Sporting Miscellanies
Within a week of Michael Jackson's passing, Tim Henman alludes to a JFK moment of his own. Tim observed this week on his BBC blog: "I was lucky enough to play the first match on the new Court One in 1997, and it is those types of things that go down in history." How very, very true. That ghastly Dallas day in November 1963, Armstrong on the moon, Diana's death, Obama's inauguration, Jacko, this one . . . which of us will ever forget where we were when Tim Henman christened the new Court One?
Supernerds know best
It may have escaped even fellow tennis supernerds that Murray is on the brink of not one but two barely less historic achievements. Apart from being the first British champion since 1936, the Wimbledon title would also virtually guarantee him becoming the first Brit, of either sex, ever to be ranked No1 in the world. Andy would have 10,730 ranking points, according to my calculations, just five behind Nadal's 10,735 . . . and given Rafa's continuing knee problem he should usurp him in the top spot within weeks.
Lucky Lamps' Vegas windfall
Mixed reports of Chelsea stars, past and present, on their hols. Well done Frank Lampard, whom the Sun claims won £300,000 playing blackjack and roulette in one Las Vegas night. Knowing how he needs it, please God he didn't take "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" too literally by giving it back at craps. The news of a far more notorious casino stalwart isn't so happy. A friend enjoying a restrained stag weekend in Reykjavik reports bumping into a "worse for wear" Eidur Gudjohnsen at 3am.
The nation's hopes are in Judy's hands
Also misbehaving is Cristiano Ronaldo. He celebrated escaping Sir Alex Ferguson's disciplinarian shackles, reports the Portuguese press, by lashing out at a girl filming him from a car, kicking in the window and covering her with glass. Ronaldo says he erupted because the fans' attention upsets his mummy. "When my mother is involved it is very difficult for me to keep calm," he said.
But isn't that always the way of it? Take Andy Murray, who trailed Juan Carlos Ferrero 1-3 in the second set when his mother left to watch her first-born Jamie. Andy then hit the purplest of patches, winning 11 of the remaining 13 games in about three minutes. Forgive the impertinence, Judy, but if your wee lad makes the final, would you consider watching it on telly back at the hotel?
