溫布頓的皇家包廂：有太空人跟VIP草莓 - 網球 Tennis

來源：The New York Times
網址：http://tinyurl.com/y7erjrxy

Inside the Royal Box at Wimbledon: Astronauts and V.I.P. Strawberries
溫布頓的皇家包廂：有太空人跟VIP草莓

WIMBLEDON, England — To be among the few who receive an invitation to watch
tennis from one of the 74 seats in the royal box at Wimbledon’s Centre Court
is akin to getting an acceptance letter from Hogwarts.
要接到邀請去只有74個座位的溫布頓皇家包廂大概跟接到霍格華茲的入學通知信一樣困
難。

“There is a view, among those who have attended the royal box, that it is
one of the most special experiences in sport,” said Alexandra Willis, the
head of communications for the All England Club. “It’s because of the fact
that it’s by invitation only — you can’t just decide it’s something you
want to attend.”
「光看在皇家包廂裡的人就已經是難得的經驗了，」全英俱樂部裡負責聯絡的Alexandra
Willis說到。「那是只有被邀請的人才可以來，那不是想參加就可以來的地方。」

The oak-lined royal box sits right behind the south baseline of the court,
clearly visible to spectators and cameras. While its placement is prominent,
its perks are protected.
用橡木內襯的皇家包廂座落在球場南邊，觀眾跟記者的鏡頭都很容易看見。雖然皇家包廂
的位置大家都看得到，但是它包含了什麼服務，卻不是那麼容易被知道。


“Keeping some mystery and not giving away too much of what that experience
is like” is important, Willis said.“The only people who really know are those
who have had it themselves,” she added.
「保持些許神秘感，不要讓外界知道皇家包廂體驗有哪些是很重要的，」溫網聯絡負責人
說到。「只有體驗過皇家包廂的人知道就好了。」

Many who had been invited are eager to divulge details, however. They often
consider the visit one of the most memorable occasions of their lives.
但是許多已經去過的都會等不及想說皇家包廂的細節，他們都認為這是人生難得的體驗。

Invitations arrive two to three months before the tournament and read:

“The Chairman and Committee of Management of The Championships request the
pleasure of the company of [name] & Guest in the Royal Box on [date].

“This invitation to the Royal Box includes lunch in the Clubhouse prior to
the commencement of play, afternoon tea and drinks at the end of the day.”
邀請函會在溫網開打前二到三個月就會收到，上面寫著：
「全英俱樂部主席以及委員會們敬邀[姓名]及賓客於[日期]至皇家包廂。」
「邀請您參加於俱樂部於比賽前的午餐，下午茶以及賽後的飲料會。」

There is a dress code: jackets and ties for men, and no skirts or dresses
ending above the knee for women.
這有服裝要求的：男生要穿外套跟領帶，女生不可以穿膝上的短裙或洋裝。

It is best to arrive by noon for the lunch, which is hosted by the club’s
chairman, Philip Brook, and his wife, Gill, before play, which begins at 1
p.m. on most days. Brook opens with a brief talk about the tournament and the
matches that guests will see on Centre Court that day.
最好在中午前到達，因為會由大會主席Philip Brook以及他的太太在開打前招待午餐，而
且主席會介紹當天的比賽。

The food served is substantial and decadent; several visitors mentioned
poached lobster as a favorite.
食物當然是好又讚；幾位參加過的說清蒸龍蝦是最好的其中之一。

Strawberries, the traditional snack of Wimbledon, are also offered, but not
merely those sold to other fans on the grounds. Royal box guests enjoy an
especially exquisite variety, called a Driscoll Jubilee, which is treasured
for its firmness and sweetness and reserved for their consumption.
溫布頓的傳統點心，草莓，也會提供，但是不是那些賣給一般觀眾的。皇家包廂享受的是
一種特別的草莓叫Driscoll Jubilee，以紮實及鮮甜聞名。

The group adjourns to the court 10 minutes before the first match begins and
stays there throughout the day. Afternoon tea is served from 3:45 p.m. to
5:15 p.m. For those wanting further nibbles, a small leather-bound bucket of
candies is discreetly passed through the box during play. If it becomes
chilly, as it often does, blankets arrive.
賓客會在開打前10分鐘進場直到比賽結束。下午茶會在3：45到5：15分提供；若是在比賽
中想吃點東西的，大會會在賽中提供一個小皮袋，內有糖果；如果天氣變冷，也會提供毛
毯。

Guests are assigned woven-wicker seats in the box, each with their name, a
commemorative program and a small gift. This year, the gift was a green
leather zippered bag embossed with the Wimbledon logo and the words “Royal
Box 2017.” Guests also receive sterling silver lapel pins and a
commemorative photograph of match action from that day’s play with the box
visible in the background, paired with a seating chart.
賓客會坐在編織椅套的椅子裡，上面都有繡他們的名字，擺放著節目單跟小禮物。今年是
個綠色皮製袋子，上面有溫布頓的標誌跟寫著「皇家包廂2017」。賓客也會收到一個銀製
別針跟一張照片，照片有當天比賽時所拍的球員打球照片，背景就是皇家包廂，同時有皇
家包廂座位表。

More than the amenities, what guests treasure most is the company. Ken
Solomon, the chairman and chief executive of Tennis Channel, called it “a
cross section of the most interesting people who are in the U.K. at that
moment.”
除了這些禮物及服務，賓客最珍惜的還是看皇家包廂裡還有哪些人參加。網球頻道Tennis
Channel的主席Ken Solomon稱這個聚會是一次看完當代英國最有趣人的地方。

Solomon said he could only compare the camaraderie of the shared experience
at Wimbledon to what he has felt as a guest of the American president.
他甚至稱可以跟這個聚會比肩的就是他去參加美國總統宴會的時候了。

“When you meet someone at the White House, it doesn’t matter who they are —
you know they are having one of the greatest days of their life as well,”
Solomon said. “No matter who you are, how important, you can’t buy your
way into that space, and there’s only a handful of people who are there, and
it’s very special. You’re going to remember it the rest of your life, and
you know they are, too.”
「當你在白宮碰到某個人，不管那個人是誰--你知道那個人也正在經歷他人生中輝煌的那
一天，」他說，「不管你是誰，你有多重要，這個機會是花錢也買不來的，而且不會有太
多人可以有那樣的機會，那實在太特別了！你將會永生記得這個日子，你碰到的那一個人
也是一樣。」

Donald Dell, a pioneer in the business of professional tennis, said the
unexpected meetings were his favorite part. This year, he sat with the golfer
Ernie Els and John Witherow, the editor of The Times of London.
職業網球選手Donald Dell說這些出乎意料的聚會才是他的最愛，今年他跟一個高球選手
Ernie Els以及倫敦時報編輯John Witherow坐一起。

“Every year, it’s a different group, and that’s the fun of it: who you see
when you’re there,” Dell said.
「每年來的人都不太一樣，所以這就是有趣的地方：今年到底會看到誰？」Dell說。

Most players say they take little notice of the stars above them, but others
are inspired to shine themselves. When she first reached the Wimbledon final,
in 2007, Marion Bartoli credited her semifinal win to spotting her favorite
actor in the royal box.
大部分選手說他們很少注意有哪些明星人物坐在皇家包廂，但是有些人則因為看到某些明
星，反而激勵了他們。Marion Bartoli在2007年打入溫網決賽，她把她準決賽的勝利歸功
給一位在皇家包廂裡的明星。

“I was focusing on Pierce Brosnan because he is so beautiful,” she said.
「我眼裡只看到皮爾斯・布洛斯南，他實在太帥惹～」她說。

Having won Wimbledon in 2013, Bartoli now mixes with the stars herself as an
annual guest. Last year, she delighted in meeting the comedian Ellen
DeGeneres, one of her favorite celebrities.
在2013贏得冠軍之後，Bartoli每年都會參加溫網活動，跟明星們一起出席。去年，她碰到
她最愛的喜劇明星之一，Ellen DeGeneres。

“There are some cute boys invited as well, so I can sneak up in there,
trying to get some phone numbers,” Bartoli said, laughing.
「有時候會有些帥哥被邀來，所以我就可以混進去，順便要一些電話，」Bartoli笑著說。

Mansour Bahrami, an Iranian player participating in the legends’
exhibitions, most enjoyed meeting the singer Shirley Bassey last year.
伊朗選手Mansour Bahrami也參加了這個聚會，他最享受的是去年他碰到歌手Shirley
Bassey。

“I used to have her songs in my headphones as I’d sleep,” he said, giddily.
「我以前睡覺聽的音樂都是她的歌～」他說。

Spectators in the stadium and watching at home on television often focus on
the box. This year, the seatmates Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith delighted
with their expressive faces and sharing of binoculars.
球場或是電機前的觀眾常常也是在看皇家包廂裡坐的有誰。今年Ian McKellen（魔戒裡的
甘道夫）跟Maggie Smith（哈利波特裡的麥教授）坐在一起，互相分享望遠鏡。

The titular royal presence in the box was more conspicuous years ago, when
players bowed or curtsied toward the box as they entered Centre Court. The
Duke of Kent scrapped the tradition in 2003, though there remains an
exception if the queen or the Prince of Wales attends.
皇家成員的出席在以前會比較受矚目，因為球員會向他們敬禮。不過在2003年肯特公爵把
這個儀式取消，保留給英女皇或威爾斯王子出席的時候才執行。

Queen Elizabeth II, never much of a tennis fan, has shown up only once since
the change, fleetingly in 2010. She ate lunch, watched an Andy Murray match,
and then left. Her eldest son, Charles, has also appeared only once, in 2012.
英女皇伊莉莎白二世從來就不是個網球粉，在儀式變更之後也只在2010年來一次，來匆
匆，去匆匆。她吃了午餐，看完茉莉打完球就走了。她的兒子查爾斯王子也只在2012年出
席過一次。


Cambridge, who this year was named patron of the All England Club. The
duchess, who will succeed the Duke of Kent in presenting trophies on court,
had humbler beginnings at Wimbledon, recalling to the BBC how she had lined
up for tickets during her days as a commoner.
在皇室當中真正的網球粉該要算是劍橋公爵夫人凱特王妃了，今年也是全英俱樂部的贊助
者。她今年會接續肯特公爵頒獎，BBC報導在她還未嫁入皇室之前，她就會排隊買票看溫網
了。

“I was very fortunate that I did get through — it was quite late in the day,
” she said. “But, luckily, play went on quite late in the evening.”
「我很幸運那時候有買到票，雖然很晚才買到，」她說，「但是很幸運的，那天球賽也打
的很晚～」

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge both watched Sunday’s men’s final from
the royal box, as did Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince Albert II of
Monaco. The actors Bradley Cooper, Hugh Grant and Eddie Redmayne also
attended.
威廉王子跟凱特王妃星期日都到場看了男子決賽，首相梅伊跟摩納哥王子也到了。另外，
明星Bradley Cooper，休葛蘭跟Eddie Redmayne也都出席了。

When play goes late on Centre Court because of additional matches being
appended to its order of play, the royal box can thin out considerably.
那天除了男子決賽之外，還有其他幾場比賽要打，但是皇家包廂裡走掉不少人。

“Yesterday when we started the match, there were five people in the box,”
Jamie Murray said of his mixed doubles quarterfinal. Murray had recognized
them all: Martin Corrie, president of the Lawn Tennis Association and his
wife, Janet; former Prime Minister David Cameron and his mother, Mary Fleur
Cameron; and John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons.
「昨天當我們開打的時候，包廂裡只剩5個人，」Jamie Murray說到他打他的混雙半準決
賽。Murray認得那五個人：草地網球協會主席Marin Corrie跟他的太太，前首相卡麥隆跟
他的母親，跟內政部發言人John Bercow。

Murray seemed more impressed by a guest he had been introduced to after his
semifinal on Friday.
Murray反而對一個在他打完準決賽認識的人比較有印象。

“Just met Tim Peake,” Murray said, naming a British astronaut. “That was
cool.”
「認識了Tim Peake，」Murray說他是英國太空人。「那很酷！」

Another astronaut, Andrew Feustel of the United States, had also been in the
royal box that day.
另外一個美國的太空人Andrew Feustel也有在皇家包廂出現。

On Friday there were also singers: Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and the Welsh
mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. There were television nature guides: David
Attenborough was there, as was Bear Grylls, a host of survival-focused shows.
The actor Jude Law and the agent Ari Emanuel attended, too.
星期五那天也有歌手出席：Bee Gees的Barry Gibb，威爾斯女中音Katherine Jenkins。電
視上見到的生物學家David Attenborough，生存節目主持人Bear Grylls，影星裘德洛跟經
紀人Ari Emanuel也到場。

From other sports: the Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and the Formula
One world champion Nico Rosberg.
其他運動界代表：印度板球傳奇人物Sachin Tendulkar及F1賽車冠軍Nico Rosberg。

Rosberg was initially denied entry because he showed up without socks. He was
given a pair and ultimately allowed in.
F1賽車冠軍Nico Rosberg本來不給進場的，因為他沒穿襪子；在給了他一雙襪子後他才准
許入場。
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整個溫網就是大應酬場。

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