Wimbledon, the titans of tradition, broke with an old order. Ushering in a new era of play on the middle-Sunday, the tennis major celebrated the centenary of Centre Court in its current location on Church Road with a parade of champions.
For a melange of legends – from Rod Laver to Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer – Centre Court was home again, even if only briefly before the start of play.
Federer, the eight-time champion, who is scheduled to return to the Tour in the fall, said it was ‘awkward’ for him to be back in the cathedral of the sport, not as a player.
“I have had my biggest wins and my biggest losses on this court,” he told Sue Barker, who is retiring after 30-years as broadcaster. “The 2001 match against Sampras and the 2003 final against Mark Philippoussis are my most memorable matches.
“The knee has been rough on me. I missed being here. I hope I can come back one more time,” Federer said.
