Following a one-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Wimbledon returned in triumphant fashion this summer. Not only did the championships take place successfully, but they were also staged with fans in attendance.
It may not have been entirely normal (the queue was gone, for example), but it was still Wimbledon–in all, or at least most, of its glory.
Nobody was happier about Wimbledon returning than Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty, respective champions on the men’s and women’s sides. Djokovic lifted the trophy at the All-England Club for the sixth time, while Barty became a first-time champion. Both players are now two of the favorites at Betway to win gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
But it was not just players who were excited to have Wimbledon back in business; it was the entire tennis world. Among that contingent was Andrew Castle, former British No. 1 and the BBC’s lead tennis commentator at the tournament.
“It’s just unbelievable to be back,” Castle commented. “I was sitting next to John McEnroe on the first day and he was just delighted, too. Even off mic, he was saying how wonderful it is. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Wimbledon so special. I could say that the tennis and the atmosphere is what brings it to life, but it still gets you even when it’s dormant and sleeping. I have goosebumps when I arrive and nobody’s around. It’s just one of the great privileges to call it my place of work.”
Castle has been covering the championships for 15 years, after starting his broadcasting career in golf, car racing, and even equestrian. But he always wanted to work his way up through the tennis broadcasting ranks and knew he had struck gold when his first Wimbledon match as a commentator featured Rafael Nadal out on Court 12 in the mid-2000s. The 57-year-old would go on to be in the booth for legendary moments such as the Nadal vs. Roger Federer 2008 final and Andy Murray’s historic win in 2013.
“That match changed the game,” Castle said of Nadal-Federer in ’08. “The gold standard of tennis improved in one match. They pushed each other to mad limits. I remember it was Tim Henman’s first Wimbledon final as a commentator. We both sat there in the commentary box in shock and awe.
“Of course, since then there have been more, mainly featuring Djokovic. He has just quietly won [six] Wimbledons. I remember the 2018 semifinal against Nadal, particularly; another mind-boggling match. Nadal with his determination and muscularity is genius, but I have to say I think I’ve seen the best tennis come from Novak’s racquet. He came to the party slightly after the other two, but I think he might have been the most remarkable.”
Prior to the conclusion of the 2021 event, Castle–like many others–could see another Djokovic coronation. With the Serb trailing Federer and Nadal by just one on the all-time Grand Slam title count, Castle anticipated it being a historic moment.
“It’s felt like Federer’s era for so long,” he noted, “but to watch Djokovic draw level with him and Nadal would be something quite astonishing to cover.”
That is exactly how things played out, putting the exclamation on a tournament that would have been a success story no matter the on-court results. Quite simply, Wimbledon was back.
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