WIMBLEDON gets underway today — with fans queuing for days to glimpse the action.
First in line for tickets were Julia Barker, 47, and hubby Nickie, 54, who flew over from Dublin on Friday night to stand in line.
Nickie and Julie Barker from Dublin were the first in line for tickets for Wimbledon’s centre courtPaul Edwards
i-ImagesTennis superfans queued for days to get the best Wimbledon tickets[/caption]
Their son Dan, 23, who now lives in London, joined them to wait more than 50 hours to get prized Centre Court tickets.
Dan said: “We assumed we were in the wrong place but then we realised it was because we were first.”
Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie will head home fans’ hopes.
Brits Dan Evans, Katie Swan, Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Liam Broady and Jan Choinski all play first matches today with Katie, Cameron and Andy Murray beginning their bids tomorrow.
Norrie, who reached the semi-finals last year, said he “can’t wait” to get started.
Boulter said she was planning to put her “heart on line”.
She added: “I love to have that feeling when you go out and the crowd is roaring. Hopefully I can use that.”
The weather is set to be sunny with a few showers for the first day before heavier rain threatens to move in tomorrow.
Punters will have to shell out £11.70 for a Pimm’s on Henman Hill but a bumper crop of strawberries has kept the price of a punnet to £2.50.
Wimbo spot
Ball boys and girls, all from local schools and aged 15, have been told not to intervene if eco-protesters break onto court during play and disrupt matches.