Smashing! It’s back

BBC2, 11AM/BBC1, 1.45pm

ANYONE for tennis? The famous British tournament kicks off today, heralding the official arrival of summer and a fortnight of being expected to drink

Pimm’s all day.

For two weeks, you’ll automatically be stocking up on strawberries and cream on your weekly shop, and bosses around the country will allow the telly to be on in the office. Well, if they don’t, they should.

Ever since “our Andy” won the long-coveted men’s singles trophy in 2013 (a whopping 77 years after Fred Perry), THEN did it again in 2016, of course all eyes will be on him to make it a hat-trick.

But it will be his toughest test yet after many of last year’s campaigns were brought to a halt through injury and surgery.

Britain’s hopes for the women’s singles rest with Johanna Konta who is seeded 22nd, while Andy was absent from the seeding.

As is tradition, the defending champion, who this year is Roger Federer, will arrive on Centre Court to begin proceedings.

But it’s not all about tennis. Eagleeyed viewers will also be looking out for members of the Royal Family, the odd Hollywood actor and the stirrings of a spontaneous sing-song.

Then there are all the facts and figures that we are served up every year – the event serves 34,000kg of strawberries, 10,000 litres of dairy cream and 320,000 glasses of Pimm’s.

To talk us through it all, Sue Barker presents the live coverage, and she’s joined in the commentating box by legends including John Mcenroe, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker and Billie Jean King.