Some photos from Wimbledon

In case you're interested...

Arnaud Clement

Benjamin Becker

James Blake

The scores on the doors

The knoll formerly known as Henman Hill (aka "Murray Mound")

Some not-very-well-camouflaged BBC cameramen

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Liveblogging the Wimbledon queue II

10:30 The grounds are officially open. Out here in Wimbledon Park, meanwhile, we've been given a 40-page guide to queueing. "You are in the queue if you join it at the end and remain in it until you have acquired a ticket," it advises. It is good to have that cleared up, as I was beginning to get confused and disorientated.
Current music: Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor

1055 Our section of the queue has been ushered forward from the holding area to the ticket line. Maybe 30 mins to go!
Current music: Flight of the Conchords - Ladies of the World

11:50 and I'm in! Only £20 to get access to all the outlying courts - and I have the option of (another) queue for returns to Centre Court and Court No. 1. Not that I'll need one, Boris Becker's due on Court 17 when play commences at noon, and that's where I've stationed myself for now.

I have to say the whole queueing process was a peculiarly British delight - amiable, polite and well ordered. So much so that people gladly accepted stickers proudly proclaiming they'd been in line for one of the 25,000 tickets.

You wouldn't get that at Heathrow.
Current music: please God, anything but an 'impromptu' performance from Cliff Richard.

12:10 Oh, so it's Benjamin Becker. Just goes to show how much I know about tennis! In any case, I have to turn the iPhone off during the day's play, so you'll be spared my hopeless sports commentary (queues are more my thing). So that, dear readers, is that. Byeeee!

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Liveblogging the Wimbledon queue

09:15 Hello! I thought I'd try something a little different today, and update the blog as I queue to get into day 4 of the 2008 Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon. I've arrived at the specially designated waiting area (a big field opposite the hallowed grass courts) and been handed a "queue card" by the boater-wearing, none-more-English stewards. Clearly, however, I didn't arrive early enough - my ticket number is 6002 :(
Current music: The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go

09:45 There's a pitched battle going on between the two rival gangs of newspaper vendors prowling the queue. Currently trailing in second place is The Guardian (left wing, sneery attitude, free sun cream) which is selling roughly one copy for every three shifted by the Daily Mail (racist, homophobic, free binoculars). There is also one forlorn Daily Telegraph seller (free DVD???) but I think this may just be a practical joke.
Current music: Timbaland: Give It To Me

10:05 I'm passing the time by reading US music magazine Blender, in which Coldplay's new effort is dispatched with concise brilliance. "Coldplay making a record about not pleasing everyone," writes Jon Dolan, "is like James Brown making a record about not being so damn funky all the time."
Current music: Neil Young: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

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