Wimbledon Qualifying Report 1 from Tony G
Having initially being overlooked for the Wimbldon Championships
when the main draw umpires were named, little did I know that I
would be flying to London at this time of the year. Following the
first posting of names on the ITF Officiating website, a second
list of officials just for the qualifying at Roehampton was posted.
Thanks to a facebook message from Paula in Canada I found my name
assigned to this week.
Now faced with a dilema, to get a cheap flight, arrange after
school care as my daughter would start school on May 25th, decide
whether I could work around my online business, decide whether I
could afford to pass up this carrot dangled by the LTA knowing I
wanted to work the championships next year and hopefully be
considered for the 2012 Olympics, oh and I had better ask my
wife!!!
The financial ramifications would see me out of pocket by $1,500
just on the airfare alone, without adding accomodation and spending
on top of that. Such is my desire and goal to work at all the grand
slam events, we have found the way to get me winging to London.
I am extremely lucky to have a supportive family and a portable
business that has recently expanded to Malaysia. So my stopover was
of course in Kuala Lumpur where not only was I introduced to
Malaysian culture, shopping, and food, but I am also to chair
umpire at their futures event on my return from London.
Malaysia is gripped with World Cup Football fever and the whole
country seems to be gearing up to watch the festival of football,
big screens and parties in every bar. Even in this frenzy I have
managed to engage a few in our business with more to come.
We worry about people driving and texting in NZ, however I found
something far more personally dangerous and threatened to end my
Wimbldon experience. Walking down the steps to the train, I
received a text, took the phone out of my pocket and missed the
last step, rolling my ankle, hearing a loud crack as I ended up on
the tiles. My immediate thought was a broken ankle, I have twisted
them regularly when playing sport but never this far, RICE was
applied (rest ice compression and elevation) but not really in good
time, so now I find myself walking with a wounded ankle and need to
keep the blood circulating to improve the chance of healing enough
to enable me to walk on the hallowed grass courts.
Now in the cabin of a Malaysian Airlines 747 over southern
Europe I am looking forward to arriving in London and experincing
the coming qualifying event at roehampton.
I will post the next report in the middle of the qualifying
event, Internet connections willing:)
Calling the ball around the world.
Tony Glentworth
tonyg@nztua.com