Tennis, Anyone?

If you're a tennis fan, you probably know that today is the first day of the 2012 Wimbledon Tennis Championships.  When you live in Wimbledon, it's hard not to be aware of it.  As I was running errands around the town center this morning, there were signs of tennis mania everywhere...

In front of Wimbledon Station, a strawberry-coated Disney-style line has appeared so people can queue up for the shuttle bus to take them up to the AELTC -- where they can join The Queue for tickets.

The Pre-Queue for Wimbledon

Some of the shuttles are old-school Routemaster buses.  They charge £3 one way, or £5 round trip.  Or you can walk another block and catch the 493 bus, which will take you there for £1.35...

Tennis shuttle

The players and officials don't have to take a bus.  They have a whole fleet of cars (and drivers) to transport them from their lodgings to the AELTC.  There aren't really any hotels in Wimbledon, so many of them rent private homes during the fortnight.  I suspect the better the player is, the closer they stay to the AELTC, so anyone who is renting in my neighborhood is probably not a top seed.  These cars will be all over Wimbledon for the next two weeks.

Sure would be nice to have a car AND driver!

The building across the street from the station is now sporting a HUGE tennis-themed billboard. There's never been one there before -- not even during last years' championships. Seems a bit tacky...

Really?

The local Starbucks is advertising a special strawberries & cream frappuccino, and even Burger King is getting into the act...

What they're SERVING at Burger King

The Prince of Wales pub has added some new decorations to their patriotic display of flags and flower baskets.

They've got big balls!

 And the local charity shops have updated their window displays.

Must be last season's tennis fashions

Even the little cafe near my house has gotten into the spirit with a special cake in Wimbledon purple and green and tennis ball cake pops.  Cute!

Almost looks too good to eat.

I haven't been up to Wimbledon Village yet, but last year nearly every storefront was decorated with a tennis theme -- even the Thai restaurant.  I hope to make it up there sometime soon to check it out -- and hopefully I'll have a chance to see some tennis as well.