15 Jul Breakfast at Wimbledon is Every Morning at this Corporate Housing Unit

California Corporate Housing recently gave an executive the keys for a corporate housing unit with a Wimbledon theme. The airy colors, furniture re-arrangement to make its unit look more spacious and sporty, and the placement of a tennis set (or two) in certain strategic corners were enough to delight the guest who readily appreciated it. Everyday, the guest would wake up to the architectural reminder of Wimbledon and the values it represents.

“We know the executive is from the UK and is a table tennis enthusiast, so we thought it would be fun to play with the Wimbledon theme.” said Ray Madronio, CEO of California Corporate Housing.

Yes, the legendary 2016 Wimbledon Championship is over, but fans, tennis buffs and sports watchers, are still reeling from the experience. Roger Federer, Milos Raonic, Andy Murray, and Serena Williams were the names that were on everyone’s lips. Who could forget Ms. Williams’ lying on the grass in victory, her legs raised to mark the moment?  Or Mr. Federer leaping with a ferocity to smash that ball that almost obliterated Mr. Raonic’s chances?

So ingrained is the Wimbledon in our lives that fans and even the most casual viewers are inclined to wear those pure-white shirts and light verdant caps that have marked the most celebrated – and the oldest – tennis tournament in history.

Our guest was a big Wimbledon tennis fan and was simply not contented wearing his tennis heroes’ garbs. People can truly be fanatics, but it’s understandable. Wimbledon is revered by sports fans around the world not just because of its prestige or its more than 100-year-old history, but because it evokes an era where honor, fair play, and a passion for excellence ruled the games. This is perhaps the only championship match still playing in modern history where players are respectably referred to by their marital status; the gentlemen players are addressed as “Mr.,” and the lady players are called “Ms.” or “Mrs.” In the same way, the events are still distinguished by either “gentlemens’ events” or “ladies’ events.”

These elements will never be changed because these are parts of the famous Wimbledon tradition that has evoked a culture and class of its own. Its elitist status is also reinforced by the fact that it is the only global tennis match that continues to be attended by the British Royal Family.  The Queen of England herself personally meets the players. Again, another tradition that has lived on through a couple of World Wars, economic crises, and political upheavals like the Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The purity of the colors also reflect the pristine aristocracy and elegance that would be preserved, impervious to the ravages of change. All players’ apparel, from their shirts, socks, soles,  to their shoes, have to be in immaculate white. Not even the most awarded champions can get away by wearing the slightest streak of color in their athletic shoes. The devotion to purity is also seen in the grass that covers the Wimbledon courts. The Australian Open and US Open play on hard-surface courts now but Wimbledon’s natural lawn-tennis style will not succumb to the coldness of concrete.

Neither will the sport succumb to commercialism. The cost of mounting this world-class event is astronomical, yet no advertising posters, billboards, or collaterals of any kind can be seen in and around the courts.

Wimbledon is the epitome of style and showmanship. That’s why, to the thousands of Wimbledon fans, celebrating the tradition is not just a matter of looking sporty or donning that lily-white, but dressing up their own living quarters to just get into the moment.  It is a matter of exuding the class and dignity that personify the championship. And maybe that’s why many of these aficionados will not be avid about reliving the games on VR, although that is possible.