The world's most prestigious tennis tournament has returned to London for 2024.
This week, the Wimbledon Championships are set to serve up some exceptional performances and intense rivalry between the biggest names in tennis, with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitipas taking to the grass courts.
In the lead up to the action in SW19, last week HELLO! witnessed Tsitsipas' stellar performance against Sebastian Korda at The Boodles; a glitzy exhibition tournament that offers up world-class tennis, Laurent-Perrier Champagne and a setting steeped in history dating back to William I's reign in the 11th Century.
© Francois NelPlayers use The Boodles as an opportunity to try new techniques and have fun on the court ahead of a nail-biting tournament at SW19, as Tsitsipas, 25, revealed after winning his match against Korda, 23.
"You feel more comfortable using certain tactics here because there are no consequences, this separates exhibition matches from competition matches," he said.
© Clive Brunskill"There's less pressure playing at The Boodles because you kind of get to pick the player you want to play with, which is quite rare, I think that's what makes it different. Because it's a more relaxed setting it's a good chance to try out new things ahead of Wimbledon."
Get your head in the game
The Greek player, who won his first career Grand Slam match at the French Open in 2018, said the key to a good game is in the preparation. "Being fully rested and making sure I'm in a good state of mind is something I try to do before matches.
Every athlete has their own superstition, and for me it's following my routine methodically."He added: "Starting from breakfast, then consuming liquids - you never want to be dehydrated - I focus on these things well before a match starts so that I'm fully ready to go for up to five hours if needed.
"Post Wimbledon, Tsitsipas is looking forward to returning to clay as he plays at the Paris Olympics. "The Roland-Garros, home of the French Open, holds special memories for me - I love the clay there, so I've been excited about it for a very long time."
Aside from popping Champagne and sipping on Pimms from the private courtside box, guests at The Boodles were able to view the beautiful jewels being shown at the on-site Boodles Gallery. This was followed by a dazzling three-course lunch from award-winning chef Chris Wheeler, and players' Q&A led by the inimitable Master of Ceremonies, Di Stewart.
When asked if he'd joined in with the British tradition of drinking Pimm's this summer, Tsitispas admitted: "I haven't yet tried any Pimm's yet, I'm not drinking alcohol for the moment and I'll be staying away from it until after Wimbledon. Maybe the day after Wimbledon ends would be a good excuse to drink Champagne, who knows."
