Sachin Tendulkar and Shubman Gill steal the spotlight in the Wimbledon Royal Box

Wimbledon welcomed another touch of cricketing royalty on Friday as Indian great Sachin Tendulkar and Indian captain Shubman Gill watched Alexander Zverev take on Arthur Fery in the men’s singles first semi-final from the iconic Royal Box. While Tendulkar is a familiar face at the All England Club, it was Gill’s first experience of watching a Wimbledon match from one of the sport’s most exclusive venues.

The two Indian stars were among a host of sporting figures who converged on Center Court as Zverev ended Fery’s remarkable run with a straight sets victory to book his first Wimbledon final.

Tendulkar, who has often spoken of his admiration for tennis, made a comeback in SW19 and continued the tradition that has seen him participate in several editions of the championship over the years.

Gill, meanwhile, enjoyed a short break before returning to cricket duties later this month.

CRICKET’S BIG NAMES LIGHT UP CENTER COURSE

The Royal Box featured an impressive mix of sporting icons throughout the afternoon.

Tendulkar was joined by fellow batting legend Brian Lara, rekindling memories of one of cricket’s greatest rivalries, before the pair later became teammates in several exhibition and charity matches.

Gill’s presence also attracted attention, with the Indian skipper attending the event just days before he returns to lead the national side in the ODI series against England.

The list of notable guests went beyond cricket.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was also in attendance, while Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe watched proceedings from center court, where stars from across the sporting world once again gathered at Wimbledon.

GILL SET FOR ODI RETURN

For Gill, Wimbledon offered a welcome respite from the crucial task with India.

The 25-year-old will captain the Men in Blue in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England starting on July 14, followed by matches on July 16 and July 19.

Gill did not feature for India in T20 internationals as he was left out of the squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup despite serving as vice-captain. Led by new captain Shreyas Iyer, India endured a tough tour of the UK, suffering a surprise 2-0 series defeat to Ireland before falling to a 3-0 deficit in the ongoing five-match T20I series against England.

The ODI series will now offer Gill and India an opportunity to reset after a disappointing stretch.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

Jul 11, 2026 03:26 IST