What is it about champions and gates at Wimbledon? There is scarcely a title-winner on record who doesn’t talk about the goosebumps they feel when they walk back through the wrought-iron Doherty Gates topped with the gilt letters of AELTC. 

Smart though it is with its Championships lick of fresh black paint, it’s a pretty regular gate that Joe Schmoe walks through too.

By contrast, there’s the extremely exclusive Champion’s Gate on Centre Court, which, bizarrely, newly crowned winners seem unable to register in the mind-befuddling euphoria after victory.

When the slightly incredulous new ladies’ champion Barbora Krejcikova hoicked herself over the Centre Court barrier to clamber up tiers of seats and celebrate with her team, she needed a few friendly directions to steer her on the correct path towards the box.

This brought to mind Ash Barty’s meandering route up to her team in 2021. Looking like she was tackling a hard-core assault course, she eventually reached her boyfriend and supporters against a backdrop of people pointing and shouting, ‘The gate’s there!’ 

Once safely back on court for the trophy ceremony interview, Barty conceded ‘It was a little bit of a wobbly step there. I probably should’ve taken the elegant road.’

Future Wimbledon champions, please take note: there is a nice little easy-access gate leading from Centre Court to the Players’ Box!

This year marks 10 years of the Champion’s Gate, which was installed specifically so that players don’t have to endanger life and limb by scaling the stands in the style of a cat burglar.

Petra Kvitova was the first champion to christen it, sauntering towards the gate following her defeat of Eugenie Bouchard in 2014.

The Climb, as it is now immortalised in Wimbledon culture, was not a thing before 1987. Initially, it was known as ‘doing a Cashy’ – as it was Pat Cash in the rock’n’roll chequered headband who was the first to decide to share his triumph with his girlfriend, family, coach and friends.

While the scene was being set for the trophy ceremony, off the Aussie bolted.

"I remember thinking, What in hell is he doing?’ said Darren Cahill, who had practised with Cash before the final against world No.1 Ivan Lendl. "But it was great … spontaneous and emotional … very similar to the way Cashy has always lived his life."

"I got there and realised, Oh my goodness, there are no more seats … I was trying to get up on the roof of the commentary box and I looked down and saw a priest," Cash said.

"He said, 'Stand on my shoulder, my son.' I thought, well, this is divine intervention, and I stood on the guy’s shoulder and I got my way up there. I only found out later that it was a guy dressed as a priest."

There have been some memorable climbs. Who can forget Rafael Nadal after his epic 2008 battle with Federer? Always one to go the extra mile, Rafa found the energy to greet his family and perform a diplomatic swivel to walk along the roof above the commentary teams to greet the Spanish Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Letizia in the Royal Box.

And Andy Murray’s victory climb in 2013, when he had to do a hasty U-turn because he had forgotten to thank his mum, Judy!

What was Cash’s verdict on seeing the new Champion’s Gate in 2014? "That’s really taking the challenge out of it!" he joked to listeners on BBC Radio 5 Live. "If they’re fit enough to win Wimbledon, I think they should climb up or have some other sort of challenge. It’s way too easy now!"