World Cup fever seems to be sweeping through Wimbledon even if the All England Club is maintaining its insistence that only the yellow ball be allowed on its big screen, no matter how far England go in the competition. But football has been on everyone’s lips and not just those of a security guard who was heard, almost absent-mindedly, singing “football’s coming home” soon after the gates were opened on Wednesday.
The British players have been quizzed on the World Cup after every match but players from all nations are excited, even if the authorities may not be. The American Madison Keys said she had watched England’s win on penalties over Colombia with Laura Robson, a long-time friend. “She was singing the ‘It’s coming home’ song consistently for, like, two and a half hours,” Keys said of Robson.
“Where I am in the village I can hear the Rose & Crown [pub]. My TV was ahead of theirs, so something would happen and Laura would scream. Then five seconds later the whole pub would scream. I was actually into it at the very end. So now I’m cheering for England.”
Shapovalov shines
Teenager Denis Shapovalov has the kind of game and the long blond hair to become a superstar in the years to come. The Canadian left-hander beat Jérémy Chardy late on Tuesday in a match that was scheduled at the last minute, keeping his growing legion of fans guessing where he might end up.
Shapovalov always tries to put on a show, no matter what time he gets on court. Having beaten Chardy on Court 16 there he was still, long after 10pm, talking to a group of friends and fans outside the media centre, explaining how grateful he was that they stayed around all day to watch him play. The man is already a star.
Halep ‘has what it takes’
The world No 1, Simona Halep, has so far avoided the upsets at this year’s Championships as she looks to complete one of the most difficult doubles in sport, having won her first grand slam title at the French Open last month.
Ion Tiriac, the player-turned-businessman who once owned Romania’s first private bank and who now runs the Madrid Masters, has long backed Halep and believes she has every chance. “She can win Wimbledon, absolutely,” he told the Guardian. “She can also lose first round. She is too talented.” Having survived round one, maybe Tiriac’s belief in her will be growing.
