The Guardian Weekly

On the sofa and down with the players

- Tim Dowling

As a home-worker, the arrival of Wimbledon provides a jolt to my already unstable work/life balance. At no other point in the year do I use my time so poorly.

I’m not even a particular tennis fan; it’s just that the tournament provides live, office-hours distractio­n. Each morning I plan my day around deadlines, admin and emails. Then I turn on the TV. I feel like the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, stretched out on a closed state beach, alone and inert, enjoying a privilege I don’t deserve.

Imagine my opening-day disappoint­ment when, instead of being sprawled on the sofa, I found myself on a train, heading for an appointmen­t. This is not how it’s supposed to go. I’m a freelance writer – I’m not supposed to have to be anywhere.

I was trying to keep tabs on Andy Murray, not easy on the tube, where the phone only connects to wifi when the train is in a station. Once the third set was under way, the score remained unchanged. Why is this happening? Why to me? I should have guessed why: It was raining.

Another dispiritin­g feature, according to the players, is the Wimbledon groan: the sigh the crowd emits after a double fault, just to show how let down they feel. Not angry, just disappoint­ed. It can be life-sapping. It can be so debilitati­ng to morale that Pat Cash had to consult a sports psychologi­st. While the groan that follows an easy mistake is not unique to Wimbledon, it’s apparently easier to hear on Centre Court because everyone is so quiet. I have long borne witness to the destructiv­e power of British courtesy. I will watch the most disappoint­ing performanc­es with renewed admiration.

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