Wimbledon 1997: SW19 and all that: Know your way there and know your way around: Fifteen love

Andrew Longmore Serves Up A. Set
Saturday 21 June 1997 18:02 EDT
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The new No 1 court. If it establishes a tradition half as strong as its much loved predecessor, book your seat.

Rusedski v Philippoussis. The two biggest servers on the circuit. You might hear the ball, you won't see it. Any volunteers for linesmen?

Emilio Alvarez. A Spaniard who wears a spotted bandanna and the Chelsea home strip. Not at Wimbledon. Real Madrid white is compulsory.

The new Martina. Super self-possessed, quite cute, can she establish a supremacy as eternal as the old Martina's? Only nine titles to go.

The prices in the Wimbledon shop. A marvel to behold, even more so the people willing to pay them. Ditto strawberries.

The Wimbledon Museum. Wooden rackets, old films, memorabilia, nostalgia by the grainy set-full. Keep for a rainy day, when Sir Cliff bursts into song.

The Woodys. Going for their fifth successive doubles title. A classier double act than Reeves and Mortimer (and funnier too).

Boris and his haircut. Van Gogh this year? Check out the way he bounces the ball on his racket as he walks back to serve. (It's harder than it looks.)

Goran's classes on lip-reading, muttering intermediate standard) and glowering for beginners. You won't find the words in the Anglo-Croat dictionary.

The sunny attitude of samba man Gustavo Kuerten, the French Open champion from a Brazilian island where there must be more clay than grass.

Jana Kandarr of Germany. A Steffi substitute. Tall, blonde, minimalist wardrobe. Just a shame about the tennis.

Loitering round the last-eight club in the hope of seeing Rod Laver or maybe even John McEnroe's goatee.

Listening to the umpire in the event of a women's final between Cristino Torrens-Valero and Alexie Dechaume-Balleret. Not doubles either.

A Pete Sampras smile. He can do it. It is just that the grimace and the smile tend to merge a bit. Just watch his effortless tennis instead.

Celebrating Our Tim's victory in the Wimbledon final - or Our Greg's for that matter - and wondering where on earth they will put the statue.

From rail lines to tramlines

By rail to Wimbledon station: Trains will run from Waterloo every five minutes with a journey time of 15 minutes. Direct rail services are also available from other local stations including Clapham Junction, Surbiton, New Malden, Shepperton, Epsom, Kingston, Dorking and Sutton. Longer distance trains will stop at Wimbledon 10am-12.30pm and 7-9pm from Havant, Salisbury, Andover, Portsmouth, Winchester, Exeter, Southampton, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Poole and other stations on these routes. Shuttle buses leave the station for the Championships every five minutes.

By underground to Southfields: Southbound District Line trains leave Earl's Court every five minutes. At Southfields, board a shuttle bus or walk along Wimbledon Park Road (about 15 minutes).

By taxi: Ranks operate from outside both Wimbledon and Southfields stations, and from outside Championship gates 4, 5 and 13.

By coach: Passengers can be set down only by Car Park 4 in Somerset Road, next to the coach park.

By bus: Buses will run direct to the Championships every 30 minutes from Marble Arch and Victoria.

By car: Join A3 from M25 at Junction 10 and either follow the AA signposts into the special Church Road/Marryat Road one-way system or park in the London University sportsground at Motspur Park (pounds 6 per car) and take a free shuttle. Car parks 2, 3 and 4 are in Somerset Road, 5-9 in Church Road, and 10 in Wimbledon Park Road. Opening times vary between 6.30 and 8am. Car parks 6-10 are privately run and charges may vary.

Queueing: All spectators buying tickets on the day must enter the grounds at Gate 3 in Church Road.

No 1 Court opening: Ticket holders for tomorrow's opening ceremony must take their seats by 1.15pm.

Times of play: Play starts on Centre and No 1 Courts tomorrow at 2.15pm (2pm on all other days). Matches on all other courts will start at midday each day.

Ticket charges: Ground admission on week one is pounds 8 (pounds 6 after 5pm), pounds 7 on week two (pounds 5 after 5pm) and pounds 5 on Saturday (pounds 3 after 5pm). 500 tickets a day are on sale for Centre, No 1 and No 2 Courts on the first nine days (2,000 pounds 25 Centre Court tickets will be sold on Saturday).

Warning: On police advice, all bags and luggage will be searched on entry, and all cars will be checked when entering the car parks.

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