Tennishead Magazine
During the two weeks of The Championships, though, tens of thousands of people turn the village into a mini-metropolis in their serch for food
and drink either side of a trip to the world’s greatest tennis tournament. Naturally, that makes things rather more hectic in the historic Geoorgian and Victorian conservation area, but it’s time that the local restaurants and pubs, in particular, very much look forward to.
“It’s really fantastic,” says Adrian Mills, who owns restaurant Thai Tho with his wife, Nicky. “Having the focus of the world on your particular small area for a tournament that is revered around the world is phenomenal. But then I’m biased because I love tennis and it’s brilliant
for business!” Even in spite of the volumn of fans that descend on the village either side of play at the All England Club, the players-who are usually accustomed to city-based tournaments-are just as appreciative of the village community and all it has to offer. Many are restaurant regulars in and around the fornight, satisfying their enormous appetites after a hard day’s hitting on south west London’s famous lawns.
“Venus Williams called Thai Tho her favourite restaurant in Wimbledon Village,” beams Mills, pointing to a small article in the window. “Maria Sharapova came here for the first time in 2004. She came every single night with her father [stir fried beef and egg fried rice was the chosen dish], and each time she came she won her next game. She went on to win the tournament that year and as a result she’s got very fond memories. She comes back every year.”
A tennis fan who played the game socially for many years “until age caught up with me”, Mills is adamant that players are treated in exactly the same way as any other customer. He recounts one memory where Serena and Venus Williams were repeatedly turned away because his restaurant was full, only for the pair-who have nine Wimbledon singles titles between them - to continue to loiter outside until they finally got
their table. “The golden rule is that everybody is treated exactly the same,” insists Mills. “You may well be a megastar tennis player, but
you will get the same level of service, the same courtesy,
the same quality as every other customer.” That may well be the case,
but Mills does admit to one occasion where he couldn’t help feeling a
little star struck. “One day we had Sharapova, Serena and Venus, Navratilova, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Brad Gilbert all in at
the same time, plus probably half a dozen other players that I’ve seen
but I can’t name,” he remembers. “I said to my wife, ‘It will never get better than this moment.’ What’s really nice is the players don’t get harassed. You don’t have autograph books constantly thrust in front
of them. They come out, have a nice meal,
say ‘I’ll be back’ - and they are!”
During the two weeks of The Championships, though, tens of thousands of people turn the village into a mini-metropolis in their serch for food
and drink either side of a trip to the world’s greatest tennis tournament. Naturally, that makes things rather more hectic in the historic Geoorgian and Victorian conservation area, but it’s time that the local restaurants and pubs, in particular, very much look forward to.
“It’s really fantastic,” says Adrian Mills, who owns restaurant Thai Tho with his wife, Nicky. “Having the focus of the world on your particular small area for a tournament that is revered around the world is phenomenal. But then I’m biased because I love tennis and it’s brilliant
for business!” Even in spite of the volumn of fans that descend on the village either side of play at the All England Club, the players-who are usually accustomed to city-based tournaments-are just as appreciative of the village community and all it has to offer. Many are restaurant regulars in and around the fornight, satisfying their enormous appetites after a hard day’s hitting on south west London’s famous lawns.
“Venus Williams called Thai Tho her favourite restaurant in Wimbledon Village,” beams Mills, pointing to a small article in the window. “Maria Sharapova came here for the first time in 2004. She came every single night with her father [stir fried beef and egg fried rice was the chosen dish], and each time she came she won her next game. She went on to win the tournament that year and as a result she’s got very fond memories. She comes back every year.”
A tennis fan who played the game socially for many years “until age caught up with me”, Mills is adamant that players are treated in exactly the same way as any other customer. He recounts one memory where Serena and Venus Williams were repeatedly turned away because his restaurant was full, only for the pair-who have nine Wimbledon singles titles between them - to continue to loiter outside until they finally got
their table. “The golden rule is that everybody is treated exactly the same,” insists Mills. “You may well be a megastar tennis player, but
you will get the same level of service, the same courtesy,
the same quality as every other customer.” That may well be the case,
but Mills does admit to one occasion where he couldn’t help feeling a
little star struck. “One day we had Sharapova, Serena and Venus, Navratilova, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Brad Gilbert all in at
the same time, plus probably half a dozen other players that I’ve seen
but I can’t name,” he remembers. “I said to my wife, ‘It will never get better than this moment.’ What’s really nice is the players don’t get harassed. You don’t have autograph books constantly thrust in front
of them. They come out, have a nice meal,
say ‘I’ll be back’ - and they are!”
