An Enchanting Experience
A day out at Wimbledon
There are few sports that keep my attention while my boyfriend screams at the TV. Tennis is the one where I scream too.
Two summers ago at the French Open, I teared up watching Alcaraz cramp mid-rally in the semifinals against Djokovic. His body gave out in a monumental match he’s trained his whole life for.
That’s the thing about tennis. It’s an individual sport. The emotion isn’t about the clock or the scoreboard. It’s raw. You feel the in-air fist pump after a clean winner, the ice-cold precision on a second serve. And it’s inspiring. You see a player’s entire life poured into every point—twenty-plus years of training, mind and body pushed to their absolute limits, for a split-second moment.
I was excited to see Alcaraz play live again at Wimbledon this year. Though, every time it came up in conversation, I heard more about “the grounds” than the game. It’s a strange contrast to the way people usually talk about sports. But, now, I get it.
Attending Wimbledon is a different sport entirely.
The whole experience is enchanting. Women wear heels, oversized sunglasses, and white sundresses. Men in linen jackets and dress shoes. The brightest green stretches in every direction, sprinkled with purple hydrangeas, petunias, and Boston ivy climbing the walls.
The tournament is intimate. Centre Court is nearly half the size of Arthur Ashe Stadium. There’s hardly any advertising. Just Rolex, Emirates, and Ralph Lauren, whose logos are so discreet you have to squint to see them in person. Debenture ticket holders watch from private terraces while sipping champagne. Even the paper containers of strawberries and cream are elegant! I’ve always loved watching tennis. But after Wimbledon, it made even more sense why this is my favorite sport.
Uma Chalik is the writer of Miscellaneous Good, a travel archive and newsletter for good people with good taste. She shares easily-digestible, design-forward guides to help you plan your next trip - from London to Paris to Tokyo to Istanbul.
Uma’s piece will be published in Issue 37 of the WARKITCHEN, a Wimbledon special. Stay tuned for the full issue!
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