And mother came, too

Court circular

Pam Shriver made what will probably prove to be her last singles appearance on Centre Court. Although her 6-2, 6-1 defeat against Anke Huber was hardly the ideal way to bow out, she received a rapturous reception from the crowd.

Leading the applause was Shriver's mother, Margot. It was her first time at the event with her husband Sam, and only her fourth visit to the All England Club.

Pam asked her mother to attend only five days before, when she was feeling a little nostalgic about her 17th appearance at the event. "When I started to think about Wimbledon last week, I realised it might be my last time to play and I wanted to have one of my family with me. I talked to Dad first and asked him if he could handle being without Mom for a week or so, and he thought it would be OK."

Of course, a hidden agenda for the invitation could have been Shriver's 34th birthday on 4 July. She has not celebrated a birthday at home since 1978 and the lure of a home-made cake may well have proved irresistible.