Anne on meeting the Queen
Anne Keothavong enjoyed a royally good day on Thursday…
Along with fellow Brits Laura Robson, Heather Watson and Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothavong was introduced to the Queen on Thursday on her first visit to Wimbledon since Virginia Wade won the title in 1977.
As the British No.3 and a host of the biggest names in tennis geared up for a brief meeting with the royal figurehead, Keothavong admitted that the locker room saw some rather different preparations than usually seen ahead of the players big moments.
“We spent a lot of time practicing our curtseys in the Ladies’ Changing Rooms, with Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King and Wozniacki and Jankovic,” she revealed. “I don’t think any of us wanted to mess it up!
Keothavong had actually met the Queen before (“when she came to the NTC. I’m not sure that she remembered!”), but was honoured to have the chance to do so again.
“It was all very pleasant and obviously a real honour to be part of that line-up, with the top four seeds on the men’s side and the women’s side.”
As for what was said…
“Tim Phillips introduced us and he told the Queen that I’d come back from a knee injury and she said, “that’s unfortunate” and asked me how I was now.
“Then I had a chat to the Duke of Kent and he asked me what age I started play tennis and we talked a bit about getting kids playing tennis. It was a great thing to be part of.”