What it's like to be hitting partner to the stars at Wimbledon

Including an unlikely Caitlin Clark connection

Staring across the net at Venus Williams, with Centre Court looming in the background, Jessica Matthews had to steady herself. She swallowed her nerves and did what she was there to do: hit a flat, powerful groundstroke back at the seven-time major champion. Then she did it again and again and again.

That was last summer, when Matthews was completing her first tournament as hitting partner to some of the world’s top players at Wimbledon. She is back for more this year, and her job is quite simply to help them practise during the most prestigious fortnight in the tennis calendar.

If they want her to serve out wide, she can deliver dozens. If they want to practice receiving a slice backhand, she supplies them. Cross-court rallies? She is your woman.

While a handful of top female players might travel with a hitting partner, and sometimes favour hitting with men - to try to match the speed and power they experience against the best women on tour - Matthews says there is a big difference in the style of ball you get back from a man. Women mostly hit a much flatter shot to the topspin favoured in the men’s game, so players trying to replicate in-match scenarios will look to Matthews over the next two weeks.

Jessica Matthews with Venus Williams

She is the only female hitting partner employed by Wimbledon, so will be putting in quite the shift. “Some days we’ll play for six or seven hours a day,” Matthews says, speaking to me on Tuesday, four days into the job. “As it gets to the main draw it’s crazy busy every day - we don’t have a day off for three weeks. The pressure you feel when you’re on your fourth hit of the day, with [former world No 1] Victoria Azarenka or somebody, and thinking this is such a top player I have to find a way to get some energy. You have to perform at such a high level, they’re wanting consistently hard and fast shots. I think it’s the mental challenge for me and it’s physically improving me so much too.

“When you’re on your sixth hour of the day, your legs are completely exhausted, but you can’t turn down another hit because you don’t know when you’ll get to hit with somebody that good again.”

Hailing from Hertfordshire, 5ft 11in Matthews was a talented junior and has just finished her first year playing college tennis at the University of Iowa, where she is double-majoring in economics and finance.

As well as rubbing shoulders with legends at Wimbledon, she has been keeping stellar company at her new university too. Her teammate at Iowa just happened to be roommates with basketball superstar Caitlin Clark, and it meant front row seats to the biggest story in American sport.

“She’s doing amazing,” Matthews says of Clark. “It was crazy, there were so many celebrities coming to watch the games. The whole season was sold out so early, we were so worried we’d never get to see her play, but Caitlin was like no worries and gave us courtside seats for her games. It was so amazing.”

With that surprising anecdote, I almost got sidetracked into speaking about Clark for our entire conversation, but eventually we return to Wimbledon. Matthews, now 19, says playing in front of rowdy college crowds over the school year has made her less nervous about facing up to big-name players at the SW19 Aorangi Park practice courts.

Chatting to me on the phone from a bench just beside Centre Court, she is one of a privileged few allowed on site in the week before the Championships. Throughout the tournament, she and the other four (male) hitting partners are also allowed in the player lounge, restaurant and even the locker rooms reserved for the top 16 players.

She befriended the Centre Court security last year too, and managed to catch some of the semi-finals from the stands. Above all, the access-all-areas pass has given her an insight into the future career she hopes to have.

To date, Matthews says her most intense session was with Williams (who was 43 at the time).

“We were on Court 7, there were loads of people watching, the photographers literally come onto the court, you can hear the click of their snap shots, so it was just crazy. Venus had so many coaches in her team and they are on every single ball. Other up-and-coming players only have one coach or sometimes just their mum or dad, so they’re a bit more relaxed if you miss a few shots here or there. When I was playing with Venus they would come together and discuss during our session. You’d know they’re talking about the way you’re playing, so it’s a bit more stressful.

“It was amazing to be on the other side of the court from her, it was just incredible to think of all the tournaments she played, all the years, all the wins, and now she’s playing me on this great court at Wimbledon. It was really memorable. Hopefully I’ll have as good hitters this year.”

Matthews and Victoria Azarenka

Williams’s coaches even offered some life advice (“They told me to follow my dreams,” Matthews says, slightly bemusedly), and there have been other more practical tips, including Heather Watson’s coach making some tweaks to her backhand during their session on Monday. Her favourite moment last year was getting positive feedback from two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka’s entourage.

“Her coaching team introduced me to other coaches, they said they really enjoyed me playing with her, and they specifically requested me for the rest of the tournament - which was super nice. I played some mini tennis with her son and they even invited me to the player box when she played on the big courts. It was so sweet. I felt like part of the team and I’ve stayed in contact with them, we’ll be going for a coffee too this week.”

With that, Matthews has to run - the practice courts call. Her next appointment is with the world No 3, Aryna Sabalenka. “She hits harder than most on tour - I’m going to try not to break my wrist!”

Recommendations

I have to admit, this past week has been busy and I’ve not sampled much in the way of sports writing/watching/listening outside of tennis matches and Euros coverage. But I thought this interview with Sue Barker, by my former Telegraph colleague Simon Briggs, really captured her personality and raised some interesting points around her BBC departure.

This was also brilliant reporting from another former colleague, Tom Garry, regarding Manchester United’s decision to move the women’s team out of their training building to make way for the men. Depressing.

My ‘to watch’ list is ramping up. I still haven’t checked out Roger Federer’s documentary, Twelve Final Days (which I’ve heard mixed reviews on), and I’m yet to even watch Challengers, for God’s sake.

Will be trying to rectify that this weekend ahead of Wimbledon starting on Monday (where I’ll be on site for most of the week). Wish me luck!

See you next time!

Molly x