Freebies coming thick and fastComing out of the tube at Southfields and walking up Church Road to Wimbledon, you never know what you are going to get. At the tube exit you meet a girl with an outstretched hand "Free champagne, sir?" she asks. "Yes, please," you reply pocketing two tickets for Lanson.
Five steps on and it's the Spearmint Rhino girl, a strip club for gentlemen. "Complimentary strawberries and cream, sir?," she asks. "Yes, please," you reply sheepishly, noting later that it only comes with every bottle of non-house champagne. Across the road and up towards the golf course there is a man handing out leaflets claiming he invented the electronic computer in 1942. "Yes please, Mr Percy," you say. You subsequently find out that he was born in 1942 but had a "uniquely prodigious intellectual ability".
At the corner the Evening Standard are also in the swing. "Free drink with every paper," they're shouting. "Yes, please," you reply before arriving at the Daily Mail seller. "Free radio with every paper," he claims. "Yes, please," you say. Closer to the entry gates the bag is filling. "Any one for a free rain mac," screams a young girl. "Yes, please," you reply.
The final stretch you run the leaflet gauntlet - The Theatre of Champions Tennis Masters, Ace Tennis magazine. It must be a bit early you think to yourself. No free crisps, no free water or chocolate. You just say to yourself maybe tomorrow as you turn on you free Radio Five Live mini radio.
Sharapova gets snooty with the press
Forget the gentile television interviews screened on the BBC. Much of the action here comes at the post-match press interviews. Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams can be prickly when they want to be.
Here's an sample of Sharapova's latest exchange with the print media.
Q: Are you disappointed with the reserve that British men are showing? Official: Do we have a tennis question please? Sharapova: Yeah, are you from the Sun?
Q: Are you disappointed with the reserve that British men are showing? Sharapova: I think he asked you about the tennis questions. Let's go with the tennis questions.
Q: If you say you're expecting yourself to be in the semi-final this year, does that mean this year is not so much a fairytale for you?
Sharapova: You're trying to get some attention in here, aren't you?
Q. No, just asking some questions.
Sharapova: All right. I'll give you some answers . . . what was the question again?
Farron-Mahon undecided on future
In a short conversation with Irish player Tristan Farron-Mahon, the 18-year-old says he is not yet sure what his next career step will be.
Having lost in the second round of Junior Wimbledon to an American 15-year-old prodigy, Donald Young, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4, the Dubliner is playing a wait and see game.
Now that he is 18, he will be in with the big boys on the main tour from the end of the year.
"It wasn't one of my best matches. I really thought I could win," he said yesterday. "Now, I might be on for the US Open but I'm not sure yet. I'll come back to Dublin for a few weeks and then it will be a tournament somewhere in Europe."
