The Venus Throw*

Watching Venus.  Seb is on his way apparently.  

Could wash but it seems more important to watch this match.  Venus is almost my age – she’s 35 now.  Maybe won’t have the chance to watch her too many more times.  Feeling very sad that Kauto Star has just died.  A great, great sportsman.  If a horse is a sportsman.  A very great horse anyway.  Have attached a photo of him.

“Oracene dividing her time between Venus on Court Two and Serena on Centre,” the commentator says, as we see the famous Mum of the Williams sisters: smiling, clapping with her mop of blonde curls.

She’s so beautiful, Venus: her long, slim legs and the smooth grace with which she slinks around the court.  There’s the power, of course, and her serve and yet, somehow, she manages to be so, I don’t know, ladylike on top of it all.  She is my best one.  

Come on Venus!  5 – 4 in the tiebreak.  Now it’s 6 – 4.  Two set points.  One saved by the other player.  Not sure who she is but she’s good.  But Venus takes the set.

Venus is 0 – 40 down and somehow turns it around to hold her serve.  

“The sun sets on what has been a quite special day here at Wimbledon.  The hottest day on record,” the commentator says.  And Venus is 0 – 30 down again.  Pulls it back to thirty all and then it’s 40 – 30.  

“I don’t think that the All England Club will be too happy about Court Two being beaten to a pulp,” the commentator says as Putintseva smashes her racket into the grass in frustration.

5 – 3 to Venus.  Have washed and cleaned lenses but now am sitting in my underwear in front of the tennis.  Have to watch Venus serve this one out.  There are vegetables in the fridge but am too tired to do anything with them.

“Come on Venus!” Someone shouts.

“What a way to save a couple of match points,” the commentator says.

And then, at last, Venus wins.

“Her eighteenth appearance here, she’s through to the third round again and you can see how much it still means to her,” the commentator says, as Venus waves and smiles.

Sue Barker tells us that “with that win she moves up into third place on the all time list of matches won here at Wimbledon.”

“Touchdown at last.  See you in ten,” Seb’s message comes through.

Suppose had better put some clothes on.  Have just washed self and hair but am already drenched with sweat again.

Happy Wednesday evening everyone!

*1995.  By Steven Saylor.  Fourth book in the mystery series set in Ancient Rome.

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