Queens Day 3 - Wednesday 12 June 2013

Made it!

After days tracking the BBC weather forecast it wasn't looking good is a huge understatement. The tournament director, Chris Kermode made the sensible decision to start play on all courts at 11am as the weather dictated play much like yesterday. It was supposed to be dry up to 4pm. The forecast was really lousy after that though.

It was early, hence the short queue. Relief!

A typical British summer day was in store. Wet, windy, quite cold and overcast. Perfect tennis weather! (That last bit was sarcasm if that didn't come across). 

We arrived at Queens shortly after 11am and saw some players warming up on one of the outside practice courts. 

Hewitt with a low backhand get

First up on centre court was Grigor Dimitrov v Lleyton Hewitt. I expected this could go the distance, on paper it was to be a juicy encounter but the veteran Hewitt played the best I've seen him for a long time. Despite my slightly reticent shouts of "Grigor", the tenth seed was dispatched with ease by Hewitt in under an hour. Starter over, it was time for the main course. 

Vicious unbrellas, might look tame now but turn your back...

Next up was Thomas Berdych v Thiemo De Bakker, again this was a straight sets affair, the Dutch player, De Bakker getting only five games, it ended 6-1 6-4. I didn't see this, I probably could have had as much exercise as the players running in and out between rain breaks but instead decided to indulge in a beverage or how ever many, and a good, but well overpriced sandwich. Oh and it rained, and rained. We sat outside, put the umbrella up and down and up and down until it too had had enough of the weather and part of the metal upright sheared off missing my head by mere inches. Luckily it had stopped raining by then, but of course it started again. We tried to make do with the umbrella as Queens apparently don't have any spares. The material kept swaying up and down in front of my face hitting me which wasn't annoying at all! It really was one of those days it seemed!

Mahut about to serve to Murray

Murray returning serve from Mahut

I guess Andy Murray v Nicolas Mahut should have been the main course. They were next to brave centre court. I really thought this match could go the distance with Murray being a being a bit rusty and Mahut famous for his five setter at Wimbledon a few years back. Andy was on top form though, hardly missing a ball and grabbed the set with a pretty convincing 6-3 score line. It then rained for a change. Murray and Mahut traded blows in the second set, the match was stopped at 2-2 due to (fill in the blank). Enough was enough, play was cancelled for the day at 6.30pm but we had long gone to have some proper dessert. It was a shame not to see Tsonga play singles and Del Potro in his doubles, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Rain!

Still having not been for a few years it was an enjoyable day out. I estimate we saw a couple of hours of rain in-between the tennis. If the ticket prices were not so exorbitant for centre court I'd certainly consider going again. I think I paid almost as much this year as in the final a few years back. It's certainly not a cheap day out but to get to watch the top players up close really is something special, when it's not raining of course! Even just soaking (sorry)! up the atmosphere is well worth it.