Page 28 of Match Point

‘You’re welcome, now let’s go eat,’ she says, looping her arm through mine and dragging me towards an Italian restaurant we’ve booked. ‘I want to hear all about you flashing your knickers at your hot new housemate and his coach.’

‘I didn’t purposefully flash my knickers at him,’ I remind her, lowering my voice as a man we pass gives me a strange look. ‘I told you, I sort of just dropped them and they happened to land on the coffee table. It was mortifying.’

‘I bet he loved it.’

‘He loved me embarrassing myself, I’m sure,’ I mutter.

We arrive at the restaurant and are shown our table, a nice one by the window so we can watch all the people strolling by. With a week and a half to go to the tournament, a buzzing atmosphere is growing in the Village with purple and green – the official colours of the tournament – decorations everywhere you look, and tennis-themed displays filling all the shop windows. Everyone seems to have got in the spirit of things and it’s hard not to feel excited about it all, even if you’re not that into tennis. It doesn’t matter that the sun has been hiding away today and it’s been grey and cloudy despite it being the end of June, it still feels like summer here in Wimbledon.

Once we’ve given our orders and our wine has been poured, Iris takes her glass and sits back, taking a sip of her drink. ‘So, how’s the art going? Have you made a start?’

‘Not exactly. I’m easing myself into it.’

She gives me a pointed look.

‘I know, I know,’ I sigh. ‘I just didn’t picture myself starting the book whilst still in Wimbledon, that’s all. I thought I’d be drawing in a haven of peace and instead—’ I gesture out the window where a group of tourists are taking selfies with the giant tennis racket and ball display right outside the restaurant ‘—I’m surrounded by chaos.’

‘So use your art to escape it,’ she suggests, tilting her head at me. ‘You’re so talented, Flora, you can do this. You just need to believe that. I really think that starting your novel is going to be good for you.’

‘I wish I knew how to start it. How do you get inspired to write?’

She shrugs. ‘I don’t think that I’ll be much help. I watch sport.’

‘And that gets you fired up at your keyboard, huh.’ I chuckle.

‘That’s what does it for me.’ She watches me curiously. ‘You never know, maybe watching a spot of tennis will do it for you, too, especially now you’re besties with the tennis player ranked number forty-three in the world.’

‘Sure, we’re besties. We’re really bonding through having nothing in common and our constant bickering over the shoe stand.’

‘The shoe stand,’ she repeats, confused. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh, nothing,’ I sigh, tapping my nails on the table. ‘He leaves his shoes strewn across the hallway for everyone to trip over on their way out or in. I swear he leaves them out on purpose because he knows it annoys me.’

‘You still think he’s trying to get you to leave?’

‘Maybe. Or maybe he’s just this irritating in real life.’

‘Well, you might want to give him a bit of a break today,’ Iris points out, grimacing. ‘Did you see the cover piece on Sports Now magazine?’

I frown. ‘No, why? Is it about Kieran?’

‘Not exactly, although it might as well be. It’s an interview with Chris Courtney. You know him right? Fairly big name in tennis, currently number eighteen seed for Wimbledon. He won a couple of Grand Slams in his twenties – the Aussie Open and the US Open – but then lost his footing a bit. But he’s been playing well recently and got to the semi-finals of Queen’s. He’s gunning for Wimbledon, the one he really wants. According to him, this year is his year.’

‘Good for him. What’s that got to do with Kieran?’

Iris places down her glass and props her elbows on the table to lean towards me. ‘The interviewer asked him who he sees as the biggest threat to him this tournament and Courtney of course lists a few of the big names – Sovák, Jensen, Bissette – and then he can’t help but take a jab at Kieran O’Sullivan.’

‘Isn’t that a flattering thing, if he sees Kieran as a threat?’ I check, impressed.

‘That’s not exactly how he brings him up. No offence to Kieran, but he’s unseeded. He may have a few ATP titles under his belt from a while ago and he’s made it to a lot of the Grand Slam semi-finals and finals in his time – but it’s not like he’s a big name in the sport at the moment.’ She hesitates. ‘He’s become better known for his flaring temper and boozy nights out in the lead-up to Grand Slams than his actual performance in them, which is a shame. I’ve always liked his style. A real natural.’

‘Okay, so why did Courtney say he was a threat?’

‘That’s my point. He doesn’t. Courtney lists the threats and then he adds that players like Kieran should accept when their time is up, while players like him can continue to face the next generation with any success.’

My jaw drops. ‘Ouch! Bitchy.’

‘Right?’ Iris rolls her eyes. ‘The interviewer didn’t even ask anything to warrant that answer. But any opportunity for those two to take the other one down, they’ll take it, especially if it brings them into the public eye again – and Courtney has certainly achieved that today. His quote has been picked up by all the nationals.’ She hesitates. ‘Although, maybe that’s not a fair judgement about Kieran anymore. It’s been a while since he made any public remark about Courtney.’

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