The Championships - Wimbledon 2009!

Every year on the third Monday of June The Lawn Tennis Championships takes place at Church Road in Wimbledon. For two weeks the leading tennis players from all over the world get together in London to contest for the titles which - in the view of many competitors - mean far more than the prize money that goes with them. Indeed, this tournament is recognised all over the world as the most important and most prestigious of them all as it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and it is also the only one of the four Grand Slam to be played on grass courts. Nevertheless, Wimbledon is not all about tennis and tradition it is about entertainment, hospitality, queues, strawberries, cheers and applause where the visitor is assure of a most warm welcome. This year Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, is the defending males' champion while Venus Williams is the defending women's champion. Surprisingly as it may seem it is not Nadal who I rate most in the tennis world but Roger Federer who, in my view, is a gentleman among gentleman as he has shown a remarkable steadiness and coolness on hard, grass and clay courts when others seem to get hot under the collar. Lastly but not finally and before I forget, I think I ought to tell you that a new retractable roof has been built at Centre Court to stop the rain getting in as it in the past has been a subject of annoyance and frustration for spectators and television viewers and it will be unveiled on the third Monday of this month.  Certainly, The All Lawn Tennis Club has done and wonderful job in maintaining The Championships at the top for so long and its view is to keep improving the quality of the tounament for the benefit of participants, officials and spectators. Carry on and very well done as your work is well appreciated.

P. Figueras