{"id":767,"date":"2014-06-23T07:42:21","date_gmt":"2014-06-23T07:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/?p=767"},"modified":"2014-06-23T07:42:21","modified_gmt":"2014-06-23T07:42:21","slug":"kicking-wimbledon-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/kicking-wimbledon-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Kicking off Wimbledon in some style"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Maria<\/a>

Maria Bueno kicked off Wimbledon by wearing a stunning evening suit by Brazilian designer Ricardo Almeida to the IC Gala Dinner<\/p><\/div>\n

22 June 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<\/address>\n

Maria has kicked off Wimbledon in some style as a guest of the International Club.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Saturday she attended the Gala Ball at the Dorchester Hotel in London where alongside 300 other guests, the international tennis family came together to celebrate the 128th staging of The Lawn Tennis Championships, which began in 1877.<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea of an International Club, whose members are players who have represented their country in international team competition, arose out of a conversation at the 1923 Wimbledon Championships between Lord Balfour, then British Prime Minister, and Wallis Myers, an outstanding journalist and writer on lawn tennis.<\/span><\/p>\n

IC Dinner<\/h2>\n

The purpose of an International Club was to promote international goodwill by friendship across the tennis net and Myers founded the International Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain on 26 November 1924 with steel grey and pink as the club\u2019s colours.<\/span><\/p>\n

The IC Council <\/a>is the umbrella organisation for International Clubs across the globe and, this year, the IC of Great Britain <\/a>hosted teams from Mexico and Italy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maria was a recipient of the IC\u2019s Jean Borotra Award in 2003, made periodically to a player who has shown throughout his or her playing career the outstanding standard of sportsmanship commensurate with the objects of the International Clubs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Stunning<\/a>

Stunning floral decorations adorned the tables at the IC Gala dinner on Saturday<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe dinner on Saturday was a lovely occasion,\u201d said Maria. \u201cIt\u2019s always fun when tennis players get together and I always enjoy seeing friends from way back. It brings back good memories!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fellow special guest at Wimbledon this year, Ken Rosewall, was there too, as was Marion Bartoli, the reigning ladies champion, who is not defending her title because she retired shortly after winning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMarion is keeping pretty busy, starting up her own business and taking on a philanthropic role with the IC to promote tennis around the world to under privileged kids,\u201d continued Maria.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bartoli addressed the assembled guests on Saturday, having made the journey down from Liverpool by train, where she competed in an exhibition event there.<\/span><\/p>\n

She has no regrets about retiring, particularly since she still cannot lift her arm each morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

She will be watching from the Royal Box on Tuesday as Sabine Lisicki, last year\u2019s beaten finalist, plays the first of the day\u2019s matches on Centre Court, the honour reserved for the defending champion, and she will be relishing the few remaining days she has left as the current Wimbledon champion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know how hard it is to sit out as the defending champion,\u201d recalls Maria, who fell ill in 1961 and was unable to go for her hat trick of singles titles. \u201cBut I wasn\u2019t there to see others play for my title. It must be pretty unusual for her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1961 Maria arrived in Paris feeling tired and feverish, symptoms for what later turned out to be hepatitis, a condition that sent her home to Brazil where she was confined to bed for eight months, during which time her weight dropped by 24 lbs.<\/span><\/p>\n

It took her some time to recover but by February 1962, she had her sights set, once again, on Wimbledon and successfully won her third singles title in 1964, a fact being celebrated this year, some fifty years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like only yesterday,\u201d she admits. \u201cI really can\u2019t believe it is half a century ago!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hurlingham Sunday<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Maria<\/a>

Maria Bueno enjoyed the spacious Hurlingham Club on Sunday<\/p><\/div>\n

On Sunday Maria joined the international guests again at the traditional Hurlingham Garden party.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is such a beautiful club,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is just how I expect an English club to be but I think it is very unusual these days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bordering the Thames in Fulham and set in 42 acres of magnificent grounds, The Hurlingham Club <\/a>is a green oasis of tradition and international renown.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognised throughout the world as one of Britain\u2019s greatest private members\u2019 clubs, it retains its quintessentially English traditions and heritage, while providing modern facilities and services for its members.<\/span><\/p>\n