Mini-Wimbledon at Media City

For a generation of people, tennis at Wimbledon means having to suffer the pain and humiliation of watching Tim Henman go through his annual glorious defeat in the 1990s, and the subsequent years of refusal to accept his chance had gone. For others – generally, the happier among us – it means strawberries and cream, Pimms and people hitting a ball on a lawn. The piazza at MediaCity this summer will be a healthy mix of the two groups, as it is transformed into a mini-Wimbledon, complete with big screen (to see all the action), Henman Hill Murray Mound (to sit and watch the action) and a seasonal Dockbar (serving aforemention strawberries and cream and Pimms, along with a less traditional frozen yoghurt). It’ll be the perfect place to either see the crowning of the first British Wimbledon champion since Stockport’s own Fred Perry, or to drown your sorrows at the sheer futility of ever hoping that may happen. Even if things do go awry, the Lawn Tennis Association are setting up four mini tennis courts to have a knock-about yourself, drop in cardio sessions (27 – 28 Jun & 4 Jul, midday onward) and will be putting on lessons at on-site Holyrood throughout the fortnight, too.

Mon 24 Jun – Sun 7 Jul, Piazza, Mediacity, Various times, FREE, www.facebook.com