Two weeks ago at midday I was preparing myself for a mental challenge. 3 hours later, retching and tearful, it’s fair to say that the preparations did not work.

I refer, of course, to Andy Murray’s victory at Wimbledon 2013. To most it was a special moment to watch or hear about, but little else. To me it was the culmination of a lifetime in loving tennis. Tennis is – you may have guessed – my passion. Playing or watching, I just can’t get enough, so when a fiery 17 year old brit first came to my attention nearly 10 years ago I was delighted. Finally, this young British tennis nut had a young British tennis pro to root for.

Year after year I have witnessed the best quality tennis that has ever been played. My career as a tennis fan couldn’t have been better timed. The centre of this…