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Emotional farewell for BBC's Sue Barker after three decades of Wimbledon commentary

'That really does mean the world to me', BBC stalwart Sue Barker said in response to the Centre Court standing ovation on Sunday - Ella Ling/Shutterstock
'That really does mean the world to me', BBC stalwart Sue Barker said in response to the Centre Court standing ovation on Sunday - Ella Ling/Shutterstock

It was a moment to celebrate 100 years of Wimbledon’s Centre Court with the game’s greatest champions - but the most rapturous ovation was reserved for a tearful Sue Barker, the outgoing face of the BBC's tennis coverage.

Barker, who has been presenting Wimbledon since 1992, was hosting Sunday’s centenary event alongside three-time champion John McEnroe when he went off-script to end the celebration by paying tribute to his 66-year-old friend.

“One final word to the crowd and on behalf of all the players, I just want to say we’re going to be lost without you,” McEnroe told Barker. “After 30 years of covering this tournament magnificently, please give it up for Sue Barker,” he added, as the crowd rose to their feet for a prolonged standing ovation. The response brought Barker to tears. “Thank you so much…that really does mean the world to me,” she said.

Barker then added that McEnroe would be relegated to commentating from Court 17 after diverting from the ceremony’s script. A former French Open champion and World number three, Barker announced in June that this year would be her last Wimbledon, and it has so far been beset by a bout of laryngitis and the potential threat of Covid among the tournament’s broadcasters.

Sue Barker jokingly told off McEnroe for going off script, saying he would be relegated to commentating from Court 17 - Ella Ling/Shutterstock
Sue Barker jokingly told off McEnroe for going off script, saying he would be relegated to commentating from Court 17 - Ella Ling/Shutterstock

Martina Navratilova, the nine-times Wimbledon champion, was notably absent from the centenary celebrations after testing positive for Covid-19 in the morning. Navratilova had been sitting alongside Barker the previous night during the BBC’s analysis of the match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios.

A BBC spokesperson told The Telegraph that they have “robust Covid procedures in place” and that their Wimbledon coverage continues “as planned”.

Navratilova was due to attend SW19 on Sunday as a Royal Box guest alongside an extraordinary roll-call of tennis legends which included Roger Federer, Billie Jean King, Rod Laver, Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic and Margaret Court.

An extraordinary line-up of tennis legends were right in the centre of Sunday's celebrations - John Walton
An extraordinary line-up of tennis legends were right in the centre of Sunday's celebrations - John Walton

The inclusion of Court, who is the all-time Grand Slam record-holder with 24 titles, follows calls in Australia for the celebrated “Margaret Court Arena” in Melbourne to be renamed because of her outspoken views on LGBTQ issues and same sex marriage. Court was respectfully applauded on Sunday by the Centre Court crowd.

Navratilova said she was “gutted” to miss the special occasion, which she was due to attend with her friend JK Rowling.

Federer was granted the loudest ovation of all the former champions and told fans that he still plans to return as a player after missing this year’s tournament with a knee injury.

“I hope I can come back - one more time,” said Federer, who reached the final as recently as 2019 but will turn 41 next month.

Roger Federer was granted the loudest ovation of all the former champions during the Centre Court event - Shi Tang
Roger Federer was granted the loudest ovation of all the former champions during the Centre Court event - Shi Tang

The centenary celebration also included a surprise appearance by Sir Cliff Richard, who serenaded the crowd with a rendition of Summer Holiday, receiving a mixed response from spectators and people watching at home.

The song was a nod to a memorable moment in Wimbledon’s history, when Richard spontaneously sung the tune from the Centre Court stands during a lengthy rain delay in 1996.

A somewhat awkward exchange between McEnroe and Barker followed the performance, in which he teased the broadcaster about her former relationship with the singer.

“Sue, didn’t you have a… thing with that guy?” McEnroe asked, to which she replied: “We’ll move on, thank you John.”

Cliff Richard received a mixed reaction to his performance during the centenary celebration - Kirsty Wigglesworth
Cliff Richard received a mixed reaction to his performance during the centenary celebration - Kirsty Wigglesworth

As part of the celebration, the All England Club had given Ukrainian refugees housed in the Wandsworth borough the opportunity to attend the tournament at no cost, including vouchers for their famous strawberries and cream. Inna Ohrimchuk, 28, said she wanted to get her mind off "everything happening back home”.

Inna Ohrimchuk, 28, said she wanted to get her mind off “everything happening back home,” but that she couldn’t help “scrolling through” her newsfeed during the tennis.

“It’s like you are watching the tournament but checking the news at the same time... you try to live a normal life... but at the same time it is very different back home and that thought keeps with you,” she said.

Elena Fylymonova, 35, told The Telegraph: “I check everyday, even on the Wimbledon courts - I’m watching tennis and checking Telegram. It’s 24/7.

“I’m excited to be here but at the same time everyone is happy and smiling and it’s sometimes a big contrast with what is happening back home,” she added.