SW19 visit for Queen

THE Queen will attend Wimbledon for the first time in more than three decades when the grand slam tournament gets under way next month.

This year's Championship begins on 21 June, and it is anticipated that the monarch will be in attendance at Centre Court on the first Thursday, 24 June.

It would mark the Queen's first visit to SW19 since the year of her Silver Jubilee in 1977, when Britain's Virginia Wade won the women's singles title. The Queen presented Wade with the trophy after her victory over Betty Stove.

"We are delighted and honoured that the Queen has indicated that she will be attending the Championships this year," said Tim Phillips, chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. "Wimbledon has changed considerably since the Queen's previous visit in 1977, most notably with a transformation of the infrastructure bringing new and much improved facilities, including the Centre Court roof which was unveiled last year."

• Scotland's Elena Baltacha beat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 7-5 in the first round in Strasbourg. It was one of the British No1's finest ever performances on clay, and she will next face Russia's Anastasia Rodionova.

"That was the best I've ever felt on clay," said Baltacha. "I wasn't sure how I would take to the clay here because it's very wet and slow and to hit a winner you have to really pelt it but it's been really good."