For 101 years, the Royal Box has been reserved for members of the Royal Family and a host of illustrious guests invited by the All England Club Chairman, Ian Hewitt.
The curtain went up on the opening day of the 2023 Championships on Monday in front of an appreciative audience that included the former Chair of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Krishnendu Majumdar, and actress and Broadway star Idina Menzel, who is the voice of snow queen Elsa in Disney’s Frozen.
Even for guests who are particularly well versed in the dynamics of breaking news, fairytale storylines and gripping dramatic scenarios, the Centre Court Order of Play promised magic, with the record-breaking Novak Djokovic launching his title defence, a wild card clash between candy-pink-haired multi-champion Venus Williams and returning mum Elina Svitolina, followed by the hotly tipped Jannik Sinner against the younger of the talented Cerundolo brothers, Juan Manuel.
Also in the comfy dark-green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs, alongside global tennis grandees, were representatives from several other sports. Bruce Carnegie-Brown, Chairman of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), swapped the world of egg-and-bacon ties for a venue that venerates strawberries and cream.
No doubt he, along with David Gower, the cricket commentator and a former England captain, and Richard Thompson, Chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), were enjoying a quiet day in the temple of decorum that is the All England Club after recent kerfuffles in the Long Room at Lord's.
Marlie Packer, captain of the England women’s rugby team and a member of the victorious 2014 women's Rugby World Cup squad, must rival Hawk-Eye in her ability to sense if a ball is truly over the line or not. In rugby, of course, the ball being over the line is good; not so, in tennis.
If Djokovic, 36, or Williams, 43, needed a flash of inspiration in maintaining their impressive longevity in the game, they had only to glance up at Sir Jackie Stewart, a three times Formula One world champion (indeed, the oldest living F1 champ) and a veteran of high-octane services to motor sport.
Or Sir David Tanner, former Performance Director of British Rowing, who assisted the team to Olympic success from the 1984 Los Angeles games to the 2016 Rio Games - a period which included the five consecutive gold medals won by Sir Steve Redgrave, the poster chap for endurance in sport.
Venus also had a potential good luck mascot in the presence of The Right Honourable The Lord Deighton, who was CEO of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012, the year she and Serena won gold in the Women’s Doubles.
The Chairman’s invitations additionally reflect the Club’s desire to recognise people who provide stellar public service in all walks of life and whose achievements are a source of inspiration and gratitude.
On Day 1, dignitaries included transplant surgeon (retired) Maurice Slapak, Founding President of the World Transplant Games Federation; Nadira Ahmed, Executive Chair of the National Care Association; and Dame Ruth Beverley, Chief Nursing Office of NHS England.
Also enjoying the tennis were Dame Janet Beer, Chair of the Sport & Recreation Alliance and an advocate for higher education and equality, and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who was awarded the KBE for services to the Jewish community, interfaith relations and to education.
The diverse range of support offered by the Wimbledon Foundation was represented by Alison Oliver, Chief Executive of Youth Sport Trust, a Wimbledon Foundation partner on ‘Set for Success’, a programme teaching life and leadership skills; and Liz Choonara, Head of Entrepreneurship of Crisis, the homeless charity supported by the Foundation
The Club’s status in, and respect for, the local community was reflected in the presence of Councillor Gill Manly, Mayor of Merton, and the Rt Hon The Baroness Sheehan of Wimbledon and Tooting.
Stuart Rollings and Richard Hall, from Wimbledon Park Golf Club and Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, respectively, were among the 67 people in the Royal Box who enjoyed the legendary Afternoon Tee (sorry, Tea) in the Clubhouse.
New this year:
See the draw like never before, with interactive Path to the Final view of the draw by clicking a player’s name on the draws page
See the projected Path to the Final of every player in the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ singles draws with IBM Likely to Play
View how favourable or difficult a player's draw is, with IBM AI Draw Analysis