Wimbledum & Wimbledee 2018
Tracking the Wimbledon singles results is something I enjoy doing every year. My interest is best expressed by an old Peanuts cartoon where Linus ecstatically reports the result of a game — the crowd was sobbing, the coach was laughing, the team were rolling on the pitch — and Charlie Brown asks “How did the other side feel?”
Being London Welsh I am genetically predisposed to root for the underdog (except when they’re playing Wales or the Scarlets).
So as people chart the progress of their favourite player to the Championship, I have to track it in reverse. Who is the biggest loser?
This year my Wimbledum Champion is Y NISHIOKA of Japan. He lost to Marin Cilic, who lost to G Pella, who lost to M McDonald, who lost to Milos Raonic, who lost to John Isner, who lost to Kevin Anderson, who lost to Novak Djokovic.
And the Wimbledee Champion is I-C BEGU of Romania, who lost to Katy Swan, who lost to M Buzarnescu, who lost to Ka Pliskova, who lost to K Bertens, who lost to J Görges, who lost to Serena Williams, who lost to Angelique Kerber.
Nishioka and Begu still managed to walk away with £39,000 each, just for getting into the first round.
I really must take up this tennis lark one day.