Ryan Peniston’s time under the Centre Court roof may not have lasted long, two hours and three minutes to be precise, but the Briton made the most of it, signing an exclusive drink endorsement deal for the duration of his Wimbledon run. The deal was with Rich Energy, a brand that uses the word “premium” a lot, but is probably best known for announcing they were tearing up a sponsorship deal with Haas F1 in the middle of the 2019 season and calling the car a “milk float”. Last year a similar story played out with an arrangement with Superbike team OMG Racing, while the – let’s say – eccentric CEO of Rich, William Storey, has also been behind an abortive bid to buy Sunderland AFC. All the diary is saying is: enjoy the moment, Ryan!
Murray reigns in the rain
Stoic or lunatic, you decide, but as the rain poured down on Wimbledon on Tuesday afternoon Murray Mound remained at least half full. When it was teeming it down at 2pm, people were crammed under golf umbrellas, tarpaulins and plastic bags, sticking it out “until the end of the Murray match” in the words of Mary Brill or, in the case of the Moore family from Oregon, sustaining themselves with Pimm’s until a predicted dry spell at 4pm. That spell duly arrived, and disappeared again within five minutes. Hill dwellers, we salute you.
Federer surprises a princess
Breaking protocol news. When Roger Federer emerged for his personal Centre Court tribute he was treated not only to a minute’s applause but an afternoon sat next to Kate Windsor. The Fed made his introductions to the Princess of Wales by tapping her affectionately on the back, a gesture which may just have caught Kate by surprise and would certainly have raised eyebrows in years heretofore. When meeting a member of the royal family, men traditionally bow of their head, a sign of deference to their superiors. But while protocol makes clear people “may wish to observe the traditional forms”, according to the official royal website, there are “no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting a member of the royal family”.
Cool cat in the hat
There can be no argument, Carlos Alcaraz looks dope in a bucket hat. Channelling the bygone vibes of LL Cool J and Reni from the Stone Roses, the Spaniard in his ever-present headwear has brought a rare air of cool to the All England Club. That said, there’s not much sign of it catching on among the crowds.
This may be because Alcaraz’s titfer is not available in the Wimbledon shops, Nike not being a tournament sponsor, and while there’s interest in the Ralph Lauren version that is for sale, shop sources report that interest cools when the price tag is revealed: £135 per bucket, though it is reversible.
