tennis has become more ‘corporate’. I like working with an archive—there’s something so immersive and romantic about old film and beautiful film being restored and all that kind of stuff. However, if I had to do it, I really like Andy Murray, but it’s kind of already been done, hasn’t it? Djokovic’s character, background and childhood are interesting. Kyrgios is also fascinating and people like him because they often relate him to John. He’s the most cinematically explosive, as there are so many questions around him, so I think there’s definitely something to be done there, but I’m drawn to the more romantic ages. 

 

C: Your choice of Borg is interesting. The advantage, if you were to do a film on him, would be that you have already worked with him and built a rapport. This would also be a perfect combination after this film, wouldn’t it?

D: Yes, that would be some sequel, wouldn’t it! Actually, we did have a few interesting ideas in terms of how to make it a connected sequel which does interest me. Whether another tennis film is the right thing for me to do next, I’m not sure, but who knows? At the moment, I’m working on an ambitious documentary film about the environment, which is away from sport, and which I’m really excited and passionate about. I’d love to do two films at once, so I’m always open minded. You never know what is going to attract you. Sometimes, it’s that human element, as we’ve both said, that really sparks something.

 

C: And finally, your passion for this film has been so inspiring. I’ve loved learning about the process. It has been a pleasure meeting you and thank you so much for your time!

D: You’ve got to follow your passion. That’s how I started doing documentaries. I just had to make it happen, like you. I did other work at the same time, and you sort of inch your way forward, don’t you? And I don’t think you do that stuff if you don’t love storytelling essentially, which obviously is what writing is. So yeah, if you got that passion, then you just gotta keep going! 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

Since this interview, McEnroe the film won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Long Form Editing on 22 May 2023. It has also had the following accolades: 

EE BAFTA 2023 Longlist—Best documentary

1 x Producers Guild Nomination—Best documentary

2 x Critics Choice Nominations (for Best Sports Documentary and Best Cinematography)

3 x Sports Emmy Nominations (for Best Editing (winner), Best Music Direction, Best Graphics/VFX). 

Wimbledon’s quintessential ingredient

“The scene should be laid on a well-kept garden lawn. There should be bright warm sun overhead, and just sufficient breeze whispering through the trees and stirring the petals of the flowers to prevent the day from being sultry. Near at hand under the cool shadow of a tree, there should be strawberries and cream, an iced claret jug, and a few spectators who do not want to play, but are lovers of the game, intelligent and appreciative.” 

 

Strawberries and cream are synonymous with joyful things: British summer time, high tea, picnics, lawn tennis but above all, with Wimbledon. Whilst the quintessential British tennis party scene described on the left feels so relevant today, it was in fact written in 1881 by Lieutenant- Colonel R.D. Osborn when describing the perfect tennis party in his book Lawn Tennis—Its Players and How to Play. Today, the symbiotic association between Wimbledon and strawberries is palpable even in the modern lexicon of emojis. On social media, the strawberry emoji together with the tennis ball are often enough to encapsulate one of the most famous tournaments in the world.

Arguably, no other major or professional tennis tournament is as strongly linked to a fruit, as is Wimbledon. The strawberry even has a starring role in Wimbledon’s favourite cocktail, Pimm’s. In terms of history and tradition, Wimbledon surpasses any other tournament. Of its many traditions, one of the most recognised is the serving and consumption of strawberries and cream. It is evident that Wimbledon upholds and values this emblematic association which has been lucrative for the brand. Browse through the Wimbledon shop on the official website, and there is a plethora of strawberry-themed merchandise for sale, including jewellery, magnets, mugs, keyrings, scented candles, babygrows, and even vibration dampeners! In 2016, British jewellery brand Links of London collaborated with Wimbledon to produce an exclusive limited- edition sterling silver collection, featuring an iconic cream-dipped strawberry charm.

Also in 2016, Wimbledon’s association with strawberries was catapulted to a whole new level, thanks to tennis superfan Chris Fava. The senior art director from California, USA queued overnight for a ticket, and arrived at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), dressed as ‘Strawberry Man’, consisting of a giant strawberry costume, accessorised perfectly with a carton of cream in one hand, and a bright green calyx-shaped hat. Fava’s alter ego created such a media frenzy, that Wimbledon immortalised this unofficial strawberry mascot in much of its publicity the following year. This included a full-page photo in the official Wimbledon programme, a video animation of Strawberry Man screened on videos in The Queue, a billboard poster in The Queue, and even a feature in the ‘Iconic Moments of Wimbledon’ official jigsaw puzzle! Fava later donated his costume to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, who duly displayed it next to the outfits of the 2016 men’s and ladies’ champions, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, thus becoming a part of Wimbledon history. When I asked him why he specifically chose the strawberry for the inspiration for his costume, Fava replied, “Because of course strawberries and cream are so symbolic of Wimbledon. The year before, I wore a different costume (‘Mr Sunshine’) which was far too intricate with too many components, so I needed something simpler and more impactful. Coming from an art background, I wanted to design a costume that was visually powerful, as it had to stand out in the crowd as well as for television viewers. Another important aspect about the strawberry costume was that it was red, and Wimbledon is literally all green. Red and green are complementary colours and complementary colours make each other pop. And voila, a new character was born!”¹ 

So how and when did the humble strawberry become so inextricably linked to Wimbledon? 

Whilst there is currently insufficient histo- rical information to definitively answer this question, some sources, although inconclusive, suggest that strawberries could have been served and enjoyed at Wimbledon as far back as the very first Championships in 1877. What is certain, is that strawberries have been enjoyed at The Championships since at least the early 1900s, as featured in books of the period. The Kenneth Ritchie Library at the AELTC, holds an intriguing and hilarious memory² relating to former Wimbledon champion Blanche Hillyard, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 1907: “up until now, she had won six Ladies’ Singles titles at the Wimbledon Championships between 1889 and 1900. As she had been nervous, she did not have any lunch and thought that she would be better off eating after her game. The match was interrupted by rain and play was stopped around teatime. A hungry Mrs. Hillyard saw this opportunity and summoned the waitress to bring her something to eat. She asked for some bread and butter, a bath bun, and a pot of tea. However, the waitress continued to be called. She ate six or seven biscuit cakes; two or three slices of other cake; two bath buns; six or seven slices of bread and butter; three plates of beautiful strawberries provided for the players and three or four cups of tea. Unaware that the rain had stopped, she took a nap, awoken by the referee to invite her back onto court. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t make it to the final. She complained bitterly to the Committee and even wrote to the Daily Mail newspaper”. 

In her book Wimbledon Story, Nora Gordon Cleather (Acting Club Secretary during WW2), describes her first visit to Wimbledon in 1917: “Instead of the horse which had been grazing on the neglected tea-lawn, strawberries and cream were being served from the trestle tables to a long line of laughing people”.³

But to piece the puzzle together, we have to go even further back in history and intriguingly, there is a royal connection. 

The connection between strawberries and tennis appears to have begun almost as early as that of strawberries and cream. Strawberries were brought to the UK from America during the 16^th Century.⁴ Between 1526 and 1529, King Henry VIII had a tennis court built at Hampton Court Palace for his Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey⁵. It was Cardinal Wolsey who supposedly brought strawberries to Henry VIII⁶ who was notably fond of food, and it was also Cardinal Wolsey that introduced the combination of strawberries with cream as a dessert at the King’s banquet in 1509. This would have been a most unusual and daring combination because until this moment, dairy was very much considered peasant food⁷. Thanks to Cardinal Wolsey, it was elevated to royal status! Strawberries were also grown at the palace, about eight miles away from Worple Road, the site of the original Championships at Wimbledon. But the 16^th Century saw a very different variety of strawberry compared to the plumper, redder and sweeter version we know today. This may explain why cream was used, perhaps to sweeten the wild strawberries at the time which would have been more bitter and sour than today’s variety. Either way, the combination was a gastronomical hit!

Today, we can enjoy strawberries all year round (thanks to polytunnels, refrigeration and technological advances in agriculture). But in the 19^th Century when the first Wimbledon tournament began, strawberries were not so readily available, had a very short growing season and thus were a luxury. It was de rigueur to be seen to enjoy them, so it suited the fashionable upper classes to show them off at Victorian tea parties, which featured strawberries in some form or other, whether as a jam or taken as a dessert with cream after food. The most plausible theory to explain the historical Wimbledon association, is that in 1877, strawberries were only available for a few weeks a year. Most compellingly, those weeks coincided with the Wimbledon fortnight at the time. Their luxury status suited the upper-class spectators that attended The Championships in the 19th Century. Much like The Championships, they were something to look forward to, a short burst of pleasure once a year. 

With such a short season, they would have had to have been grown nearby, or certainly within railway travelling distance of The Championships. Railways had already arrived by 1877⁸, and the land around Worple Road (the original site of The Championships) would have consisted of orchards and fields before houses were built. The English Heritage website explains: “the development of the railways during the 19th century meant the fruit could be picked and transported to London on the same day to ensure the utmost freshness. This tradition continues in the 21st century today”.⁹ The variety we know of today was originally grown in Kew Gardens, a short five mile distance from Worple Road. 

Today, Wimbledon’s strawberries are provided by Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, who have supplied the AELTC with strawberries for over 25 years¹⁰. The strawberries for Wimbledon are picked fresh at sunrise each day of The Championships, and hand selected by expert pickers to ensure that they are Wimbledon quality. Once picked, they are delivered to the AELTC by 9am where they are inspected, hulled and ready for visitors to enjoy by 11am. According to the Wimbledon website, “each year more than 38.4 tons of strawberries (1.92 million strawberries to be precise) … are picked and consumed during the tournament. That’s more than 140,000 punnets!”¹¹

As with all things associated with Wimbledon and royalty, the fashionable allure of this heart-shaped berry extended to the art world of the 19^th Century. With its striking red, pink and green colour palette, it is no wonder that the strawberry was once the exotic subject for the most renowned artists of the 19^th Century. Pierre Auguste Renoir’s Still Life with Strawberries (1880) and Édouard Manet’s Strawberries (c.1882) particularly come to mind. But one that stands out is Strawberries by American artist Robert Spear Dunning. Dunning painted this in 1877, the year of the very first Wimbledon Championships. Make of that what you will… 

The popularity of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon extends beyond the tennis spectator. The treat has also been a hit for tennis players wanting sustenance between matches and training (although perhaps with a little more restraint today, than during Blanche Hillyard’s rain delay feast!) Tennis players are known for being superstitious and sticking to a routine that works for them. Some of the routines we have watched through the years have ranged from the intriguing to the downright bizarre, whether that be the avoidance of stepping onto court lines during a match, ensuring an exact number of bounces before serving, or tying shoes in a certain way, to name a few. But there was a fruitier routine by one player during Wimbledon 2022.

In her successful run up to the quarter finals, WTA player Marie Bouzková credited strawberries for her success. During her post-match interview after beating Caroline Garcia, she spoke of having “like 100 routines”. One of those consisted of eating strawberries with her team after every match, “Right now, I am eating strawberries and cream with our team. That is our tradition after every match. We have to keep that going.”¹² 

Whilst preserving its history and tradition, Wimbledon has also managed to evolve with modern times. In 2021, Wimbledon upped its strawberries and cream game by introducing a vegan plant-based cream alternative to accompany its strawberries, making them more accessible and inclusive than ever. As part of Wimbledon’s drive for environmental sustainability and to reduce carbon emissions, the treat is now served in recycled cardboard packaging, replacing the plastic cartons of the past. 

Whilst the strawberry once allegedly symbolised Venus, the mythological goddess of love, due to its red heart shape, and supposed aphrodisiac qualities¹³, today it is the strawberry’s love affair with Wimbledon that remains imperishable. Of all things served on the hallowed courts of Wimbledon, the strawberry can never be over-served! 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

¹ Fava, C (2023), Online Interview by Amisha Savani for Courts Magazine, 9.5.2023

² Lancashire Evening Post, 6.07.1907 & literature provided by The Kenneth Ritchie Library, AELTC

³ Cleather, Nora Gordon, Wimbledon Story (Sporting Handbooks, 1947)

⁴ www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/history-of-the-strawberry

⁵ www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/whats-on/royal-tennis-at-hampton-court/#gs.wsnq9i

⁶ www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/fascinating-facts-strawberries

⁷ http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/surrey/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8756000/8756132.stm

⁸ www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/9712607.heritage-when-trains-first-arrived-at-wimbledon/

⁹ www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/blog/blog-posts/a-brief-history-of-english-strawberries/

¹⁰ www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/about_wimbledon/2018-06-30_our_producers.html

¹¹ www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/about_wimbledon/2018-06-30_our_producers.html

¹² www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2022-07-03/bouzkova_dream_run_continues.html

¹³ www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/fascinating-facts-strawberries

 

With special thanks to Robert McNicol, Emma Traherne, Rachel Flaxman and Tessa Croker at the Kenneth Ritchie Library and Museum, and Sarah Frandsen at the Photo Library, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon.

Judy Murray

Championing the female workforce, from mentor to author

Judy Murray is not someone who likes to rest on her laurels, ever looking for the next project. Since appearing on the BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, doors have opened to a whole new world outside of tennis coaching. Judy has grasped this new world and platforms with vigour.

Firstly, a little bit about my original encounter with Judy. Supporting and championing women has always been integral to the projects Judy has undertaken. Having started my coaching career in Spain for Davis Cup captain Manuel Santana, I decided to come back to England to coach.

Judy was giving a pre-Wimbledon lecture on how to travel as a coach with groups of junior players. The topics covered areas of budgeting, the cost of trips and how to protect everybody’s well-being whilst on the tour. I had previously found difficulty obtaining certain information with regards to setting up tours to Tennis Europe’s and ITF tournaments, so this education was invaluable and something I then went on to succeed in. Judy and I talked afterwards and I could see straight away that she was very supportive of female coaches and passionate about lifting up women with in promoting women the industry.

Our next meeting came about after I had been selected to take a group of top juniors to a competition running alongside the Davis Cup in Birmingham (one of them being Harriet Dart, current British No 4 and previous No 1). As a young coach, it was one of the biggest events I had taken part in. Judy was there, supported me and spent time talking to all the young players—this was the foundation of our mentor association.

A few years later, when Judy received the post of the Fed Cup captain (the competition is now known as the Billie Jean King Cup), I was selected to go as part of a female coach group alongside the Fed Cup team. This was another initiative Judy had started. We were very much integrated into the team so we really got a feel of what it would be like to be captain and support the female team and players. This had been a great experience for me when I later went on to join the Tennis Europe U16 coaching team. I followed this with a coaching role in the U18 ITF Grand Slam Player Development team, finally working with some of the players on the women›s tour.

 

In 2020, Judy was offered the chance to present the ITV series Driving Forces. Here she had the opportunity to interview females ranked at the top of their sport. This series highlighted the difficulties women still face in sport. The idea was to try and pave the way for female opportunities in the sporting industry. The exposure these types of shows bring hopefully serves as an inspiration to females in sport and coaching. Now, at another stage of Judy’s life, she has ventured into fiction writing with her first novel, The Wild Card. Never afraid to expose issues that need to be covered, this book addresses one of the industry’s very important topics—and one that needs to be discussed more.

Courts: Judy, congratulations on the book. At the start of the book, you describe the feeling of walking around Wimbledon so well, it really took me back to when I was a young player who dreamt of playing there one day. It was so memorable, I felt like I had gone back in time. When you were younger, did you have aspirations of playing Wimbledon, and at what age did you first go to The All England Lawn Tennis Club?

Judy Murray: I first went when I was 15, to the British Junior Championships, which were played on the shale courts. I played in the qualifying doubles event that was held, I think, at the Bank of England, Roehampton, but I wasn›t at the level for junior Wimbledon. As a student, I participated in the whole experience of queuing to get into Wimbledon. Luckily, my aunt didn’t live too far away, in Woodford Green, so we stayed the night and queued up the next morning. We were fortunate to have the opportunity of watching a final between Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter. It was very memorable.

 

C: The All England Lawn Tennis Club is a special place; I feel there is no other venue in tennis quite like it. I still get butterflies when I approach the club. What feelings do you experience, bar the nerves of watching your sons?

JM: It is a very special place, and now that I am a member, I get to experience it outside of the Championships when it is a different place and very quiet. My experiences over the years have changed from being a fan and spectator to being a parent and coach of players. Andy and Jamie first played the junior event in 2002, and in 2023 I am still going in a parent capacity!

 

C: What and who inspired you to write a novel?

JM: Well, many people think about writing a book but probably never do it. Anton Du Beke, whom I partnered with in Strictly Come Dancing, persuaded me to write the book as he himself had written a few novels. He introduced me to his literary agent and it went from there. The team at Orion Books have guided me through, and been a great sounding board to bounce ideas off.

 

C: What was the most difficult part of the writing process?

JM: The flow of it, and I like when a storyline goes back and forth with past and present situations. I just wanted to make sure that I balanced the tennis with experiences and made it interesting but not too technical.

 

C: This is your second book, the first being factual, this one being fictional. Which have you found easier?

JM: The memoir was easier as it’s chronologi-cal and it was about my experiences in life. I had those real situations to draw on rather than creating characters as I did in the fictional novel. I felt though that I had so much experience and knowledge with goings on from the Tour, that I could draw upon and create from those events. I also wanted to show how much support you need to make it as a professional player. It was important to me that I showed there are still many challenges for a woman in the workplace.

 

C: The book covers a very important issue of an inappropriate relationship between the characters Abigail Patterson and Cole Connolly, the player and the coach. You cover the issue of a teenage player being blindsided into a physical relationship. Why do you think this occurs so much on the female tennis circuit and did the announcement by Pam Shriver about the inappropriate relationship with her coach influence your writings? 

JM: Yes, my character, Abigail, is very similar to Pam’s situation. I think it shows that when a player is older and more confident, they feel able to speak out, but this is too late. Safeguarding is being addressed more by the WTA so younger players can understand when situations are not right and have someone to talk to about it.

 

C: Did you feel that this was a good platform to use to address these matters?

JM: Yes, it is an opportunity to raise awareness as has happened in other sports. In gymnastics there were really traumatic cases where athletes were frightened. The gymnasts were worried they would lose their place in the team if they spoke up about the abuse by the team doctor. In my experiences, I have heard similar situations where girls are afraid to speak out. Raising awareness enables it to be easier to talk about emotional and inappropriate behaviour.

 

C: What changes would you like to see to educate girls in their awareness on the subject? How can they feel more comfortable addressing these matters, without there being a stigma attached to speaking up?

JM: The more people speak up, the more courage other people will have, and it normalises it. The very important thing is that it needs to be taken seriously and acted upon. Every country needs to have more safeguarding, and the WTA have recently implemented more safeguarding positions, creating safe spaces to talk. It is vital that there are more females in decision-making jobs, providing equal opportunities and also because men and women think and see things differently. 

 

C: How do you think the sport should open up at the elite level to female coaches, fitness trainers? Would it be good to encourage male coaches to work alongside female coaches as part of a team so that it becomes more natural?

JM: Yes, men and women need to work together more. After all, it’s a 50/50 world, and at the moment, it’s dominated in female tennis by male coaches, fitness trainers, physiotherapists and agents. It is very hard to speak out in that dominated world.

 

C: Being a coach in this area myself, I know it is not easy to open doors, even when you get results. Do you think, as there are visually few female mentors doing the day to day job this discourages women from going into the coaching profession?

JM: Yes, there needs to be a higher female coach profile. The majority of the decisions come from the top. Currently, that is still a very male-dominant society in tennis, there needs to be more positions for women and also in an advisory capacity.

 

C: What surprised you the most when writing the book?

JM: How long it took—about a year and a half and the process of continually going back and forth over things! I had a lot of help from Orion Books and the female writing team that was invaluable, I also learnt to be more patient!

 

C: Have you always been an avid reader? I suppose it has been a helpful tool when travelling and trying to keep you calm before watching Andy’s and Jamie’s matches?

JM: I read a lot. It definitely helps when travelling. I am very particular about grammar and spelling, I loved studying English at school!

 

C: Did you learn anything about yourself when writing the book?

JM: Just the satisfaction of achieving another challenge. When the finished book lands on your doorstep, it really gives you that wow moment. 

 

C: Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer? Who are you reading at the moment?

JM: I love different authors, especially female writers. At the moment, I’m reading Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs. When I started writing, I looked at things from a different perspective and I had more appreciation for writers. With my book, I wanted to have a twist in the storyline but also to have an important message.

 

C: Do you have thoughts of writing another novel? 

JM: Yes, I have a two book deal with Orion, so there is another one in the making!

 

C: With the grass court season upon us, do you have any players you think we should keep an eye out on?

JM: I like watching the juniors and looking for potential. I always enjoy watching those who are a little bit different and have a lot of character. I am looking forward to having a look at Mira Andreeva.

Judy told me that her next projects involve building a tennis academy in Dunblane as a legacy to Andy’s and Jamie’s playing careers. The centre has been in the planning for years with the hope of opening in 2025. There is also the second novel to be written, and Judy continues to be an active grandmother to her five grandchildren. Who knows if we will see another Murray on the pro tennis circuit?

Judy’s book The Wild Card is out now. 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

The Invisible Hand

Tennis, in its essence, is a fundamentally egalitarian sport. Two players enter the court and the best of them that day wins—at least in theory. There is not much left to ambiguity. The rules of the game are clearly defined and, with the advent of line calling technology, there’s not much left to interpret: the ball is either in or out, the stroke is legal or not, a player has or hasn’t committed a breach of the rules of the game—such as by touching the net during play. Only when we zoom out from the micro level to the macro level, from the heat of the action to how both players earned their place in the match, is when the true realities of the game come to the fore.

The game itself is an egalitarian sport but the forces shaping a player’s career, the inertia of their trajectory—or to put it simply, the route by virtue of which they were allowed to enter the court, is quite often beyond their direct control.

“Eat what you kill” is the mantra of every tennis player. If you win a match, you earn points and progress in your career. If you lose, you go home hoping for a better tomorrow. But as professionals realise at the early stages of their careers, no effort is rewarded in the same way as another. A three-set, four-hour victory in the Round of 16 at a Challenger 75 event, which earned you 16 ranking points, would have enabled you to pick up 45 points at an ATP 250 tournament. That may not seem like much of a difference, but if you’re ranked 300 on the pro circuit, it means around 60 places in the ranking—and a potential place in the qualifying round of one of the year’s four Grand Slams.

Tennis is an egalitarian sport. All players are afforded the same chances to become the best. But between all the equals, there are those who are a bit more equal than others. Just as in a video game, some are given the opportunity to skip a few levels and test their mettle at a higher tier of the game, where the same amount of effort may yield inordinately better results. 

An article in The Guardian from April 2021 draws an interesting parallel between Clara Tauson and Holger Rune, two Danish tennis prodigies. Despite coming from humble beginnings, and although both fly the flag for a federation with little influence on the sport, their paths couldn’t be more different. “While Tauson has had to grind to the top 100, Holger Rune, 17 and ranked 323, has had the red carpet laid out for him. Since March he has received a wildcard at seven of the eight events he has played, including a main-draw wildcard at the Monte Carlo Masters. For Rune, those opportunities stem from the influence of his sponsors, agency and the prominent French academy at which he trains”, continues the article.  Even without a large sponsorship base, belonging to a strong federation is an undeniable advantage. Promising players benefit from financial support, wildcards for events organised in their country and access to top coaches. In an environment where leapfrogging the professional ladder has become the norm for the sport’s young elite, the absence of support from home isn’t just a lack of advantage, it’s often a distinct disadvantage.

I spoke to Daniel-Sacha Fradkoff, one of the masterminds behind EDGE International—along with his partners Clement Ducasse, Luca Bassi and Gabriella Ferraz—a tennis agency that represents promising young players. Courts has featured them in previous issues of the magazine to enable its readers to get a regular behind-the-scenes look at the world of tennis. The agency goes to great lengths to provide its players with the logistical, coaching and sometimes legal support they need to fight their way to the top of the game.

Most players under contract with EDGE cannot expect significant support from their respective federations. Apart from a handful of American players, the majority hail from countries such as Belarus, Slovenia, Croatia, Ukraine or Russia—all of which have limited tennis clout. How can less eminent federations develop their players? In the words of Daniel-Sacha, “If you’re not a Grand Slam federation like France or a prosperous federation like Germany, the question becomes, how do you really help your players?”

EDGE believe they have found an innovative solution, as evidenced by its collaboration with Tenis Slovenija. The Slovenian tennis federation regularly produces good players in both the men’s and women’s categories. How does it manage to adapt to the realities of the tennis world? To find out, Courts contacted Gregor Krusic, the current Director and CEO of Tenis Slovenija. 

The federation promotes tennis in a variety of ways, including by organising a large number of tournaments. In addition, former top-100 players mentor promising teenagers. They have also built modern facilities where players can train on a variety of surfaces, both indoor and outdoor. And this year, the Fed Cup team qualified for the BJK Cup finals for the first time. Yet, despite these impressive achievements, Tenis Slovenija was looking for more expertise and resources to support its players. 

“At Tenis Slovenija,” explained Gregor, “having done all the groundwork, we started focusing on top-level tennis in 2021. We did so by staging 15 professional tournaments, including a WTA 250 as well as 23 Tennis Europe and ITF events for juniors. We also began actively collaborating with our member clubs by hiring coaches specialised in developing young players. In youth competitions, we generously support budding players through the National Youth Teams Programme, which provides coaching assistance, funding for international tournaments and additional financial support for development needs.” 

After a short pause, Gregor added that they needed to find something more specific for their top players transitioning from the junior to the professional level. “Could we set up a special form of cooperation, for instance by taking over—financially or in kind—the costs of a player’s expert team, which represent a large part of a season’s expenditure? Players would no longer have to meet the expenses of a head coach, assistant coach and fitness trainer, nor travel costs for tournaments or training camps. The investments would be used for other important aspects of a player’s development, such as physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition and the like. We believe that all these aspects are essential to a player’s development, and that it’s not just hard work that leads to better results. And of course, we do our best to provide wildcards to our players, which are important opportunities/milestones in their journey.”

All this explains why Tenis Slovenija has entered into a new type of partnership with EDGE. Henceforth, the two entities have been working more and more closely together with the sole aim of promoting the players they select and offering them the tools needed in today’s professional tennis world. “Tenis Slovenija comes to us and says that it firmly believes in this 17-year-old boy or that 14-year-old girl”, said Daniel-Sacha. “It knows the players, it knows their families and it knows how best to help them. Of course, EDGE does its own due diligence which, if successful, leads to the signing of a tripartite agreement.”

In such a case, both Tenis Slovenija and EDGE commit to providing a range of services aimed at enabling the players who are selected to follow the best possible path in order to reach the pinnacle of their talent. “Although Tenis Slovenija invests money and in-kind benefits to help its players, the goal isn’t to increase the federation’s capital assets”, he explained. “If things go well, the money it gets back is invested in other Slovenian players.” 

Gregor observed that “EDGE indeed also invests money along with us, but that’s not really the point nor what this is about. What they bring to the table are all those services which are normally reserved for top-10 players and that are provided by a world-class team of experts. Our Slovenian players typically benefit from statistical reports and use analytical tools that serve both to better understand the opponent’s game and to identify their own strengths and weaknesses.”

He then gave me another example of the services provided by EDGE: “Our players have access to Dieter Calle, the ‘Belgium Wizard’ in charge of racquet customisation. They then understand that even a mere tweaking can change the balance of their racquet, the resulting ball strike and, ultimately, their feel. This bespoke work isn’t just a whim, nor is it simply about optimising a piece of equipment: it enables physiological and biomechanical work, which in turn identifies areas where players can improve their performance.”

“In addition, EDGE regularly sends tennis specialists to observe and help our players and offer a range of services such as stringing and physiotherapy at major events. They also have access to EDGE’s training facilities and experts around the world: for example in Florida with legendary coach Rick Macci; in Switzerland with a world-class fitness trainer as well as a nutritionist; or in Germany with the opportunity to take part in Bundesliga team matches, for which they receive financial compensation.” 

With or without such partnerships, the objectives remain the same. A federation benefits from the success of its athletes, the sum of their players’ achievement constituting their raison d’être. As soon as the agreement between the player, the federation and EDGE is signed, the latter’s professionals set out to work in order to meet any ad hoc requests which that player may have. At this point, let’s go back a few years in time. In November 2019, Alycia Parks—not yet part of the EDGE team—was involved in a quasi-physical altercation with her opponent during the ITF W60 Round of 16 in Las Vegas. She was initially fined at the event (as was the other girl), but then suspended by the ITF a few months after the incident had been reviewed. EDGE’s legal team successfully appealed the decision to a court of arbitration in London and she was able to continue to play instead of falling in the rankings. 

Another episode illustrates the previous remarks about the helping hand of federations. Although Parks is American—and the USTA is one of the major planets in the tennis universe—she obtained her very first WTA wildcard with EDGE’s help, via a main draw in a European tournament. It was there that Parks (then ranked 300th) earned her first victory over a top-100 player, beating Anna-Lena Friedsam, prior to losing in three sets to a top 50 player. At the time of writing, Parks is ranked in the top-50 in singles and top-40 in doubles, both career highs. 

Tenis Slovenija hopes that those of its players who have signed with EDGE will enjoy the same support and follow similar paths. “When Tenis Slovenija organises tournaments in Slovenia, they help some of our players by providing them with training facilities and opportunities. At the same time, we help their players in other parts of the world, for example in Florida before the Orange Bowl. As fully-fledged partners, we really do our utmost to succeed together.”

The depth of the relationship is best illustrated by Daniel-Sacha’s next piece of information. “We have players from all over the world”, he pointed out. “And it helps when federations send us an invitation in which they offer them the possibility of taking part in a tournament or training session in their country. The heart of the partnership is whatever one party sees it can help the other with. I’ll give you another example. Slovenia stages a great tournament in Portoroz, which used to be a WTA 125. We came up with extra resources and support, and that’s how it became a WTA 250 tournament last year, which is obviously interesting for all of us.”

To help its players, EDGE is currently developing the network of federations with which it has entered into agreements. And that’s not all. When Daniel-Sacha explained his agency’s project in more detail, involving a complicated and extensive network of contacts and opportunities, it became clear to me just how much it takes to get to the top. While tennis is by its very nature an individualistic sport, it’s obvious that no player can reach the top alone. 

In a 2021 Sports Interview documentary on Andrey Rublev, the Russian player revealed that he spent $600,000 a year on his team (for the record, he earned $2.1 million in prize money in 2020). This amount includes the salaries of two trainers, a physiotherapist and a fitness expert, as well as flights and accommodation for his entourage. But even in the lowest rungs of the professional tennis ladder, it takes an average of over $50,000 a year to really be able to compete. 

Professional tennis is a highly complex machine. To succeed, promising players need to surround themselves with people who are aware of how this machine actually operates: well-connected industry experts who know not only what its various gears and cogs do, but also how to make it run smoothly and ensure it doesn’t break down. 

To be honest, the way most of the big traditional players in the tennis industry operate today makes me somewhat uncomfortable. It’s a far cry from the situation where two players send a ball over the net and the better of the two wins. The tennis world they live in is made up of favours, back scratching, arrangements, promises and money. Lots and lots of money. 

Under the current system, organic opportunities rewarding players for their performances aren’t allocated equally. When world number one Iga Swiatek broke into the top-100 rankings in 2019 by reaching the Lugano final, she did so without having received a single wildcard up to that point. By comparison, The Guardian refers in its April 2021 report to the 71 wildcards awarded to Ryan Harrison, a former American prodigy who peaked at world No 40 and is currently ranked 590th. 

Sustained professional tennis is a game within a game, which EDGE is beginning to master with great skill. Partnering with federations is just one way among others of playing this intricate game. The French, Australian and American federations are known for exchanging wildcards to give their players access to the world’s major tennis tournaments, while the big tennis agencies own a number of other events. The result is a closed circuit that is difficult to break as an outsider. 

Through its partnerships, EDGE opens doors to young talents. As it expands, the network of this “invisible hand” might well overturn the current hierarchy of influence in tennis, leading to new opportunities for players hailing from second-tier countries. 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

Laurent Perbos

Beyond the lines

Laurent Perbos is an artist whose practice encompasses various mediums such as painting, photography, installation, and even performance, but sculpture remains his preferred terrain. Laurent Perbos was born in 1971 in Bordeaux, in the south of France. Today, he lives and works in Marseille and Paris.

Courts: Who or what are your inspirations? 

Laurent Perbos: Inventorying the forms of relations between the two poles, the work and the viewer, seems essential to me. My artistic practice is based on popular references, which tends to share a certain complicity between the work and the public, by relying on the idea of a collective sensitivity and by considering “art as a state of encounter”.

In general, my artistic research mainly involves mass activities and entertainment derived from popular cultures (such as games, sports, DIY, etc.), all within a logic of diversion and the pursuit of a unique yet somewhat trivial distinction.

C: When did the idea of interactive installations come to you?

L.P: It seems essential to me to classify the different forms of relationships between the artistic work and the spectator. Practising the art of deception and simulacrum, I embrace aesthetics of failure or idiocy, and explore the interrelational and playful possibilities of art.

Specifically, in a series of works related to sports, I engage in the appropriation of already existing game accessories, such as ping-pong tables or soccer balls, and subvert their established rules. The spectator is then offered games, initially well-defined, that stray from their intended purposes, transgress their rules and provoke alternative reflections on the notions of failure and success, competitiveness and competition, entertainment or work. My intention is to create a space for play, an artwork that serves as a field for both physical and intellectual exchange.

I belong to a generation of artists who emerged in the 1990s and no longer believe in the artistic radicalism of the 1960s, nor do we think that art alone can bring about significant social changes. With a certain irony and perhaps a seeming lack of ideologies, I reveal a clear interest in social interactions in almost all of my works. Some of them can even be interpreted as political. Naturally, the objects I chose to manipulate in my early sculptures were sports articles, well-known to everyone and offering an undeniable complicity with the audience.

What better starting point is there to create new situations of exchange with the spectator than sports? These moments of distraction and play introduce, within the walls of the white cube, rules that, although known to all, remain so different from the modalities of the exhibition.

C: What is most important to you as an artist?

L.P: The most important aspect for me is to provide the viewer with a certain aesthetic pleasure. Conscious of the limits of appropriation, I strive to reveal the artistic properties and components of familiar objects, their poetic resonance, and their potential for representation. I constantly attempt to make the object’s characteristics disappear in order to perceive it as raw material for genuine sculptural work, and subsequently to bring it into the realm of abstraction and evocation. 

While the titles of the works are open to interpretations, they nevertheless remain undetermined, and open to a game of associations, some more accurate than others. My works question how ordinary things, once revisited through artistic gestures and reintroduced into their designated spaces, can present themselves in ways that go beyond mere images.

C: Which of your creations makes you proud the most?

L.P: In recent years, a new poetic inspiration has fueled my work. The installation “Oxymore” is a prime example as it represents a significant step in the process of bridging the gap between artwork and language.

After making trees, birds and antique statues cry, I have transformed into an alchemist, altering the substance and value of a collection of objects gathered like treasures. Casts of ancient statues, glistening golden breeze blocks, and oversized crystal blocks—these elements play with their form, symbolism, and material to simultaneously express and contradict a state.

Through this installation, my intention is to materialise poetic evocations through the accumulation of multiple sculptures. I employ symbolic or allegorical images such as ivory, gold, or ancient statuary and invent a narrative for them. I manipulate ideas and representations, appropriating literary techniques like oxymoron, ellipsis, and metaphor to create ambivalent mental and visual images. In this way, the narrative imposes itself upon the image, leaving it to the spectators to complete or create alternative storylines.

C: How do people react to your art?

L.P: I often construct my exhibitions as initiatory tales. The spectator then moves through an imaginary world in which objects come to life through the unconventional roles I assign to them. 

It is a world in which things have undergone both formal and philosophical metamorphosis. I use symbolic or allegorical images such as rainbows, trees, or mythological figures and invent stories for them. It is through these stories that a sense of empathy is evoked in the spectator, leading to a personification of the subject matter. 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

Serving Up Hope

On an unusually chaotic day in the typically clamorous neighbourhood surrounding the red dirt courts of the Acholi Quarters—one of the poorest communities in Kampala—former touring pro Vania King stands among six rows of young children, clasping her racquet while they grab theirs: colourful, plastic prototypes made specifically for young players. She shouts “ready position” and the kids mimic her jumping in place, feet shoulder-width apart, both hands on the handle. Next up: shadowing King on the forehand and the backhand. Out of nowhere, King then grabs a bucket of big red balls and tosses easy hitters, while student after student aims and swings—some of the youngsters get a piece of the spongy, rotating orb used for beginners.

 “Nice try! It’s OK. Keep your eye on the ball!” King shouts encouragement. King had touched down in Uganda just a few days before in July 2022 directly from England, where she had played in the annual Wimbledon Invitation Doubles. She was hauling seven or eight bags stuffed with balls, racquets, shoes and bright-blue-and-pink-t-shirts with the words “Serving Up Hope” on the front—the “o” in HOPE a stencilled tennis ball with a heart in the middle. They promote King’s NGO, founded in 2020, as well as her new passion and career since retiring from the professional tour just two short years ago. 

“I had no idea that this would become what it has,” King says after the session. “Running an organisation is no easy task, but tough enough as it is, tennis has given me so many interesting, intersecting experiences and paths, I wanted to do something. 

“We started this at the smallest scale possible—30 kids playing every week—and now we currently teach 120 students annually.” Last winter, King took two stand-out players to South Africa to play their first international tournaments. 

In her heyday, King played for full stadium crowds at Wimbledon and the US Open, reaching a career high rankings of WTA No 3 in doubles and No 50 in singles, while picking up two Grand Slam Doubles championship trophies—Wimbledon and the US Open—along the way. At age 30, however, hampered by injuries and looking for change in her life, King called it quits at the 2021 Volvo Open in Charleston, South Carolina and returned to Uganda where she had found a mission. “I fell in love with the place and the people and I saw incredible need,” King says. “And I realised that volleying drills can be done anywhere—you just need a racquet and a ball.”

Serving Up Hope is one of several successful efforts to reignite professional tennis in sub-Saharan Africa. Previously led by South Africans in the 1960s and then Kenyans in the 1980s, from around 1995 to 2015, the continent experienced a drought of talented Futures and Challenger-level players, especially juniors, as governments struggled with stability and tennis associations across the region staved off corruption. Africa still has only one professional in the Top 10 of either the WTA or the ATP tours—WTA No 7 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia—and none from sub-Saharan Africa in the top 100, unless you count players whose parents were born in Africa and emigrated. But over the past seven or eight years, beginning with several International Tennis Federation (ITF) interventions, Africa is experiencing a tennis resurgence that could allow several players from previously unrepresented countries finally reach the top echelons of the sport. 

“We have a lot of good players in Africa,” says William Ndukwu, a London-based tennis coach and father of an emerging junior. Ndukwu started out as a ball boy at a Nigerian club and finished his career on the ITF World Tour, and has now coached his daughter, Alisha, 13, to the top 1,000 ITF Juniors in her first year. “But when you’re in a match and think about paying rent by winning the next game or helping your sick mom by getting to the final, you don’t play very well. That’s been the situation for a long time,”

The story of Africa’s emergence and then resurgence in the tennis world actually begins in 1971, when while waiting for the apartheid South African government to approve his visa to play at the South African Open in Johannesburg, Arthur Ashe and his pal Stan Smith went on a 2,500-mile tennis expedition of six African countries—Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana—giving tennis clinics, granting interviews and playing exhibition matches. Over the course of the next five years, Ashe played the first integrated tournament in South Africa, discovered French sensation Yannick Noah in Cameroon, attempted to set up a pro-tour in sub-Saharan Africa and quickly left that behind when, while playing at a tournament in Lagos, Nigeria, he was marched off court at gunpoint, during a political coup. After that, Ashe turned his efforts to tournaments in the States, Davis Cup and his health. 

More than 40 years later, several players from the Sahel region started gaining the attention of the ITF. Realising their potential, the ITF began its Grand Slam Player Development grants, giving Africa’s top players up to $50,000 to cover touring expenses and coaching. “Sometimes, a city doesn’t even have a sports shop that sells racquets. If you find one, it can ultimately cost three times the price of one in Europe,” says Frank Couraud, the development projects administrator at the ITF’s central office in London. Next, the ITF opened training hubs in Casablanca, Morocco and Nairobi, Kenya, to nurture future professionals’ ability—an effort that was recently relocated to Sousse, Tunisia, thanks to a partnership with the Tunisian Tennis Federation. The African Regional Training Centre will offer state-of-the-art facilities and provide talented players aged 13-18 with full-time training, schooling and competitive development.

It’s a good start, says Wanjuri Mbugua-Karani, the Secretary General of Tennis Kenya and a former top-five player in her home country, but it’s still not enough. “The big corporations… see Africa as a small market and therefore, no need to invest,” she says. 

 Mbugua-Karani estimates the required amount to be about $100,000 a year. “Africa has been able to produce very good junior players, but at the age of 16–18 when they should start playing professional tournaments, they lack the funds for travel and accommodation. “Africa needs to find a source for individual player sponsorship and for tournament sponsorship so we can hold ATP and WTA tournaments on the continent to greatly reduce the amount of travel expenses and foster a tennis culture here.”

Into this situation, King somehow stumbled. Her story starts out rather conventionally: on a break from the Tour, King went on safari to see mountain gorillas in Western Uganda. Following that, she started making a couple transcontinental trips per year to Uganda, always exceeding her luggage allowance. Soon enough, King decided to make her ventures legit, founding Serving Up Hope—one of the few tennis non-profit development organisations led by Grand-Slam-winning professional tennis players. It is currently the only one in Africa to offer both tennis lessons and STEM programming for underprivileged children. 

“Playing tennis, we are so hyper focused on what we are doing—we sacrifice everything for it,” King says, explaining the reasons she is one of the few players to parlay a former tennis career into NGO work. “It’s not really until I stopped that I could try new things. 

“These are kids whose families make less than two dollars a day. For them, tennis is an opportunity that they otherwise wouldn’t see. That’s our goal—using tennis as a platform to provide opportunities on and off the court.” 

While King takes on Uganda, many other local tennis associations and other patrons, especially Nigeria and Ghana, have started putting more money into tournament and training infrastructure—many with the aim of gaining junior sport scholarships in the States. “Our foundation basically tries to get players ready for these scholarships. We pay for their SATs, ensure they have their O levels and also sponsor them to play tournaments so that they can improve their level of tennis,” Fuad Quadre, the founder of Fusion Tennis Foundation, told Nigeria Tennis Live, a site created to cover local tennis, including juniors.

“Apart from helping them boost their rankings, it will also improve their tennis to a reasonable level that can impress these schools where they will be applying for the scholarship,” added Quadre, the older brother of Oyinlomo Quadre, ranked No 92 in ITF Juniors and a sophomore playing at Florida International University. “These are some of the things the kids are not privileged to have, that’s why our foundation is there to support these kids to help them get these scholarships.”

A few of the main factors that programs such as King’s offer—thanks to her connections to the WTA—are the provision of equipment, which is hard to get shipped to needy players in Africa, exposure abroad and transnational and international visas. The African Union had once looked at scrapping visa requirements for all African citizens as part of its “African passport” campaign, but that has been abandoned until at least 2063. King also provides a discriminating eye in terms of choosing coaches and administrators for her program.

Most of all, the majority of sub-Saharan African countries have one singular problem that the majority of strong tennis nations have overcome: a lack of investment foresight by the sport’s kingmakers. Compared to Europeans who side-step into the U.S., Europe and most other tournament countries, where they can play as many matches and talk to whatever investors they please, “Africa needs the big sports brands to come here,” Mbugua-Karani says. “We need to bridge the gap where they turn pro. This is an area of investment potential in Africa, and I believe that the time of Africa is coming very soon.”

But besides King and former pro Mary Pierce who coaches from Mauritius, few former players want to get into the NGO game. King has currently  put a bit of a halt on expansion into more countries as she makes plans to build a tennis centre in Uganda, but she has found a new passion project. 

“I’ve been working with the Ugandans hand- in-hand for two years now and it’s been challenging, learning and growing through that—I’m not trying to be the foreigner that dictates things but to make this a joint endeavour,” King says. “Seeing the kids transformed and how I have transformed with them has made it incredibly worthwhile.”

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

Marcus Willis: on the Comeback Tour

Most players call it quits at 32, Willis is just getting started

The grounds of the LTA Nottingham Tennis Centre are covered in extra- extra large signs—no matter the time of year—reminding passers-by of the Wimbledon warm-up that takes place there every June. But the place buzzes year-round with up-and-coming ITF Junior and Futures events, in addition to ATP and WTA Challenger tournaments. 

But there is Harriet Dart on the comeback tour, juxtaposed with a gigantic photograph of Harriet Dart clenching her fist in victory on her way to the 2022 semi-finals. Two courts over, another English cause-celebre is practicing his volleys looking to redeem his first-round loss the week before. He’ll go on for his first round directly after Dart with doubles partner, Scott Duncan, and push the match to even with an ace and two unreturnable serves before winning in a tiebreak. 

“When I’m in big moments, I just focus on me. I forget the score. I take myself to that practice court and just hit the serve,” Willis says post-match in the café while having a double-espresso. “It’s very easy to whip through matches and focus on the score and not think about how you’re going to play your best matches.

“I don’t know that there is a huge difference between that match and a challenger match. It’s really hard to get out of these tournaments and I’ve won quite a few. My goal was to be top 500 by July, which is still 100 points. I still have work to do, but my comeback has gone a lot better than expected.”

It’s a comeback that few fans anticipated, however. 

By early 2020, Willis had, admittedly, “fallen out of love” with the sport. The pandemic was in full swing, the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) had closed all the courts and Willis—now with a wife and a four-year-old daughter—had been struggling with injuries. He was back in Warwickshire, back at the school where he had taught, back giving lessons as a teaching pro, with no end in sight. 

But Willis had already had his day. In 2016, the then-25-year-old came from seemingly out of nowhere, beat then-unknowns, Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev, in the Wimbledon qualies and ascended to the main draw at the third Grand Slam of the year and England’s premier tennis event. He won his first-round match only to wind up on Centre Court to face none other than Roger Federer. The six-foot, four-inch, No 772 in the world, fell to the man who has been called “The Maestro,” but received a standing ovation despite losing 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.

Nonetheless, the “big dance” followed. Media, agents, sponsorship, World Team Tennis and other perks came and… went. Willis returned to his corner of the world. “One minute everyone wants to speak to you and help you and the next minute they’re all gone. And then you’re injured and maybe not so enthusiastic and then you realize you don’t have that many friends,” he said in mid-May. “A lot of people—they’re not bad people—but they go away. 

“I have to accept if I get where I want to get, things are going to happen and I just have to take it with a pinch of salt and move on—try to do what’s right for me and my family. I don’t analyse it too much because I don’t get anywhere with it. It’s good fun and part of the job, but’s that’s it.”

Lighting rarely strikes twice. Most people seldom get second chances. But Willis seems to be one of those—tall, handsome, charismatic and charming—on which the tennis gods have smiled. Last year, a member of his local club, the Warwick Boat Club where he was teaching for £30 an hour, asked if Willis wanted to leave his job teaching to join the tour again and agreed to put up the money. Willis didn’t have to think long before accepting, but with a twist: instead of singles, he has focused on becoming a doubles specialist with new partner, Scott Duncan. So far, the two have notched victories in France, Spain and all over England. They are aiming for the ATP Challenger Tour and with some luck, a Wimbledon Wildcard. 

“I took a couple years off, got married, had kids and got a couple of injuries. I think I fell out of love with the sport with a little bit. I wasn’t thinking about coming back and then I got this opportunity,” Willis says. “I told him that I’m going to need a few months to train. And he said ‘I’ll look after you, whatever you need.’” But Willis, despite his onetime Wimbledon run, had to start at ground zero, no exception. 

He started in 2022 at an ITF Futures tournament at Roehampton with his partner at the time, current ATP No 556, Mark Whitehouse. But the two couldn’t immediately get on the draw because Willis wasn’t ranked and wildcards were not available. Willis and Whitehouse signed in on site, and went as third alternates. Luck prevailed.
Someone pulled out and two others left the premises. While I’m practicing, I get a text that says, ‘you’re on,’” Willis recalls. Willis and Whitehouse played against his current partner Scott Duncan and won on match tiebreak. Out of nowhere, “I’m on the ATP board again!” Willis says. “Without that piece of luck, I wouldn’t be here now.”

The next week, Duncan and Willis talked and decided to join forces, specialising in doubles. They had early success, winning tournaments in France and Spain before struggling on tour. “I remember thinking, ‘Maybe I’m not good enough anymore.’ I felt like everything was so quick, I couldn’t react to it. I was miles off. In hindsight, I hadn’t played enough tennis.” But Willis’ wife, the former model and NHS dental surgeon he married in 2017 kept the faith, as did Duncan. “I like playing with a guy who is as good and as talented as Marcus,” Duncan said from Barcelona, where the pair has been playing the the MT200-Barcelona Tournament. “He’s got a big serve and great hands around the net. He moves the ball around the court very nicely. I think we can go far.”

But surprisingly, Duncan knew very little about Willis’ past. 

Born in 1990 in Slough, England, to an accountant father and a teacher, Willis began playing tennis at age eight, a bit late for tennis, but with an aptitude gained from badminton. He attended the Forest School in Winnerish, where he later taught tennis, and started playing tournaments at age 14. With a natural ability, Willis ascended the rankings quickly, reaching a high of No 15 in the ITF junior world rankings in September 2008. But Willis didn’t take his calling quite seriously enough. After being sent home from the 2008 Australian Open by the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for his “slack attitude” after missed the bus to a practice session and then arriving without racquets, Willis floundered a bit—a condition he has attributed partly to the LTA’s former attitude toward juniors. 

“The coaching was amazing, but there was no human connection. On a Friday, it would be kind of like, ‘ok everyone, see you on a Monday’—no sort of relationship. And when the results were bad, it was your life, your fault,” Willis says. “ It’s a cutthroat industry. I felt I was given everything or nothing. It was a lot of pressure. At 19, 20 years old, I was by myself traveling all over the world without an idea of how to deal with anything. 

“I wasn’t that lucky when I was younger; I didn’t do the right thing all the time. It’s very easy to forget who you are and what you are doing and get very wrapped up in all of that other stuff.”

Willis considered the U.S. college system and “would 100 percent do it now,” but that wasn’t an option in England in the 2010s. “People who played in college, played and left and went to a nice job on Wall Street,” he says. “They didn’t go to the pros back then.”

That’s changed. But so has the man from Warwick. 

Once known for a bit of a “devil may care” attitude and earning the nickname Cartmann for his rugby-sized body, Willis survived some scuttlebutt in the tennis press for snacking on a Snickers and a Pepsi during matches. Not anymore. “I remember in my mid-20s, I would play tournaments, and I was going out after matches, and just not living the lifestyle that goes with professional sport,” he says. “So now, I am the opposite.” Every day now begins with a cold shower, Wim Hoff breathing, a healthy diet, two or-three hours on court, plus a post-match cool-down and weights. At friends’ houses across England or a cheap hotel, Willis is home at night, usually watching “the footie” on TV. His team: Liverpool. 

“It takes time to shake off that old reputation,” he says. “People still look at you… I won a match last week and a guy stopped me and said, “are you going out on the town to celebrate?” And I said, “No, I don’t drink anymore.”

Doubles partner Duncan was surprised to hear the nicknames and of the previous press. 

“I think we’ve put ourselves in a good spot to achieve something has dreamed about since a kid, and it would be nice for me to share the court with him,” says Duncan, a Scottish player whose “gran used to take me around the tennis club in a pram and I used to pop out and look around at the matches.” “The road is a lot more fun when you’re with someone. Me and Marcus get on well on- and off-court. We share accommodation to keep the costs down, but in those hours, we can also support each other, analyse our matches and run ideas and plans. 

“He’s good as gold as a professional.”

Willis knows, however, that at age 32, he has a time stamp on his back, even if he “doesn’t have to run around and find out on a singles court,” how good the next generation is. 

“I have a young family. I can’t be messing around. I’m finding ways to maximize without overloading pressure on myself,” Willis says. “We lost in the first round last week—didn’t play a great match. But I’m just focused on playing my best tennis every match and then I know how good I’m going to be. No regrets, no looking back.”

Even on the Federer match?

“He’s retired now, and I’ll never have a chance to avenge it. But I wasn’t massively star struck because I wanted to win the match,” Willis says. “I knew it was a big deal and I knew he was probably the best player on grass. I had respect for him, but I wanted to win and when I came off the court I was disappointed that I lost. 

“It’s only now that I look back and think now that it’s pretty cool I got to play him. But I would feel the same if if I played Rafa or Djoke or Andy. He didn’t give me anything that day. And I wouldn’t expect anything else. But when people ask, what’s my best day, it was that Monday when I won the first round or it was winning qualifying. But it wasn’t that day… because I lost.” 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

The Musketeers

I must warn you. The only tension in this story is in the racquet. There are no unexpected twists or sudden turns. No, this is a story about patience and precision. It’s about a group of people who use terms such as swingweight, epoxy resin and carbon fibre. People who, at times, seem to speak in tongues when—eyes burning with a particular kind of fever—they explain to you how adding three grams of weight to this part of the racquet affects its ability to transfer energy to the ball, and how it, in turn, directly correlates to the power of a shot.

In the world of racquet manufacturing, the abundance of choice is enough to make one’s head spin. For the uninitiated, it can be extremely difficult to settle on a particular racquet. Faced with the dazzling selection, quite often we tend to turn towards the trusted brands—the industry heavyweights endorsed by such titans of the sport as Rafael Nadal with his Babolat Pure Aero or Novak Djokovic with the HEAD Graphene 360 Speed Pro. The cost may be steep, but how can you go wrong with a racquet that delivered so many Grand Slam titles? Here’s where the people mentioned in the opening paragraph will disagree. They will smile at each other, a little bit like croupiers in a casino, already knowing whether you won or lost. 

It’s a common enough misconception. And in April of this year, Artengo, Decathlon’s tennis equipment arm, took a surprising and a fairly radical step to dispel it. In Villeneuve d’Ascq near Lille, the brand’s headquarters, a group of engineers, designers and racquet experts gathered to manufacture a piece of equipment in real time. It wasn’t so much a glimpse behind the curtain, but a forceful gesture of ripping it off. “At one point, I showed all the plans and scientific data to the camera. It’s like giving away the code to your safe,” explains Paul Forichon, Artengo’s racquet engineer. “Anyone can replicate our racquet. But we have nothing to hide because we’re proud of what we do. If a competitor wants to copy our racquet, we don’t care because no matter what, they will sell it at a higher price.”

Although racquet technology has enjoyed significant advances over the past three decades, Artengo believes that the models sold currently by the world’s most popular brands don’t justify the price. “A racquet should not cost €300. It’s not worth that much,” says Cyril Perrin, director of Artengo. “Artengo alone cannot revolutionise the industry. Changing mindsets will take time.”

Traditionally, Artengo’s products ranked far below those of its competitors, both in price and in public perception of quality. While the first aspect is considered one of Artengo’s best assets, the second poses a significant problem to its marketability. Recently, Artengo struck a partnership with Gaël Monfils, a leading French tennis player who, as of writing this article, is delighting the French public with his improbable exploits at this year’s French Open. The move, aimed to expand the brand’s popularity and wider appeal, works in the same vein as the sponsorship deals that more established brands, such as HEAD or Wilson, sign with their players. And yet, the stigma of Artengo as a beginner’s racquet prevailed. “We received, and Gaël did too, many messages saying that it was just a disguised racquet, that it’s a Wilson in disguise. Honestly, it bothered us a bit,” says Perrin. 

The messages might not have been the main motivation behind ACE, the Artengo Conception Experience event in Villeneuve d’Ascq, but it played a role. “This event is in line with our desire to show that we are true racquet designers,” Perrin says. The company took an extraordinary step. For two hours, Artengo professionals took the stage to fully explain their manufacturing process—from the conception of an idea to the finished product landing on the shelves of Decathlon stores.

With a live stream from multiple workshops, Artengo presented the many stages of creating a tennis racquet. The intricate process of placing epoxy resin combined with carbon fibre into a racquet-shaped mould, heating it up to 160°C for about half an hour, manually removing imperfections created by the heating process, applying colours and visual details, and finally stringing the racquet. Voilà! The product is ready to hit the shelves. What the demonstration didn’t show, although it explained it in detail, is the three-year long journey of design iterations that a product undergoes before it’s ready to be manufactured. “Currently, I’m working on products that will be available in stores in 2025,” explains Laure Pétré, responsible for artistic direction at Artengo. “I’m anticipating the strong trends that will be present in the tennis market at that time.”

During the evening, Artengo explained the ethos driving the brand and the need to stay on top of recent developments. One of the more visible changes in the game is the spin that players hit the ball with, and Artengo feels the need to be prepared to deliver. “The ability to generate spin, the spin segment, doesn’t necessarily come from the user saying they want more spin,” Perrin says. “But when we look at the evolution of playing styles, we see that people are putting more and more spin. Rafa [Nadal] has obviously contributed to this change.” Observing the trends happens at all levels—from the big, public stages to the smaller, contained ones. The main factor is the game development on both the men’s and women’s professional Tour. But Artengo also have their own secret lab—French Touch Academy in Cap d’Agde, with over 80 players serving as a petri dish of testing innovation. 

Through the partnership with Monfils, Artengo sought to improve their product line, showcasing their credentials as makers of racquets fit for professionals (the company has also added Daria Kasatkina, current world No 9, to their portfolio of athletes). But what the collaboration has resulted in was also a deeper understanding of the relationship between a player and their racquet. “When Monfils joined, we were unsure. We thought about customisation, using his preferences,” Pétré says. “Over time, we decided to find a middle ground and focus more on co-creation.” Monfils’s input improved the viability of Artengo racquets at the highest levels of the game. But it also added nuance to the racquet manufacturing process overall. “By learning from Gaël, we also learn for [the benefit of] a beginner player. The two are completely correlated,” adds Perrin.

However, Paul Forichon notes that what’s best for the players of Monfils’s calibre, may not be best for a weekend warrior. This is due to a number of reasons from the obvious differences in level (you and I are very unlikely to be facing serves approaching speeds that Monfils does) to the racquet’s technical aspects. “Even though the sensations between professional players and recreational players are completely different, the process of translating sensations into technical characteristics within the different layers of the racquet is the same,” adds Perrin. In the end, it’s all about handing a player a racquet they will feel comfortable playing with. “We want to provide people with the right racquet, not the racquet,” Forichon points out. 

Artengo is a relative newcomer to the racquet manufacturing field, but they are already looking towards the future. In the next few years, the company hopes to have a line of aluminium based, eco-friendly racquets. “Zero waste is not possible,” acknowledges Perrin. “The goal is to minimise waste as much as possible without drastically changing its [the materials] use. However, there may come a point where we are forced to modify the usage by incorporating alternative types of fibres. The game has evolved towards the use of increasingly rigid racquets and carbon materials. Perhaps we need to revert to more flexible options to find alternatives to carbon and reduce pollution.”

The game’s well-acknowledged impact on the environment is something that plays on Artengo’s mind a lot, and the manufacturer is already experimenting with possible alternatives. The aluminium based racquets already have their prototypes within the Artengo lab. “We want to create a product that performs just as well but has a reduced impact,” explains Forichon, who is also responsible for the brand’s sustainability. 

Artengo’s message is clear. Just because a racquet is cheaper than those of the market leaders, it doesn’t mean that it’s in any way worse. A well-known logo attached to the frame, also doesn’t translate to its potential for high-level play, as Monfils’s achievements showcase. Cyril Perrin, Paul Forichon, Laure Pétré and the rest of the Artengo team pour hundreds of hours into development, iteration and testing of the initial product design, hoping that the end result can not only match the current developments in the game, but exceed it. The next time you head to the courts with your trusty racquet—be it Artengo or any other—spare a thought for the trio, probably hunched over this racquet mould or that sample of epoxy resin. They may be far, but they are thinking about you. 

 

Story published in Courts no. 4, Summer 2023.

Sébastien Grosjean

« on sent l’histoire au moment de pénétrer sur le centre court. »

À l’occasion de Wimbledon, qui se déroule du 3 au 16 juillet, l’un des consultants vedettes de beIN SPORTS, diffuseur exclusif du Majeur britannique, a livré à Courts Mag son expérience et son expertise sur le tournoi le plus prestigieux du monde. L’ancien numéro 4 mondial, deux fois demi-finaliste en 2003 et 2004, revient sur son rapport privilégié avec cette épreuve mythique et nous dévoile ses pronostics pour cette édition 2023. 

 

Courts : Depuis 2014, Wimbledon est diffusé sur les antennes de beIN SPORTS. Cette année, le tournoi sera proposé en intégralité sur deux antennes, avec de nombreux journalistes et consultants. Pouvez-vous nous en dire davantage sur le dispositif de cette édition 2023 ?

Sébastien Grosjean : Nous sommes évidemment sur place. Nos équipes se répartissent sur la terrasse, proche des courts N°14, N°15 et N°16, là où se déroulent nos plateaux du matin, ainsi que dans les cabines de commentaire du court central et du court N°1 et sur le balcon, où nous effectuons nos interviews après les matchs. Nous avons également une équipe qui reste à Paris pour les émissions et d’autres commentaires.     

 

C : Sur place, vous louez une grande maison pour toute l’équipe, comme c’est de tradition pour les joueurs et les médias ?

S.G. : Cette année, on logera dans deux maisons. Il y a quelques années, on occupait une grande maison tous ensemble, journalistes et consultants. Maintenant, on habite dans deux plus petites maisons, de 4 ou 5 chambres chacune, que Frédéric Viard réserve pour tous ceux qui viennent travailler sur l’événement. 

 

C : Le fait d’habiter ensemble et de vivre en communauté créé une atmosphère différente par rapport aux autres tournois ? 

S.G. : Oui, c’est vrai. C’est une tradition de longue date à Wimbledon. Quand j’étais joueur, c’était déjà le cas. Énormément de joueuses et de joueurs louaient une maison à côté du tournoi pour pouvoir éviter les transports ou venir se reposer entre les matchs, être un peu au calme. Aujourd’hui, cela se fait un peu moins, mais les télés et les médias fonctionnent comme ça. Cela créé une belle ambiance, un état d’esprit sympa. Même si on dispose parfois d’horaires différents, on se retrouve le matin pour le café ou le soir pour le dîner.  

 

C : Évoquons cette édition 2023. Chez les hommes d’abord, Novak Djokovic, vainqueur à 7 reprises dont les 4 derniers opus, est bien sûr l’immense favori. Voyez-vous un joueur, tel Carlos Alcaraz, récent vainqueur au Queen’s, lui poser des problèmes ou cela paraît encore prématuré ?

S.G. : Pour moi, Novak Djokovic sera très difficile à battre. C’est un joueur qui n’a pas forcément besoin de jouer beaucoup pour s’habituer au gazon. Il commence souvent doucement sur les premiers tours, mais cela lui suffit pour gagner des matchs et monter tranquillement en puissance. Certes, cela lui arrive de connaître quelques difficultés, comme l’année dernière en quarts contre Jannik Sinner qui menait deux sets à zéro, ou encore en finale, où il a laissé échapper la première manche. Mais il est toujours capable de gagner sans bien jouer, ce qui est une grande force. Le format en 5 sets, la surface et l’aura de Novak lui permettent d’avoir un ascendant sur tous les autres joueurs. Sur la durée, ses adversaires se disent que cela va être impossible de prendre le dessus en 3 manches gagnantes. C’est donc clairement le favori N°1. Malgré tout, c’est une bonne chose d’avoir vu Carlos Alcaraz remporter le Queen’s. Je le pense capable de très bien jouer sur herbe, car il se déplace à merveille, il a du pied et il est léger et explosif. Il possède aussi une belle main et il est joueur, il a donc toutes les armes pour s’épanouir sur gazon. On verra si les deux hommes s’affrontent en finale, mais pour moi il reste derrière Djokovic pour le moment. Il y a aussi Nick Kyrgios, mais il n’a pas pu jouer de tournois de préparation. C’est vraiment dommage, car il a tous les atouts sur cette surface pour aller déstabiliser Novak, comme il l’a fait l’année dernière. S’il joue cette édition de Wimbledon, il aura forcément moins de repères, contrairement à la saison dernière où il avait enchaîné les bons résultats avant le Majeur britannique. En tout cas, c’est ce genre de joueurs, puissant, avec un gros service, confiant et imprévisible sur le terrain, qui pose des soucis au Serbe sur herbe. D’autres joueurs qui disposent d’un super service, comme Alexander Bublik, peuvent être intéressants, mais ils leur faudra conserver un fort niveau de jeu durant 5 sets, ce qui me paraît compliqué, surtout face à Djokovic.      

C : Quand on regarde le palmarès des 19 dernières éditions, on ne compte que 4 vainqueurs différents, Federer, Djokovic, Nadal et Murray. Pourquoi, encore davantage que dans les 3 autres Majeurs, Wimbledon a été l’apanage de ces 4 monstres ? Est-ce lié à la surface ? Ou à la symbolique que représente un sacre dans le plus grand tournoi du monde ? Ou est-ce tout simplement le fruit du hasard ?

S.G. : La surface doit y être pour quelque chose. Aujourd’hui, tout le monde sait bien bouger sur dur. Même un spécialiste de terre. Sur gazon, c’est plus délicat. L’herbe demande la plus grande adaptation. Dans les déplacements, dans la manière de jouer, les démarrages, les contre-pieds. S’habituer à jouer avec une balle basse. Il se trouve que les tous meilleurs ont réussi à s’adapter à cette surface, encore davantage que tous les autres. Le meilleur exemple étant Rafael Nadal, qui s’est adapté à vitesse grand « V », car il a rapidement atteint des finales, avant de remporter à deux reprises le titre.         

 

C : Passons aux dames, chez qui c’est tout le contraire, puisqu’on trouve 8 lauréates différentes lors des 10 dernières éditions. Est-ce que vous imaginez une joueuse actuelle sur le circuit capable de s’installer dans les prochaines années comme « la reine du gazon » ?

S.G. : Alors d’abord, il faut préciser que ce roulement existe aussi dans les autres tournois du Grand Chelem depuis quelques années. Mais c’est vrai, depuis peu, trois filles sortent du lot : Iga Swiatek, avec ses 4 Majeurs, Aryna Sabalenka et Elena Rybakina. J’espère aussi qu’Ons Jabeur va revenir à son meilleur niveau. Elle a connu des blessures cette année, mais la saison dernière elle avait quand même joué deux finales de Grand Chelem. En tout cas, ces trois joueuses se dégagent. Je trouve que Swiatek est la joueuse la plus complète et la plus régulière. Elle est N°1, elle est devant les autres.  Et même si son jeu n’est pas le plus adapté au gazon, c’est une travailleuse, donc elle devrait trouver les moyens de progresser sur cette surface.   

 

C : Côté français, sur qui faut-il compter cette année ? Mannarino, Humbert, Gasquet chez les garçons, Garcia chez les filles ?   

S.G. : C’est bien résumé. Caro dispose des qualités pour très bien jouer sur gazon. Elle a déjà gagner quelques matchs, en simple et en double, avant ce Wimbledon. Cela va lui donner confiance et elle en a besoin avec son jeu offensif. C’est évidemment notre espoir numéro un. Il ne faut pas oublier Varvara Gracheva, qui vient d’être naturalisée. Chez les hommes, les trois que vous avez cité se plaisent bien sur herbe. La grosse différence avec Garcia, c’est qu’eux ne sont pas têtes de série. Ils ne sont donc pas protégés et tout va dépendre du tirage au sort. C’est notre problème actuel. On dispose de 12 joueurs dans les 100 premiers, mais il n’y en a aucun parmi les 35 meilleurs. Du coup, nos chances sur herbe peuvent très bien tomber sur un cador rapidement, ce qui change tout dans l’optique de faire un bon ou moins bon Wimbledon.      

 

C : On va parler peu d’histoire, avec un grand « H ». On qualifie souvent Wimbledon de tournoi le plus prestigieux du monde. Pour quelles raisons cette épreuve est-elle si mythique ?

S.G. : Déjà, c’est le seul Majeur qui se déroule dans un club privé. À l’époque, c’était également le cas concernant l’Open d’Australie et l’US Open, mais plus maintenant. Et, on le sait, Roland Garros n’est pas un club. Cela signifie qu’à Wimbledon, il y a des membres à l’année. C’est différent. Bien sûr, il y a aussi la tradition, comme le fait de jouer en blanc. Il y a un respect. Un respect pour l’institution. J’ai le souvenir du parcours entre les vestiaires et le Centre Court. Quand on entre, le stade est plein. Même chose pour la tribune présidentielle. Puis, pendant l’échauffement, il y a du bruit, mais au moment où le match débute, il y a un silence de cathédrale. C’est la chose la plus impressionnante qui existe sur un court de tennis. Ce silence nous fait entendre le battement de nos coeurs, nous les joueurs. La pression commence à monter. Là on se dit qu’on est dans un lieu mythique. Il y a aussi le fait de jouer sur gazon, bien entendu. C’est une surface particulière. On ne peut pas jouer trop souvent dessus, pour ne pas abîmer les courts. Donc, il y a des horaires d’entraînement très précis. On utilise aussi des chaussures différentes, aves des picots. Le système d’attribution des vestiaires est également différent. Comme c’est dans un club, il ne peut pas y avoir un seul vestiaire pour 150 joueurs. Donc, on trouve plusieurs vestiaires, en fonction du classement. Voilà, il y aussi les fameuses fraises, ainsi que les Pimm’s, pour ceux qui aiment bien boire. Enfin, il existe cette particularité d’aller acheter son billet le jour-même. On fait la queue pour récupérer le fameux sésame, certains plantent même la tente pour dormir la veille devant l’entrée.    

C : Parlons un peu de votre expérience de joueur à Wimbledon. Vous souvenez-vous de votre première venue ici ?

S.G. : Pas vraiment. C’est surtout ma venue en 1998 qui m’a marqué, pour mon premier tableau principal. J’étais allé jusqu’en huitième de finale et j’avais perdu contre Pete Sampras. Il avait gagné son cinquième trophée cette année-là. C’était quelque chose, un grand moment. Plus tard, j’ai enchaîné deux demies et un quart.

 

« La base de mon jeu et mes armes étaient encore davantage mis en lumière sur gazon »

 

C : C’est en effet un tournoi dans lequel vous vous êtes illustré à merveille. De manière générale, vous avez toujours été à l’aise sur gazon, n’est-ce pas ?  

S.G. : J’ai toujours su rapidement m’adapter à cette surface. Mon jeu s’y plaisait bien et je bougeais comme il fallait. J’aimais vraiment jouer sur herbe, je n’avais pas besoin de forcer mon jeu pour y performer. Mon style, mes frappes à plat, tendues, correspondaient bien à la surface. Mon service rebondissait plus fort, mon coup droit partait bien. Mes petites balles courtes et mes amorties fonctionnaient bien. Et puis, je relançais bien. La base de mon jeu et mes armes étaient encore davantage mis en lumière par cette surface.   

       

C : Votre meilleur souvenir et le plus mauvais à Wimbledon ?

S.G. : Il n’y en a pas vraiment, en réalité. Ce qui m’a le plus marqué, ce sont mes matchs, tout simplement. Et tout ce qui se passait juste avant également. Le fameux parcours entre les vestiaires et le Centre Court. On aperçoit les membres du club dans les tribunes et des personnalités importantes dans la Royal Box. On sent l’histoire au moment où on pénètre sur le court. Ce sont à chaque fois des moments forts.    

 

C : Il faut ajouter que vous avez joué les tous meilleurs du monde sur gazon à Wimbledon… 

S.G. : Oui, et tant mieux ! Il fallait les jouer. Djokovic à ses débuts. Roddick, qui m’avait battu. Federer,  Sampras, Henman. J’avais aussi battu de sacrés joueurs, comme Thomas Enqvist, qui jouait bien sur rapide. Juan Carlos Ferrero également, qui était un super joueur, même si ce n’était pas sa surface. J’ai connu de grands rendez-vous à Wimbledon, en effet.

 

C : Un petit mot sur le ralentissement de la surface. Vous avez joué Wimbledon 1998 à 2008. Vous avez donc donc connu le gazon rapide et celui qui a commencé à être plus lent. Que pensez-vous de cette évolution et des conséquences inhérentes sur le style de jeu employé sur herbe à présent ?

S.G. : Il faut effectivement parler de ces deux aspects. La diminution de la vitesse de la surface et le changement dans les styles de jeu. Vers 2002, le gazon est devenu un peu plus épais. L’idée était de faire en sorte que l’herbe se détériore moins vite. Cela a eu pour effet de ralentir la surface. Parallèlement, les styles de jeu ont aussi évolué. Les déplacements sont différents, car les joueurs sont plus physiques. Du coup, les échanges de fond de court durent plus longtemps. Selon moi, on a trop diminué la vitesse des surfaces. Même à New York, la balle n’avance plus comme avant. C’est pour cette raison que tout style de jeu peut convenir sur dur maintenant. C’est un peu différent sur gazon, à cause du déplacement, qui reste particulier. Mais au niveau de la vitesse de la balle, c’est nettement plus lent, donc tout le monde ou presque peut s’acclimater. À mon époque, les différences de vitesse engendraient une multiplicité des manières de jouer au tennis. Aujourd’hui, il y a beaucoup de moins de vitesse dans le jeu, et comme les joueurs sont plus athlétiques, il devient très délicat de monter au filet. 

 

C : Dernière question, comment parvenez-vous à coupler votre cassette de capitaine de l’équipe de France de Coupe Davis durant la quinzaine à Wimbledon avec votre activité pour beIN SPORTS ?

S.G. : C’est plutôt simple, car je ne vais commenter que la seconde semaine. La première, je suis à 100 % consacré à mon rôle de capitaine, ce qui me permet de suivre tous les joueurs français. Évidemment, si un joueur réalise un gros parcours, je continue à le suivre, tout en travaillant comme consultant pour beIN SPORTS.   

Suzanne Lenglen

« une championne qui a tout inventé du tennis contemporain »

Lorsque la maison d’édition Calype demande à Jean-Christophe Piffaut d’écrire une biographie des Quatre Mousquetaires, il préfère s’atteler à celle de Suzanne Lenglen. Souvent oubliée au profit de ces hommes, la joueuse laisse pourtant une empreinte indélébile sur le tennis. Ses innovations et sa liberté d’esprit révolutionnent notre sport. Dans Suzanne Lenglen et la femme créa le tennis moderne, l’écrivain revient sur le parcours extraordinaire de cette championne. 

 

Elle naît en 1899 à Paris. A cette époque, les circuits ATP et WTA n’existent pas. Les joueurs ont le choix d’être amateurs ou professionnels. Les premiers participent aux tournois les plus prestigieux avec l’interdiction d’être rémunérés. Les seconds peuvent vivre du tennis mais se voient refuser l’accès aux plus grandes compétitions. L’unique défaite du prodige résume bien son hégémonie sur le circuit amateur. Son palmarès est immense : 80 titres, 341 matchs et 340 victoires. 

 

Son impact sur le tennis 

Chaque bribe du parcours de Suzanne Lenglen trouve sa résonnance dans le tennis contemporain. Son père, Charles, rêve qu’elle devienne une championne et consacre à cet effet le plus clair de ses jours et de ses nuits à fonder une méthode révolutionnaire. Néophyte dans la discipline, il s’appuie sur ses qualités d’observateur. Charles Lenglen se rend aux matchs des meilleurs joueurs pour comprendre leurs qualités et leurs défauts. Il détermine alors le portrait de la joueuse parfaite – que sa fille deviendra. 

L’entrainement de La Divine conquiert le monde du tennis. Aujourd’hui, ses exercices ont tous été adoptés par les professionnels. Afin de devenir une athlète complète, elle pratique une multitude de sports tels que la boxe ou la gymnastique. Sur le court, Charles Lenglen invente les fameux paniers. Plusieurs heures durant, il lance des balles à sa fille qui vise des cibles disposées sur le terrain. Incontournable de nos jours, cette méthode révolutionne l’entrainement des joueurs. La condition physique de Suzanne, cultivée par son père, lui permet de jouer un tennis explosif. Contrairement aux femmes de son époque qui servent à la cuillère, elle engage au-dessus de la tête. Elle n’hésite pas à conclure ses points au filet lorsque sa puissance de fond de court ne suffit pas. Cette façon de jouer est pratiquée par les hommes à l’époque. Charles considère les femmes comme des êtres fragiles et maladroits donc sa fille amorce alors le processus d’uniformisation du tennis masculin et féminin – une dynamique encore d’actualité.  

Jean-Christophe Piffaut résume en quelques mots l’impact du prodige sur le tennis : « Depuis 1926, il n’y rien de neuf dans le tennis. Tout ce qui est en place aujourd’hui, tout ce qui fait le quotidien d’un joueur, a été pensé par Lenglen. Elle a eu conscience d’inventer quelque chose ».

Au-delà de son jeu, Suzanne Lenglen inspire le monde du tennis par d’autres innovations. Lorsqu’elle devient professionnelle en 1926, elle organise une tournée de matchs d’exhibition aux Etats-Unis. Elle affronte Mary Brown dans diverses villes en Amérique. Pour ne citer qu’un exemple parmi d’autres, Rafael Nadal et Casper Ruud ont entrepris le même projet à la fin de la saison 2022. Ils ont joué l’un contre l’autre dans toute l’Amérique du Sud. La Divine est aussi la première joueuse à participer à un match événement. Elle défit Helen Wills, une nouvelle star montante du tennis, lors du Great Match. Sa victoire est sans appel. Cette rencontre donne des idées à Bobby Riggs quelque décennies plus tard. Le triple vainqueur en Grand Chelem est persuadé que le tennis féminin est inférieur à celui pratiqué par les hommes. En 1973, alors âgé de 55 ans, il affronte la numéro un mondial pour prouver au monde qu’il a raison. Billie Jean King décroche la victoire dans le match aujourd’hui surnommé The Battle of Sexes. Jean-Christophe Piffaut dresse un parallèle entre la fondatrice de la WTA et celle à qui il a consacré son ouvrage : « Elle reprend le combat pour l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes. Il y a assez peu de champions qui ont œuvré pour le bien des autres. Elle [BJK] va au-delà de l’intérêt personnel et parvient à fédérer les joueuses d’un sport individuel ».

Déterminée à transmettre sa méthode, la septuple vainqueure des Internationaux de France ouvre sa propre académie de tennis en 1932 à Paris. A l’époque, la Fédération Française ne dispose pas de structure propre. Tous les jeunes talents sont envoyés auprès de la championne. Ce centre de formation débouche sur la création de la Direction Technique Nationale (DTN) quelques années plus tard. 

 

Une star globale 

La célébrité de Suzanne Lenglen dépasse le monde du tennis. Son premier match à Wimbledon le 24 juin 1919 passionne la foule présente au All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club pour assister à sa rencontre. Elle est un phénomène avant même d’avoir mis un pied sur le court. Si la presse tennistique n’est pas encore convaincue, les fans le sont.  

Très vite, elle fait de son image une de ses priorités. Dans chaque interview, elle prononce la phrase qu’on attend d’elle. Toujours souriante, elle joue avec les caméras et fascine son audience. Adorée de tous, elle attire également les marques. Malgré l’interdiction des sponsors sur le circuit amateur, la joueuse se rapproche du couturier Jean Patou. Ce dernier crée des tenues pour ses matchs et elle porte les collections lors de ses apparences publiques. La championne profite aussi de cette relation lors des cérémonies de remise des trophées. Dès 1919, elle se vêtit de gilets colorés ou de longs manteaux avant de retourner sur le court. Cette habitude ressemble à celle de Roger Federer qui a enchaîné les entrées remarquées sur le central de Wimbledon. Elle était surnommée La Divine ; on l’appelle Le Maestro. Chacun a révolutionné le tennis à sa façon – et à son échelle. 

Le contrat avec la maison de couture de Jean Patou ne devient officiel que lors de son passage sur le circuit professionnel en 1926. Très vite, les partenariats se multiplient : raquettes, shorts et rameurs. Alors qu’aujourd’hui tous les plus grands joueurs collectionnent les marques dont ils sont partenaires, Suzanne Lenglen était l’une des premières. 

 

Une personnalité unique et affirmée 

Elle conquiert le monde entier pas seulement grâce à son tennis mais aussi par son état d’esprit. La liberté qui l’habite s’exprime dès ses débuts sur les courts. Alors que les femmes avaient l’habitude de jouer en jupes longues et corsets, La Divine se débarrasse des vêtements qui briment son jeu. Elle entre sur le terrain vêtue de jupes au-dessus des genoux, de hauts qui dévoilent ses épaules et d’un large bandeau qui retient ses cheveux. Jean-Christophe Piffaut écrit : « Ainsi ce qui est exceptionnel chez Suzanne Lenglen, c’est non seulement la qualité de son jeu, mais également sa liberté d’être qui s’exprime jusque dans sa manière de s’habiller ».

Au-delà de son apparence, le prodige féminin profite d’une vie sans secret. Lorsque son passage au circuit professionnel est discuté, elle énonce que ce choix est évidemment motivé par l’argent. Elle ne se restreint pas à cette sortie polémique. Elle enchaîne les relations amoureuses sulfureuses et partage sa vie avec un homme marié entre 1928 et 1932.  

Dès son plus jeune âge, elle s’entraîne aux côtés d’hommes. Les côtoyer, les battre, jouer en doubles, lui permet de se sentir comme leur égale. L’ensemble de sa vie s’inscrit dans une dynamique féministe. Ses actions sont toujours guidées par un besoin de liberté. Ses tenues vestimentaires progressistes sont conçues pour libérer ses mouvements avant de transmettre un message. 

 

Un héritage bafoué par les quatre mousquetaires 

Pendant une dizaine d’années, La Divine occupe seule la scène du tennis français. Ses exploits sont connus de tous et sa personnalité fascine. A la fin des années 1920, quatre joueurs enchaînent les victoires. Ils gagnent notamment six fois consécutives la Coupe Davis, tournoi le plus prestigieux de l’époque. Cette folle série attribue le surnom des Quatre Mousquetaires à René Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra et Jacques Brugnon. Ensemble, ils cumulent 18 titres du Grand Chelem en simple et 23 en double. 

Ce quatuor de joueurs masculins est bien plus en adéquation avec l’époque que le profil d’une jeune femme sulfureuse. La fédération recentre alors son discours autour de ces quatre champions – laissant Suzanne Lenglen progressivement disparaître des mémoires. Jean-Christophe Piffaut raconte : « Elle a embêté la fédération par ses revendications sur le professionnalisme et son caractère rebelle. En revanche, les Quatre Mousquetaires rentraient dans les clous. C’était le schéma parfait pour la fédération » 

L’oubli de cette joueuse qui a pourtant révolutionné le tennis est symptomatique du XX^ème siècle. L’arrivée de Pétain au pouvoir opère un « retour un arrière pour les femmes qui sont perçues comme une mère, une épouse, un ventre », explique l’auteur. Suzanne Lenglen et la femme créa le tennis moderne est un premier pas vers la reconnaissance de son parcours.