Wimbledon - the home of tennis!

The magic of tennis on the lawn and in all whites is too good to resist

There’s just something natural about green grass, and there’s something mythical about the all-white uniform, and then there’s just so much great history full of tennis superlatives, that they all combine to make this two-week annual tournament something more than just a Grand Slam. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Wimbledon tournament is underway, and like always, it promises to be an absolute cracker.

The timing of the event collides with the FIFA World Cup every four years, but I doubt that takes anything away from the Championships. Even the England footballers seem to have wanted to come home early from Brazil in order to avoid missing out on any of the tennis action. And while that statement is a little tongue in cheek, it is true that there are many millions out there who, for the next fortnight, will be glued to the happenings on the courts.

No production is complete without its superstars, and we undoubtedly live in one of the most competitive times in the tennis world. The royal maestro Roger Federer, a true king to the throne last vacated by Pete Sampras, will try to go one better by winning his eighth crown here. Federer, who has unmistakably had more moments of joy on the Centre Court here than on any other court in the world, will also always remember the heartache of a couple of times. In the twilight of his career, can he pull one last rabbit out of the hat?

His nemesis, the one and only Rafael Nadal who has struggled here lately but has still managed two triumphs, has everything to play for. Undoubtedly the king of clay, Nadal’s success at these championships will ultimately come into play if he has to make his mark in overcoming others for the ‘greatest of all time’ tag. All his will and reserve strength will be tested to the absolute extreme if he has to bring about his third crown here.

Novak Djokovic will no doubt have a huge say in the matter of who wins this crown. Without a Major title thus far in the year, he’ll be hungry and wanting some of that silverware. After losing to Andy Murray in straight sets last year, he’ll definitely have turned up sharper this time around. And with his all-round game he certainly has the ability to reach the top. At six Grand Slam titles, he will be well aware that he has some catching up to do with Nadal and Federer in the all-time list.

Andy Murray remains an enigma. Just when you thought he’d finally developed the last mile determination by winning the US Open in 2012 and the last year’s Wimbledon, he has faded away with some listless performances this year. After a straight sets loss to Nadal in Paris, Murray has appointed a new coach in Amelie Mauresmo, and what effect that will have on him remains to be seen. There’s no doubt he has the ability to win the championships this year, but a lot of it will depend on his attitude and determination.

Stan Wawrinka, after winning a Grand Slam title earlier this year, should provide a challenge to the top four seeds, having broken into the top four in the rankings. He has the game, and in winning the Australian Open showed us that he also has the character. Enjoyable to watch, Stan might be the player to follow in this tournament.

All in all, every year the excitement for Wimbledon only grows, and when you have players of great calibre competing against each other, then the standard of the tournament can only increase. And even while the football world gathers feverish pace, it’s time to sit back and enjoy all the action on the beautiful lawns of the all England club. After all, it is lawn tennis at its best!