I have to say that I much prefer doing sports to watching sports, but the Olympics got the nation hooked and July 2013 brings plenty of sporting activity to suit every personality.
Starting with Tennis – people descend in their droves (500,000 spectators and millions of TV viewers) to South West London every summer come rain or shine for two weeks of tennis, queuing and strawberries & cream.
Wimbledon is one of four annual Grand Slam tournaments; it is played on a grass surface and there is a strict white only dress code for players, it is one of the most prestigious events and the world’s longest running in the tennis calendar.
During the first week the players are whittled down by playing the early rounds of singles and doubles, men’s and ladies. The top seeds will play on Centre Court and Courts 1 & 2. Wimbledon’s finale is the Ladies and Men’s Singles finals that take place on the last weekend of the championship.
Serena Williams is the defending champion having won the 2012 Grand Slam for Ladies Singles & Doubles. Serena alongside her Sister Venus has had an impressive career. She has won 557 matches and only lost 106, so it is no surprise that her career prize money to date has been $42,455,272.
But of course it is only natural that we will root for someone British to win and all hopes will be on Andy Murray, although he has just dropped out of the French Open due to a historical back injury and does not want to aggravate it on his least favourite surface – so fingers crossed he will be well for Wimbledon. In 2012 he was semi-finalist in the Australian Open, Quarter Finalist at the Roland Garros, Winner at the US Open and Runner Up at Wimbledon after a nail biting match with Roger Federer.
If Tennis doesn’t interest you then maybe cycling or Rugby will and rounding off the month with a celebration of sport on the Olympic anniversary:
Le Tour de France
Running from Saturday June 29th to Sunday July 21th 2013, the 100th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,360 kilometres.
7 flat stages
5 hilly stages
6 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes
2 individual time trial stages
1 team time trial stage
2 rest days
Following the announcement on the 31st May that Bradley Wiggins (Wiggo) will not be riding due to illness picked up during the Giro d’Italia and a knee injury that paves the way for fellow Brit Chris Froome to take the lead for Team Sky.
Ashes 2013
England will begin the defence of the Ashes at Trent Bridge in July 2013. The opening game of the five-match series begins on 10 July with the second Test at Lord’s next up from 18 July.
Test cricket returns to Old Trafford for the third Test from 1 August while Durham hosts the penultimate match from 9 August. The series will end from 21 August at The Oval, where England have clinched the urn for the last two home series.
Shane Warne has gone on the record (31st May) to say that “if Kevin Pietersen’s not available for the Ashes I think Australia will win. I think he’s that big a player for the England team.”
Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games
British Athletics will host three days of world-class athletics action from 26 to 28 July 2013, on the anniversary of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony, at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games will span three days of athletics, with IAAF Diamond League action on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, featuring the return of many Olympic champions, and a third day of action on the Sunday dedicated to showcasing the Paralympic champions of 2012.
Vice-President of the IAAF, Seb Coe said “I am delighted that the London Anniversary Games has been confirmed as three days of international athletics this July. London 2012 was an amazing year for British sport and what a way to celebrate its success by welcoming the world back to London once more to watch the biggest names in athletics. It is an important part of the London 2012 legacy that as many people as possible experience world class sport in the world class facilities at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and I’m sure the London Anniversary Games will go a long way to inspiring the next generation of track and field fans.”
Andy Murray Image Credit:
Neale Cousland / Shutterstock.com
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