The Royal Box is reserved for members of the Royal Family – represented on Day 5 by HRH Prince Michael of Kent. Also there were the Earl and Countess of St Andrews – as well as tennis-loving luminaries from all walks of life who are a source of inspiration and positive contributors to society.
On the day after the poignant tribute to Andy Murray’s stellar career, it was good to see that Chair Deborah Jevans’s guests were impeccably qualified to deal with the gamut of emotions served up by the thwock of balls on the Centre Court grass.
Veteran Hollywood actor Dustin Hoffman topped the billing. The star of Kramer vs Kramer and Meet the Thwockers – sorry, Fockers is said to be pretty handy with a racket himself, as well as being famous for his portrayal of heartbreaking emotions in everything from adversarial drama to lighthearted comedy.
Let’s just not mention Rain Man on this day of meteorological challenges on the outside courts.
Leading men and women making a big entrance under the Royal Box included Carlos ‘Carlitos’ Alcaraz and Frances ‘BigFoe’ Tiafoe, home favourite Emma Raducanu and Maria Sakkari (whose kit is ranking high among fashionista fans), Jannik ‘the Fox’ Sinner and Miomir Kecmanovic.
Grand impresario of musical theatre Lord Lloyd-Webber, who was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993, has a special understanding of what it takes to perform on the biggest of stages.
Ditto, Emily Eavis of the Glastonbury Festival family, whose presence continues the rock’n’roll element to this year’s Royal Box guest list.
Sources have not revealed whether she popped over to The Queue in Wimbledon Park to offer some advice to those camping overnight in the sea of tents on the All England Club’s authorised pitches.
Glamping? Yurts? Mosh pits? It’s a world away from a three-course lunch and afternoon tea in the Members’ Dining Room, and indeed all food and beverage feasting opportunities at The Championships, whose official caterers Compass Group were symbolically toasted in the attendance on Day 5 of Dominic Blakemore, Group Chief Executive, and Robin Mills, CEO UK & Ireland.
Fellow guest Marcus Wareing, familiar in chef whites as judge of show-stopping dishes on MasterChef and the provider of gourmet menus in the All England Club’s Rosewater Pavilion, has a natural empathy with those who ply their trade in the Wimbledon player dress code.
Completing the F&B line-up was Michel Doukeris, CEO of AB-InBev, the world’s leading brewer and Official Beer Partner of The Championships.
Casting an appreciative eye over the heroic displays of speed, stamina and burning of calories were none other than Sir Clive Woodward, architect of England rugby union’s 2003 World Cup victory; Hugh Brasher, London Marathon Event Director; Nick Bitel, Chief Executive of the London Marathon Group; and Sir Keith Mills, Deputy Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Dignitaries from the world of tennis included Massimo Calvelli, Chief Executive Officer of the ATP Tour; Elizabeth Minogue, Board Director Tennis Australia; and Lew Sherr, CEO and Executive Director United States Tennis Association
Micky Lawler, the former WTA president, continues the mandate established by Billie Jean King in furthering opportunities for women in sport. She was back in a Grand Slam venue as the first Commissioner of Unrivaled, a new professional basketball league for women, funded by a group of athlete investors that include American professional player Breanna Stewart and US soccer teammates Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe.
Should any guests become immersed in conversation and lose track of the score, there was Lord King of Lothbury on hand for statistical interpretations. As a former Governor of the Bank of England, the distinguished economist surely topped the Royal Box rankings for skills in mental maths.
