Sunday, June 10

France -v- Egypt

Just in case you are beginning to worry that this behind the scenes blog is starting to look a little 'corporate-heavy'...please don't fret. The videos posted here so far are just little warm-ups (from last year) for the main event. We haven't included any quirky or unusual stories or photos so far because, frankly, they haven't happened yet (this is a blog after all - not a TARDIS and/or crystal ball).

But for those of you after a couple of snippets of tennis info...

Some say that the word ‘tennis’ comes from Old French ‘tenes’ (modern ‘tenez’, imperative of ‘tenir’), meaning ‘to hold’. Also, there is an Egyptian town on the Nile called Tinnis (in Arabic) and some believe the game may have its roots here.

Now you just need to find the right trivia quiz....

Getting closer...

In addition to being the most prestigious tennis event in the world, giving the crowds the information that brings them closer to the players (see "The Passion of Fans") and the whole sporting event, is key to the enduring success and popularity of Wimbledon.

But so much of the information dissemination is tacit and unseen - the fans don't necessarily make the connection between being an avid Nadal or Murray follower simply because they follow them on blogs, tweets, track their performances (in real-time) and (somewhat akin to proto-stalkers) track them around the grounds on their smartphones.

As seen in this short video clip from last year, when asked what they liked most about the 2011 Championships, fans talk of their favourite players and the whole Wimbledon experience (including, for one, fond memories of a streaker from a previous year) - but because they have had access to such a wealth of information, they feel as if they really know their favourites before the Championships even begin.





[If you're having trouble viewing the video on this page, you may want to watch the video here.]