Come to Centre Court on one of the first days of the Grand Slam when the grass is still largely untouched and at its most crisp, and the smells of jasmine and honey infuse the air, and you will find yourself curious about the quiet. The players, however, savor it. It’s part of the tradition at the world’s oldest professional tennis tournament, and what the British fans that come here every year relish. (Although do try and tune in to the entertaining murmurs of English nans between points—they always have sharp commentary, should a player double-fault or make an unforced error. Pity.) The hardest-earned grass plot in all of tennis sits over at Court 2, my personal favorite court to watch a knock-around at SW19.
Herbert Park, Dublin
Switching from the U.K. to Ireland will take you from one population that thinks they have the oldest tennis clubs in the world to another. Arrive in Dublin and set out for the public courts like those at Herbert Park. Enjoy the brown bread ice cream at Murphy’s after your hit, maybe a pint of Guinness, and then take the train or drive through the verdant countryside toward Cork.
