WIMBLEDON 2013

I have never been a sportsman. But, I love to watch sports; not all but a few selected ones like cricket, soccer and tennis. I was glued to the television when Wimbledon 2013 was in full swing. I try to watch the games rather dispassionately. I have no favourites since Boris Becker retired in the late nineties. I watch the contests in a relaxed frame of mind, without any exuberance or heartbreak.  I just enjoy the game. However, while watching an encounter, I unconsciously get enticed by a particular player due to either his attitude or personality. Usually, this person is the underdog and I end up supporting him. This year, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina put up such a brave fight against Novak Djocovik, in the semi-finals, that I was rather upset when the former lost. Of course, del Potro was not really an underdog having won a grand slam before (US Open 2009) but he was never considered a favourite to win Wimbledon in 2013.

A day before the historic men’s final, I was quite neutral. Let the better guy won; I thought. But, when I saw the hype, the hope and dream of an entire nation on the shoulder of a 26 year old Scotsman, I changed my mind. These Brits have been organising the grandest of the grand slams so efficiently that it was a shame that the trophy eluded them for 77 years. I consciously decided to back Andy Murray.

The rest is history. My heart almost stopped when in the final game, three championship points were saved by the never-say-die Serbian, Novak Djocovik.  When the game ended the centre court exploded, so did Britain. I heaved a sigh of relief. So, it was Andy Murray, a British champion, 77 years after Fred Perry lifted the trophy in 1936.

Now, who was this Fred Perry? I was not even born when he won his last Wimbledon in 1936. Subsequent research revealed some exciting facts.

Frederick John “Fred” Perry won eight grand slams in his career before he turned professional. This was well before the open era when the major tournaments were meant for amateurs only.  He won three consecutive Wimbledon in 1934, 1935 and 1936; US Open in 1933, 1934 and 1936; Australian Open in 1934 and French Open in 1935. In addition, he also won two men’s doubles and three mixed doubles grand slams. He was the first player in history to have won all the four grand slams. Impressive, right? Well, we are not done yet. He was also a world table tennis champion during the early stage of his tennis career.

Unfortunately, in the class conscious British society of yore, he was ostracized for turning professional. He was never really treated well by the tennis fraternity due to his working class background. Finally, he left the country and settled in the United States. In 1938, just two years after he lifted the Wimbledon Championship trophy as a British, he became a US citizen. It was only in 1985, 11 years before his death, the British tennis establishment recognized his contribution and unveiled his statue at Wimbledon.

Among the first to congratulate Andy Murray after his historic win was Fred Perry’s daughter who lives in Florida these days. She is Penny Perry Evert. Yes, Evert! Sounds familiar? Yes, she is married to Chris Evert’s elder brother.

Small world, isn’t it?

New Jersey

11 July 2012