Choose your location
ESPN 690
Hawks and Hounds: Inside the weird and wonderful world of Wimbledon's working animals
Meandering within the manicured lawns and historic courts of Wimbledon are Rufus and Flo, a couple who are incredibly popular with players and fans alike, yet simultaneously unassuming and vital workers whose sole function is to keep the public safe and the tennis uninterrupted. With a combined 20 years of experience working at Wimbledon, they know exactly what they are doing when they start work each day of the two-week tournament in southwest London: Rufus watches the skies while Flo keeps an eye on the grounds. The biggest difference about Rufus and Flo, compared to most of the other employees at Wimbledon, is that Rufus is a 16-year-old hawk and Flo is a 4-year-old Labrador Retriever. Rufus, famous in his own right with over 5,000 followers on Instagram and has also been called “the world's most notable bird" and "one of Britain's best-known birds” in the media, has a singular responsibility -- keep Wimbledon clear of pigeons at all costs.
Inside the cutthroat world of becoming a Wimbledon ball boy and ball girl
The first thing you should know about becoming a ball boy or ball girl at Wimbledon is that the process is no joke. In fact, the process is so rigorous and intensive that the acceptance rate of those who get through the training program to work on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon is on par with being accepted into Oxford or Cambridge University, according to the latest enrolment data from Admission Report. By the time the tournament comes around in early July, the ball boys and ball girls (BBGs) will have been training for five months, starting in the dead of winter in January or February at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club facility in Raynes Park, just three miles south of where they hope to end up at The Championships come summer. Prospective BBGs train once a week with each session lasting approximately two-and-a-half hours. In these sessions, anywhere from 40 to 80 prospective children will train, focusing on general fitness, movement exercises and core skills needed to become a BBG such as rolling, feeding, receiving and game knowledge.
ESPN 690
17K+
Posts
51M+
Views
ESPN 690 is Jacksonville's home for ESPN sports radio, WOKV-AM.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.