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Belinda Cordwell -
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Belinda Cordwell had many stellar moments during her career but playing at Wimbledon remains her greatest moment in tennis.
The New Zealand left hander once made it all the way to the Australian Open semi-finals, won three professional tournaments and reached the dizzy heights of number 18 in the world but nothing quite compared with competing at the All-England club.
"It was overwhelming - more so than any other tennis tournament I had played. It was just incredible to think that I was playing there."
Wimbledon had been a family event every year in the Cordwell household.
"When we were young my brothers and I used to get up in the middle of the night and watch the final. Then we would go out on the tennis court and pretend that we were the players and [try to] play like them."
The locker room dungeon
Cordwell recalls with particular fondness Wimbledon's very own version of a class system, which served to separate the top players from the rest.
"There was a number one, number two and a number three locker room. When I first played there I was in the number three locker room. It was down a lot of stairs and it was a little bit like a dungeon."
"Whereas the top seeds like Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert-Lloyd had this amazing locker room. It was on the first level of the building and they could look out the window at all of the [other] players."
Wimbledon is a special tournament and certainly did things differently from the rest.
Cordwell recalls a 1987 clash with a 15-year-old Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, who had recently made the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
"It had rained all week and we had waited and waited to play. You used to watch the courts to see if it had stopped raining and then an old style black telephone would ring.
"The lady that ran that particular locker room would answer it and then say 'Miss Cordwell and Miss Sanchez-Vicario you are due on court now'".
"While you played she would start running the bath so that when you came off court (there were no showers) it would be ready for you after the match."
Considerable success
Cordwell enjoyed considerable success at the London Grand Slam tournament, reaching the third round on two occasions (1987 and 1988), something unmatched by a Kiwi female until Erakovic in 2008.
Her tournament in 1988 was particularly memorable. As well as reaching the third round of the singles and doubles she also enjoyed success alongside fellow Kiwi Russell Simpson in the mixed doubles.
In the second round the two New Zealanders faced the husband and wife duo of Carline Bassett and Robert Seguso, prevailing 9-7 in the third as the night drew in.
"I can see photos of it now I can't believe that we were able to hit the ball back and forward."
Their next opponents were American top seeds Ken Flach and Kathy Jordan.
Foolish pass
Cordwell and Simpson had a match point but couldn't convert it - much to Cordwell's chargin.
"I will never forget it - I foolishly decided to try and pass Ken Flach down the line on match point. He hit the ball for a winner and I don't think we won a lot of points after that."
Marina Erakovic is the new flagbearer for New Zealand tennis and Cordwell is cautiously optimistic for the young Kiwi.
"She has a great serve and she volleys and moves well.
"Erakovic is the type of player who can do well at Wimbledon. Given a good run, [she] can play very well on grass."
One hopes Erakovic can add to New Zealand's history at Wimbledon in future years.
One thing is for sure, Cordwell will be watching.
"If you think tennis, you think Wimbledon. It is one of those
events that stands out for me and it is the pinnacle of
tennis."
TVNZ is bringing you the biggest tennis tournament in
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www.tvnz.co.nz.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentJaycie13100 said on 2009-06-20 @ 19:19 NZDT:
The day when I was a teenaer and a mere boy named Ken Rosewall had to play veteran Drobny and the whole centre-court crowd to come ever so close to the ultimate. Sadly he retired as the greatest player NEVER to have won Wimbledon [or perhaps equal with Ivan Lendl]
cutecasper said on 2009-06-18 @ 17:01 NZDT:
Boris Becker and Stephan Edberg - This is the MATCH to watch....FINAL feels like a FINAL... I love Boris Becker, Its only coz of him i love Tennis..and it is my FAV sport and only sport i play!! .. Cant wait for WIMBLEDON to start...NEVER MISS IT! Since i have started watchin Tennis !
Baseliner said on 2009-06-18 @ 14:26 NZDT:
Becker was a legend! He seemed to have the biggest serve anybody had ever seen and the German always used to do cool tricks with the ball and racquet in between points or when he was walking up to serve.
Kiwi Royal said on 2009-06-17 @ 14:04 NZDT:
1) Watching Lewis beat Curren on tv as a kid in the semis of 1983. 2) Lining up at 2am for tickets on Middle Saturday and only getting them for Court Two! It worked out great though as McEnroe and Graf played Mixed Doubles on the court. 3) Knocking off work early with a mate, going up to Wimbledon, getting recycled Centre Court tickets and seeing Federer concede the only set he was to lose (to Mardy Fish) on the way to his first title in 2003.
Laurie Reid said on 2009-06-17 @ 13:28 NZDT:
Just the tears of Henman. He was so unlucky on so many occassions! But then again the Poms are known for that...