Text: Deepti Patwardhan in London
He got it on the third attempt. Turned his cap behind, held his racquet at the back, plop! Up went the ball over his head and the net.
"It's going to be a circus out there," remarked a spectator. And this was just the practice.
As the crowd had started filing into Court No 18 you realise the people are not coming in to see the match but to enjoy the match.
Far from the cut-throat competition on the show courts and elsewhere, this cozy corner of Wimbledon was playing host to the invitation senior men's doubles and to one of the greatest characters of the game -- Ilie Nastase.
The Romanian -- his long, straight hair graying but still flowing with the wind -- was playing with the United States' Stan Smith, the man who had beaten him in the 1972 Wimbledon final. The 60 somethings were up against the much fitter and younger Jeremy Bates and Andres Jarryd.
"Are you sure you are in the right group?" asked Nastase. "How old are you?"
"37," said Jarryd.
"You see," Nastase, hanging his hands, said to the umpire. "He is old enough to be my grandson or son.
Photographs: Getty Images
Advertisement
