The Centre Court line-up on Day 7 of the 2024 Championships contained all the ingredients for a feast of world-class tennis.
Carlos Alcaraz and Ugo Humbert provided the starter, Emma Raducanu and Lulu Sun were waiting to serve up the main course, and there was an American-flavoured dessert. No, not cheesecake or apple pie – Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro representing the Stars and Stripes.
Who would rise to the occasion? Well, in the Royal Box certified national treasure Dame Mary Berry joined a host of guests at The All England Club invited by Chair Deborah Jevans. Berry is as synonymous with British culture as Wimbledon's strawberries and cream. The chef, food writer and former Great British Bake Off broadcaster was joined by fellow culinary royalty Rick Stein.
Frenchman Humbert would approve of chef Simon Rogan overseeing proceedings. There is nothing simmering about the chef's success. In 2022, his French restaurant L'Enclume, in Cartmel, Cumbria, earned its third Michelin star rating, making it the first establishment in the north of England to do so.
Wonder what Rogan, appointed MBE in the 2024 New Year's Honours list, would conjure up as a pre-match meal…
As a British player, Raducanu was guaranteed plenty of ardent home support in the Royal Box. Ann Jones, ladies’ singles champion in 1969, can provide plenty of inspiration for the wild card targeting a maiden quarter-final ticket at the AELTC.
Mark Cox flourished while flying the flag at Wimbledon. The former world No.12, a Davis Cup finalist in 1978 for Great Britain, also advanced to the fourth round three times at SW19, in 1968, 1977 and 1979.
Distinguished British tennis journalist Mike Dickson would have relished reporting on this Order of Play on Sunday. In January, Dickson died aged 59 – a time of sincere sadness across the tennis community from colleagues to staff, to players to coaches. Mike’s wife Lucy was invited to join the Royal Box in tribute to a titan of the British press pack.
Alison Brittain CBE, Chair of the Premier League, would certainly have appreciated Raducanu’s choice of an England football shirt to wear on the practice courts. Will the wild card be roaring like the Three Lions at this year's Euros?
Sydney Olympics triple jump gold medallist Jonathan Edwards knows a thing or two about leaping into the unknown and New Zealand qualifier Sun and Raducanu have an almighty opportunity ahead of them to extend their stay in south-west London.
Another Olympics mention goes to singer/songwriter Emeli Sande, who performed at the London 2012 closing ceremony.
Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek (main picture) – star of numerous cinema hits such as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, Wild Wild West, Dogma and Frida, which launched the Mexican-American actress into the limelight – joined the tennis green carpet.
A tennis superstar among Sunday's box office line-up is Rod Laver. The Australian – after whom Centre Court at the Australian Open is named – was crowned gentlemen’s singles champion at Wimbledon in 1961, 1962, 1968 and 1969.
The ‘Rocket’ from Rockhampton is a global sporting icon, who successfully navigated the sport’s transition into the Open era. Laver collected 11 Grand Slam singles titles during his trophy-laden career.
Now the current Centre Court crop are making their charge to rocket up to Rod’s level on the Roll of Honour.
