My Trip to The Queen’s Club
So, I finally got around to visiting the Queen’s Club the other day. Heard about it for ages, seen it on the telly, figured I should probably see it in person, you know? Wasn’t even a big tournament on, just wanted to have a wander.
Getting there was easy enough, took the tube, bit of a walk from the station. Found the entrance eventually, it’s kind of tucked away, not flashy like you might expect. Security was polite, just doing their job. Stepped inside, and yeah, it felt different. Quieter than I thought it would be, more… proper, I guess?
Spent a fair bit of time just walking around. You see the main courts, the grass looked immaculate, seriously green. Makes you wonder how they keep it like that. There were a few people practicing on some of the outer courts. Didn’t recognise anyone famous, just club members maybe, hitting the ball back and forth. The sound of the ball hitting the racket, that clean ‘thwack’, it’s quite satisfying up close.
What I noticed:
- The whole place feels very traditional. Lots of dark wood in the clubhouse bits I could see, old photos on the walls.
- It wasn’t crowded at all, which was nice. Felt relaxed, not like the hustle of Wimbledon fortnight.
- Saw people having lunch, dressed pretty smart casual. Definitely a members’ club vibe.
- The courts themselves are right next to each other, you can just wander from one to the next easily.
Didn’t stay for hours, just soaked it in for a bit. Watched some decent rallies on one court, saw some kids having a lesson on another. Grabbed a coffee, which was alright, nothing special but did the job. It’s funny, you build these places up in your head, and then you get there, and it’s just… a really nice place to play tennis. Very well kept, obviously, but still just courts and people enjoying the game.
Left feeling like I’d ticked something off the list. It’s a lovely spot, quiet, steeped in a bit of history. Glad I went. You get a real sense of the tradition there, different from the big modern stadiums. Worth popping by if you’re in the area and curious, even just for a quick look like I did.
