It is a strange thought but had it not been for the pandemic, Britain’s leading players might not be enjoying such success at this year’s Wimbledon. After 10 Britons made it into round two, the best since 1984, Katie Boulter and Liam Broady will bid for a place in the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time, trying to join Heather Watson and Cameron Norrie, who are already there after wins on Friday.
In early 2020, when the pandemic began, British players were thrust together by circumstance, rather than design. The only place they could train once the first set of restrictions were lifted was the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. Once maligned and considered an expensive white elephant, it again became a place of hope for Britain’s top players.
