THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240145
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: 60 lines
If you are reading this at breakfast while eating a bowl of strawberries and cream, you do not need to be reminded that the Wimbledon fortnight begins today.
As a serious tennis fan, you are anticipating your chance to get high on grass. You understand that for the next two weeks it is your duty to salute Bud Collins' pants each morning, wear only white to work, refer to the players as gentlemen and ladies, and break every afternoon for tea.
This will make you a true curiosity among your friends who don't know the All England Club from the Price Club. It also will leave you with very little time to consider what an anachronism grass court tennis really is.
That the sport's most prestigious title is decided on somebody's patchy lawn makes little sense in an age when all other tennis takes place on hard courts, indoor carpets or clay.
Of course, much of Wimbledon's popularity stems from the perception that the tournament exists out of time.
Wimbledon insists that players wear all - or mostly - white. The Duchess of Kent and her guests leave in mid-match for a royal tea. The players are referred to as Mr., Miss or Mrs., and when they leave Centre Court, they bow or curtsy to the royal box.
It is our American birthright to sneer at this sort of pretentiousness. And yet, we love it, just as we love the soap opera put on by the British royals.
But for all its stuffiness, Wimbledon also is famous for slipping in an innovation now and then.
It was the first tournament to use an electronic line-calling machine, the Cyclops. And this year, it will introduce a Day-Glo yellow ball - brighter than the traditional yellow, fuzzy sphere.
Wimbledon officials trust that the new ball will make it easier for the men to pick up their opponents' blazing serves, though this is unlikely to derail three-Pete Sampras.
Not to be outdone, rumor has it that the Duchess of Kent, hoping to become more visible at Centre Court, is thinking of painting herself Day-Glo orange.
For a time, it was a big deal whenever Princess Diana made an appearance in the royal box. Not this year - since her falling-out with Buckingham Palace, the only way Di could make it to Wimbo would be as a ball girl on Court 16.
You never know what's going to happen at Wimbledon, though. Remember the Jeff Tarango fiasco last summer?
Extracurricular activities are as much a part of Wimbo coverage as grass stains on Boris Becker's shorts. Even American TV gets into the act with those overdone, poignant shots into the players' box.
For some of us, a favorite Wimbo moment came in the early '80s. During a tense final involving John McEnroe, the camera lingered on McEnroe's father, who was picking his nose.
``Nice forehand,'' said Collins.
Speaking of forehands, Steffi Graf is favored to win her seventh Wimbledon. The only player given a chance of beating Steffi is Monica Seles.
How can anyone doubt that Seles is a tennis genius? She destroys people while playing with the waistline of a sports writer. A Graf-Seles final is what everyone wants. It's what tennis needs. If it takes place, perhaps even Queen Elizabeth herself will make an appearance at Centre Court.
She'll be the one with the Day-Glo pink hair. by CNB