Roger Federer is “devastated”. Ashleigh Barty is shattered. Serena Williams is – as she chose to phrase it – “shooked”.
The cancellation of this year's Wimbledon – for the first time since the Second World War – has, understandably, hit the tennis community hard.
It was a decision everyone saw coming, but that didn’t stop the sporting world from flooding our Twitter timelines with broken heart emojis and tearful GIFs.
The tennis season came to a screeching halt a little over three weeks ago when the Indian Wells tournament was cancelled the night before qualifying was due to start. All tours have been suspended since, and on Wednesday, we learned there won't be any tennis until at least July 13.
If so many tennis tournaments had already been cancelled, why was Wimbledon’s announcement met with such emotional reaction?
“Because it’s WIMBLEDON,” tweeted Croatian world No 24 Donna Vekic.
That’s a simple, yet apt, way of putting it.
Wimbledon means so many things to so many people. In a sport that has an 11-month season packed with tournaments, Wimbledon stands out as the pinnacle, and Centre Court is tennis’ Mecca.
Federer loves it so much that he won it eight times. Novak Djokovic, who is regarded as a master of the hard courts, dreamt of triumphing on the grass courts of the All England Club since he could remember, and built little Wimbledon trophies in his bedroom, pretending he had won it. He's won it in real life on five occasions.
Wimbledon is where the late Jana Novotna cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after she lost the 1993 final to Steffi Graf. She would become champion on that very same court five years later. It’s where Croatian wildcard Goran Ivanisevic claimed his only Grand Slam by defeating Pat Rafter on ‘People’s Monday’.
It's where fans gathered on Henman Hill for years, championing their home favourites until Andy Murray ended Britain's 77-year drought at the tournament by lifting the trophy in 2013.
Wimbledon strikes an almost impossible balance between keeping its historic and traditional feel, while still embracing the modern age. Its two main show courts have state-of-the-art retractable roofs yet can still transport you to an era gone by.
Centre Court is where royals, celebrities and dignitaries make regular appearances in the Royal Box, but it’s also where die-hard fans from the famous Wimbledon Queue, are given access to the best seats in the house.
No other tournament has thousands of people camp out in tents each night, a week before the event even starts. No other tournament takes 'Middle Sunday' off. No other tournament sees the champion and runner-up take a lap of honour together. The Royal Box dress code is so strict, that Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was once refused entry for not abiding by it.
The first time I went to Wimbledon was in 2009. I chose the perfect day to go as a fan, on ‘Manic Monday’, where all fourth round matches of both the men’s and women’s events are staged – another feature unique to the Championships.
Full disclosure: Wimbledon was never really my favourite tournament. I preferred the slower surfaces that featured longer rallies, and didn’t enjoy the ace-fests that were very prominent on the speedy grass courts of the late 90’s.
But that all changed the second I set foot inside the All England Club 11 years ago. The venue is like a time machine that takes you back. The atmosphere feels whimsical; you cannot really put a finger on it. Maybe it’s the tennis whites on the immaculate green grass, or maybe it’s the beautiful stadiums and courts, covered in flowers and lush with historic memories.
In her autobiography, Maria Sharapova described Wimbledon’s members’ locker room – dedicated to the seeded players during the Championships – as “the most beautiful locker room in the world”.
In 2009, I watched Juan Carlos Ferrero defeat Gilles Simon on Court No 3 before I made my way to Court No 1, where Andy Roddick ousted Tomas Berdych. Here’s another great thing about Wimbledon – if you queue on Henman Hill, you can buy a £5 (Dh23) ticket that was resold for charity, given by fans who chose to leave the venue early. That’s how I got into Court No 1.
I returned to the Championships in 2014 as a reporter, and haven’t missed a Wimbledon since. For three weeks each summer over the past six years, I was lucky enough to call the All England Club my office. So did hundreds of other reporters, players, coaches, organisers, and staff.
The week before Wimbledon starts is the most magical tennis experience of all. The grounds are still closed to the public, and the players and their entourages, along with the press, are the only ones onsite.
I’d pick up a bowl of Wimbledon’s signature strawberries (sans cream in my case) from the media café and walk over to Aorangi Park, which is home to the most picturesque practice courts in tennis. Ask any tennis journalist and they tell you that watching a player during practice is a therapeutic experience. There is comfort in the repetition of groundstrokes, and music in the sound of the ball coming off of a freshly-strung racquet. Add to that the stunning Aorangi Park landscape and you feel like you’re in tennis paradise.
The tennis tour can get monotonous as you hit the same cities and stadiums on the same week every year, but I’m not the only one who would say that visiting Wimbledon never gets old. You feel privileged just being there; which is why missing out on another year of Wimbledon is a tough pill to swallow.
In the grander scheme of things, tennis is far from being the most important thing right now. We all acknowledge that. But I also understand why the players are heartbroken over the tournament’s cancellation.
Many are aware that their time on that hallowed Wimbledon turf is limited. None more than Federer and Williams perhaps, whose best chances of adding to their Grand Slam tally is undoubtedly at Wimbledon. They will both be 39 years old when next year’s edition comes around.
“This could have a direct impact on our history books forever,” Roddick said of Wimbledon’s cancellation on the Tennis Channel on Wednesday.
It already has. For the first time in 75 years, Wimbledon will not take place.
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Company%20profile
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019
Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)
Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)
Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)
Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL
Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)
Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup
Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar
Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar
Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)
Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
