Summer Sports - Tennis


shifts, John says. “Two years ago, the front end of the club was changed to accommodate the North stand. Graham had to move courts elsewhere, so it was a big operation.”


There’s a new substation on site too and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connecting electrical boxes to marquees and acting as a failsafe if we suffer a power outage.” Everything must be in place before the tournament proper begins as qualifying weekend beckons, says John ‐ as competitors vie for a place in the first round, watched by the public but limited to 500 on site.


With no dedicated, permanent trunking available, cables have to be run through and around the temporary stands, all to be in place before the qualifying weekend. The BBC broadcasts ball by ball coverage throughout the championships and John has to ensure they are amply accommodated as they position cameras and set up their studio box between the top of the south and east stand. “All other commentary boxes sit on top of the south stand,” John confirms, “not forgetting the cabin housing Hawkeye, and we have to allow access on court for them to mark out so the system can do its job.”


Wednesday before the qualifying weekend, the build‐up team is preparing the players lounge, catering areas, laying floors and carpeting. Indoor clay courts 7 and 8 go under robust temporary flooring to accommodate them.


The media centre, meanwhile, requisitions all three squash courts and one of its iconic Rackets courts as artificial artificial turf


88 I PC APRIL/MAY 2018


protects their playing surfaces and false walls are erected before the bar and catering facilities move in.


The club’s other rackets courts don’t escape either as the build‐up team brings them into service as the tournament offices. Hospitality areas take out indoor clay courts 3 to 6 as the Queen’s tournament village takes shape. Sturdy foam rubber covers the surfaces to take marquee steelwork, flooring and fabric coverings. Once the twin‐level structure is erected, carpeting is laid upstairs, whilst green “Astroturf” surfacing goes down over the marquee floor in the bar, first‐aid and other public areas.


In total, the infrastructure affects no fewer


than twelve indoor and outdoor courts as the scope of the event expands. After the event, the take‐out begins in earnest. “We have three weeks to clear the site, beginning with anything that can be stolen,” says John ‐ “furniture, TVs and so on. The team work through the Sunday night to remove everything.” If it all goes to plan, as it invariably does, members reclaim their club to enjoy the varied sporting provision once more ‐ until they spy John Hester on site again and know that the annual logistical earthquake is about to rumble again.


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