WASHINGTON — Call it the Wimbledon body serve heard ’round the world.
No. 1-ranked women’s tennis pro Kim Clijsters was competing July 14 at a women’s invitational along with her doubles partner Rennae Stubbs when she decided to shake things up by turning to the crowd and asked whether she should serve wide or down the middle against opponents Conchita Martinez and Andrea Jaeger.
“Body serve!” one rowdy fan shouted.
“You said body?” an incredulous Clijsters said before inviting the fan — identified as Chris Quinn, of Wicklow, Ireland — onto the tennis court.
That’s when the normally stuffy world of Wimbledon really took a turn.
Per Wimbledon rules, players on the court must be attired in all white. So, Clijsters pulled out one of her extra white skorts, which the burly fan squeezed into as the crowd cheered.
“This is so, so much against the rules at Wimbledon,” the TV commentator sniffed, as Quinn batted at Clijster’s requested body serves. “That’s a man in a skirt trying to return Kim Clijsters serve. It’s 2017, people.”
Quinn, who has now become temporarily internet famous, tweeted out that his three daughters now think he’s a hero for sharing the court with Clijsters, and he got another shout-out from the tennis pro.
You were awesome! Nice meeting you Chris ! 🙂
— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) July 15, 2017
Oh, and that famous skort? It’s being auctioned off for charity.
The Famous Skort is being auctioned for the Gavin Glynn Foundation. goto thegavinglynnfoundation.ie for all the details pic.twitter.com/cJupwmUeS7
— chris (@chrisquinnirl) July 17, 2017
