SERVE the strawberries and mix the Pimms, the Championships at Wimbledon are in full swing.
The most quintessentially British event on the sporting calendar began in earnest this week and there will be plenty to look forward to over the next fortnight.
And it is all thanks to a man from a village near Ruthin - but we’ll come to that later.
For now you can be sure that the grass court championships will throw up some of the most exciting tennis you will see and that, for however long he stays in the competition, all eyes will be on Andy Murray.
Inevitably rain will stop play at times but this will only provide a way for us Brits to demonstrate our patience and resilience and, hopefully, for Sir Cliff to belt out a few hits on centre court.
There’ll be tears and frustration, joy and elation.
There’ll be classic re-runs, unnecessary grunting, Johnny Mac and Boris Becker, Henman Hill, Murray Mount, blazers, boaters and all that makes Wimbledon great.
The world’s most prestigious grand slam tennis tournament has come a long way since its beginnings as a garden party knockabout in a posh bit of London way back in 1877.
Picture the scene.
Queen Victoria is on the throne, the Prime Minister is a chap from Flintshire called Gladstone, and Britain remains the most powerful nation in the world.
The year is 1868 and, in Worpole Road, Wimbledon, a private club is formed. It is dedicated to one pursuit and is known as ‘The All England Croquet Club’.
But these are ever-changing times and, in 1874 at Llanelidan near Ruthin, a new and exciting lawn game is invented by pioneering sportsman, Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, for the amusement of his guests at Nantclwyd Hall.
He calls it sphairistike, and quickly patents the net.
If you’re wondering why, apparently it is Greek, meaning something akin to ‘skill at playing at ball’, but the name would quickly evolve to the more easily pronounceable ‘tennis’.
The major’s novel idea proves very popular and word of it soon finds its way to the croquet lawns of Wimbledon.
In 1875, this new pursuit is added to the activities of the All England Club and two years later the club holds its first tennis tournament.
The only event, the gentlemen’s singles, has a field of 22 and is won by Spencer Gore, an old Harrovian rackets player.
About 200 spectators pay one shilling each to watch the final.
In the same year the club changes its name to ‘The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club’.
It is the same club that administers the championships today only rather than 200, the number of people in the UK who will watch the action on court, live or via television, will be several million.
Through the course of its history there have been some truly memorable moments at Wimbledon - for me it is Goran’s wildcard win of 2001.
Some might recall Virginia Wade’s Jubilee year victory of ’77.
Anyone remember the fourth set tie-break in the 1980 final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe?
There have been some exceptional players - Fred Perry, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, Rod Laver among others.
There’s been so much excitement, triumph and disappointment.
But, what can we expect from 2010?
Well, we have arguably the greatest tennis player of all time in Roger Federer, a fired-up Andy Roddick looking for revenge for last year’s final, the Williams sisters on top form, the return of Rafa and so much more to look forward to.
Can Andy do it? Could young Laura Robson?
What a wonderful game it is that we call sphairistike! Sorry, I mean tennis!